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Photos from Gaza

Joshua Brollier — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:53:40 -0600

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Pictures taken by Audrey Stewart

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The anatomy of a march: Veterans for Peace event ends in arrests

Jeff Leys — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:59:39 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

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August 31, 2008
By Jeff Severns Guntzel
Minnesota Independent

When Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin took the stage at the Veterans for Peace rally in front of the State Capitol building today, where hundreds of activists gathered before marching towards the Xcel Energy Center, she started with the string of weekend raids on her mind: “This is not the Midwestern welcome we expected!”

Her audience cheered — among them a vet hoisting a desert-camo anti-war flag:

A cadre of protesters were clad in orange jumpsuits meant to evoke those worn by prisoners at the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison. The held black hoods in their hands and stuck signs to their backs — on each sign was printed the name, age and story of a living, breathing Guantanamo detainee:

CONTINUE READING the Story with photos at Minnesota Independent

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August 31, 2008
By Jeff Severns Guntzel
Minnesota Independent

Her audience cheered — among them a vet hoisting a desert-camo anti-war flag:

CONTINUE READING the Story with photos at Minnesota Independent

Local activist makes 500-mile trek to oppose war in Iraq and Afghanistan

Jeff Leys — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

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August 28, 2008
Clarksville, TN Online

Witness Against War is a 450-mile walk from Chicago to Saint Paul to challenge and non-violently resist our nation’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The campaign seeks to hold both major political parties, both Democrat and Republican, accountable and responsible for continuing and ending the Iraq war.

The journey began in the City of Chicago, site of the 1968 Democratic Party convention in the midst of the Vietnam War. The walk will conclude on August 31 in St. Paul — in time for the start of the 2008 Republican Party convention in the midst of the Iraq war.

Joshua Brollier joined the walk in Chicago on July 12th and has participated in awareness events and community forums along the route to St. Paul. The walkers will convene there on August 29th to march in step with the Veterans for Peace at the Republican National Convention protests.

CONTINUE READING AT CLARKSVILLE ON-LINE, INCLUDES PHOTOS

Short Information Teaser

Clarksville, TN article on participation of Joshua Brollier in Witness Against War.

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August 28, 2008
Clarksville, TN Online

CONTINUE READING AT CLARKSVILLE ON-LINE, INCLUDES PHOTOS

13 Arrested at Fort McCoy for Opposing Iraq War

Jeff Leys — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:11:31 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

Short Information Teaser

Arrests at Fort McCoy Wisconsin on August 10

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August 10, 2008

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August 9 was a day of preparation for Witness Against War. Preparation for the act of nonviolent civil resistance to take place the following day.

We gathered at the Lafayette Town Hall just north of Sparta. Our host’s family goes back 7 generations on this land. His aunt and uncle donated the property on which the town hall now sits.

VCNV Author

Jeff Leys

Voices Author

Jeff Leys

Body

August 10, 2008

View Photos

August 9 was a day of preparation for Witness Against War. Preparation for the act of nonviolent civil resistance to take place the following day.

We gathered at the Lafayette Town Hall just north of Sparta. Our host’s family goes back 7 generations on this land. His aunt and uncle donated the property on which the town hall now sits.

The nonviolence workshop was to begin at 2:00 p.m. At 1:50 p.m. we looked at the clock on the wall and wondered aloud whether anyone would be coming. Only our friend Steve Carlson from Trego, Wisconsin had arrived by that time. The surrounding hills and bluffs prevented our cell phones from receiving signals, so we had no way of knowing whether those we expected to arrive were 30 seconds away or 30 minutes away (or stranded on the side of the road).

Then, as if they were waiting together just down the road and around the curve, all our colleagues began to arrive within minutes of each other. Christian Peacemaker Teams arrived with the 15 people currently training to become team members or reservists for CPT. Brian and Renee arrived from Des Moines. Ceylon and Christine arrived from Memphis. Joy from Madison and John from Eau Claire. The Lafayette Town Hall was transformed from the grouping of Witness Against War walkers to a near overflow gathering of committed social justice advocates.

Planning progressed for the following day’s action at Fort McCoy as we began to put flesh on a fairly skeletal action concept. By the end of the evening plans were in place for the following day.

Sunday, August 10, began with breakfast at the home of Dick and Violet, our hosts. We arrived at Tunnel City, our starting point that day, at 9:30 a.m., in time to meet with Sheriff Pederson to discuss the day’s walk. We explained that we intended to walk on the shoulder of the road facing traffic, as required by state traffic laws. He explained that he’d met with his officers and with officers of the Wisconsin State Highway Patrol that morning. Their intent was to ensure that the walk was able to proceed safely, and not to interfere with the walk’s progress. Indeed State Patrol and County Sheriff patrol cars accompanied the walk as it processed from Tunnel City to the edge of Fort McCoy and onward. One patrol officer turned on his vehicles flashing red and blue lights to slow traffic down along the highway (with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour and a fairly narrow shoulder), keeping a health distance form the front of the walk and backing up on an even pace with the walk.

We began walking at about 9:45 a.m. The first question mark of the day arrived three miles into the walk. At that point Highway 21, on which we were walking, enters Fort McCoy with a yellow sign informing motorists that they are “Entering a Military Area.” We were relatively certain we’d be able to proceed without any difficulty since we’d received a letter from Colonel Daniel Culver of the base advising us that normally the only time the base law enforcement would get involved along Highway 21 is if the operations of the base were being interfered with. Since we were walking on the shoulder, we were relatively certain we’d be fine. Yet, the question mark remained: would there be a change in the base’s position now that the walk had arrived? Would we be met by Fort McCoy security determined to prevent us from crossing the base?

The answer was “No”. Fort McCoy’s command would not block the progress of the walk. We would keep on walking forward, never turning back.

Witness Against War aimed to engage in civil disobedience / civil resistance at the main gate of Fort McCoy. A flashing traffic control sign located along the highway near the entry to Fort McCoy advised incoming traffic that the main gate was closed and directed traffic elsewhere.

Had Fort McCoy decided to wait us out? To allow us to engage in a vigil on the entryway into the base, without allowing us onto the base? Since our intent was to remain in order to gain entry into the base to talk with soldiers about the war, the question began to be raised: How long would we have to wait to gain entry?

Witness Against War arrived at Fort McCoy at 11:45 a.m. We gathered along the shoulder of the highway, across from the main gate. Those of us intending to seek entry into the base-and to risk arrest in doing so-gathered together. We thirteen crossed the highway together when a break in traffic made it safe to do so.

Fort McCoy had placed wooden horses across the driveway entrance to the base. Two officers from the base security were present. As we approached, and began to pass the wooden horses, Fort McCoy’s law enforcement engaged us in conversation. The officer advised us that if we went beyond the horses and continued to walk up the driveway towards the entrance that we would be subject to arrest. He asked if there was any communication which would like to present to him for him to relay to the base commander. We replied that we sought to distribute an open letter regarding the Iraq war to those currently serving on the base and to engage in dialogue with those on the base.

The letter we sought to deliver began:

“”We today come to Fort McCoy to seek an end to the war in and occupation of Iraq by the United States. We come to Fort McCoy because of its key role in training National Guard units deploying to Iraq-a training that should end immediately with the commitment of the U.S. to keep National Guard units home and withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq….”

The letter concluded:

“…the strain upon service men and women and their families continues unabated with repeat deployments to Iraq. The Washington National Guard’s 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team will deploy to Iraq for the second time this fall. The 32nd Red Arrow Brigade Combat Team of the Wisconsin National Guard will deploy to Iraq in 2009. This will be the largest deployment to combat of the Wisconsin National Guard since World War II when it logged the most days in theater of any U.S. Army unit. We call upon the United States to keep the National Guard at home in the U.S. and to end these repeat deployments abroad.

“We come to Fort McCoy to, in some small way, act in solidarity with members of the military who choose to nonviolently resist this war by refusing to be deployed to Iraq. We encourage members of the active duty military, Reserve and National Guard to consider refusing deployment orders and to be in contact with the GI Rights Hotline regarding their rights within the military at 1-800-394-9544.”

We stated that we intended to move forward to deliver the letter to those on the base and that we understood the potential consequences of doing so. He said he understood what we intended to do and moved aside as we processed up the driveway.

Then a “swarm” of officers from Fort McCoy emerged from the garage at the base entry point. We were walking slowly and deliberately towards them. They were walking slowly and deliberately towards us. It was clear that we would meet somewhere in the middle but that neither felt intimidated by the other nor that either side felt as if it was necessary to try to intimidate the other side.

We thirteen were arrested, processed and released in short order on the offense of trespass to land. We’ll be notified at some later time the date on which we are to appear in court. Those arrested include: Kathy Kelly, 54, Co-Coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence ; Jeff Leys, 44, of Watertown, Wisconsin; Joy First, 54, of Madison, WI; John Bachman, 56, Eau Claire, WI; Brian Terrell, 52, of Des Moines, IA; Renee Espeland, 47 of Des Moines, IA; Kryss Chupp, 49, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Chicago; Ceylon Mooney, 33, Memphis, TN; Eileen Hanson, 34, Winona, MN; Joshua Brollier, 25, Clarkesville, TN; Lauren Cannon, 38, seminarian at Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL; Alice Gerard, 51, of Grand Island, NY; and Gene Stoltzfus, 68, of Ontario, Canada.

All but one were released the same day. Kathy Kelly was detained on an outstanding warrant that dates back over ten years to an act of nonviolent civil resistance at Project ELF. ELF was the Navy’s old transmitter system, closed in 2004, that played a key role in the nuclear first strategy of the United States (ELF was the bell ringer to call U.S. nuclear missile subs to the ocean’s surface to receive precise launch orders for a nuclear first strike against another country). It’s expected that she will be transferred to Ashland County to appear before the judge on the warrant. Arrest warrants have also been issued for several others previously arrested and convicted for acts of resistance to Project ELF who refused to pay fines.

Witness Against War continues westward to La Crosse later this week and then begins its northwestward trek along the Mississippi River, aiming to arrive in Saint Paul on August 30, in time for the Republican National Convention. Emphasizing that the issue is not about Democrat or Republican; that it’s not about Left or Right; but rather that it is about what is Right and Wrong-Witness Against War began its trek in Chicago, site of the 1968 Democratic Convention and will end in Saint Paul, site of this year’s Republican Convention. It truly is a matter of challenging the powers-that-be within both political parties and holding both accountable for ending the Iraq and Afghanistan war.

PHOTOS: Witness Against War, Aug 3-6

voices — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:43:21 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

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Walk Blog: Alice Gerard (Baraboo to Reedsburg)

voices — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:18:05 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

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By Alice Gerard
Aug 5, 2008

We left our campsites at Devil’s Lake State Park early on Saturday morning. It didn’t take us long to depart. We seem to have become quite proficient at packing our luggage, the air mattresses, and the tents in a short amount of time.

We all got on the bus and returned to Baraboo. Just the previous day, we had walked from Devil’s Lake State Park to Baraboo. It was a short walk but a workout, nevertheless. Half of it was uphill on winding roads. Saturday’s walk was promising to be longer. Fortunately, we started early. I didn’t really feel awake yet and was hoping that I would be halfway to our destination before I realized that I was tired and that my feet hurt.

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By Alice Gerard
Aug 5, 2008

We walked out of town on sidewalks. I have learned to appreciate sidewalks greatly since I began this walk. Many places are not equipped with either sidewalks or paved shoulders. Walking on the loose gravel that seems to be a staple of many country roads certainly plays havoc on many feet and shoes.

So, I enjoyed my time walking through the town that was so famous for circuses that it had a huge circus museum in its downtown section. I got to window shop and to look at windows and architecture. Before long, we were out of town. The sidewalk had ended and we were back to walking on gravel. After a while, we were stopped by a Sauk County Sheriff’s Deputy. He told us that the shoulder was coming to an end and that it might be a good idea if we were to walk in the closed lane on the opposite side of the road. We thanked him and crossed the road.

From that point on, Saturday’s walk had become quite easy. When we switched to another road for the rest of our trip to Reedsburg, we were able to walk on a wide shoulder. This enabled us to walk together and to chat and to hold up our signs so that passing motorists could see them and honk, wave, and flash peace signs. I walked with Cassandra, one of our day walkers. She is part of the Christian Peacemaker teams, and she is planning on spending two months in the West Bank next spring. She has already been there, so this is a return trip for her. Conditions there sound very difficult, especially for children, she told me.

While we were walking, we saw our usual share of road kill. Speeding cars and animals are a very poor combination. One of the deceased was a skunk. We could smell the deceased long before we saw it. Helene, who has a poor sense of smell, fortunately, was spared from experiencing that aroma. The most difficult sight for Alice the cat lover was an orange tabby cat that lay dead in the middle of the road.

The cat looked as if it must have been someone’s beloved pet. Somehow, the cat got out of the house and lost its life in the middle of a high speed road. I wondered if the owners had put up lost cat flyers or if they had advertised in the newspaper. Most likely, they will never know what had happened to their beautiful cat.

A pet is as much a family member as a human. We grieve when the cat or dog dies, just as we grieve when a human dies.

But when a family member, animal or human, simply disappears, we don’t know what to do. During the course of this walk, during our presentations, I have heard so many stories of people who have disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Their families are left sad and wondering, where is our son? Where is our daughter? Where is our father? Our mother?

We had to keep walking. Eventually, we found our way to Dick and Tricia’s house. There we had our lunch on their deck. It was a beautiful space, and lunch was delicious. It included a cucumber salad, fruit, pasta salad, feta cheese, and iced tea.

Dick told us about the devastating floods in the area. He said that the rainfall was torrential in June. One day, 12 and 1/2 inches fell, and the next day, another five and a half inches fell. Many houses had to be condemned because of the flooding.

After lunch, we walked toward Reedsburg. I was so happy to see a horse stable. The horse were outside, running in an enclosed pasture. They looked free and happy as they ran.

At about 2:15 p.m., we arrived at Oak Park in Reedsburg. The park was full of kids and coaches. They were having a practice session: throwing, catching, and batting. Some of the people were so impressed with the Wheels of Justice bus that they pulled out cameras and started clicking right away.

Soon, we all piled onto the bus and went to St. John’s Lutheran Church. It was to be our home for the night. We were greeted by Pastor Marsha Swenson and the pianist, Leta Palmer. Pastor Marsha mentioned that there would be a service at 5:15 p.m. I was very happy about that. I wrote in my journal, bathed my feet in epsom salts, and then went to the service.

The service was a good experience for me. Afterward, Helene said, “You look all happy now.”

Dinner was provided to us by Barbara Hoffman, Pat Belongie, and Joanne Robson. They prepared lasagna and garlic bread. They also made a salad. They had made two versions of the main course: one for vegetarians and one for vegans. Laura and Leah were so happy with their vegan feast. We even had vegan chocolate cake. Leah told me that it had no cholesterol in it! It tasted great!

After dinner, Barbara got her guitar out and played songs. We all enjoyed singing. We also sang a good bye song to Helene and Bob, as they were leaving the walk on Sunday. We would have sung to Laura, too, but she was singing. Bob is coming back soon. Laura is unable to return, and Helene is going home to Sweden.

For the most part, it had been a happy day. I had gone to church at St. John’s because that was the church that provided us hospitality. Pastor Marsha had created the warm, nurturing, meditative environment that I needed. She said everything that I needed to hear.

The world was a beautiful spot for me.

I was determined to continue walking to end the war. It seems to be the least that I can do… and the most that I can do.

(to be continued…)

Walk Blog: Josh Brollier, from Baraboo to Reedsburg

voices — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:57:53 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

Short Information Teaser

"Maybe we do not need to wait on iconic figures or saints. Maybe it is time that ordinary people everywhere stood up and resisted this current incarnation of oppression."

Excerpt

By Josh Brollier
August 2, 2008

Today we traversed a 16 mile trek from Baraboo to Reedsburg. Much of the time I was thinking of Hiroshi, the organizer for last night’s event at the Garden Party Cafe, and his description of just how difficult it can be to get large crowds of people to come out for peace events in Baraboo. The event was not a failure by any means. There were probably twenty to thirty folks there, and I was very excited by the enthusiasm and the response of the crowd. However, many activists and concerned citizens share Hiroshi’s concerns, questions, and confusion as to why there is not a more organized and visible peace movement at present in the United States.

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By Josh Brollier
August 2, 2008

I do not think the answer lies in lack of ideological support for peaceful and non-violent solutions in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere. The response to our “witness” has been overwhelmingly positive in both the cities and the towns of Illinois and Wisconsin. This also rings consistent with a recent referendum that found that 72% of the citizens Milwaukee are in favor of ending the Iraq war.

There is a combination of spiritual, moral, and/or political depression that comes along with feeling helpless to alleviate the suffering we inflicted on our brothers and sisters in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a cynicism that easily creeps in when we do not see immediate changes. But my reflection is this: How should we respond to this depression?

Last night Dan Pearson and Helene Hedberg described to us just a glimpse of the very bleak situation that some 4 millions refugees are facing as a result of the conflict in Iraq. We have an enormous responsibility to these families to do more than to sink into depression.

One of the most important things that Voices has been advocating for during the walk is to build genuine relationships between Americans and the people of Iraq. The Direct Aid Initiative and The Iraqi Student Project are two avenues that we could take advantage of to become actively engaged in building justice in Iraq while bypassing the corporate looting and unaccountability that have become so prevalent.

And just what is our responsibility to pressure our elected officials to bring home our troops from these wars of aggression? It seems to me that it is time to take some risks. Neither presidential candidate is making concrete plans to shift the foreign policy in a more compassionate direction. Continuing to pursue our present course will be detrimental to world security and suicidal to our own economy and environment.

Presently, the risk levels in our country are relatively low for exercising our rights to free speech and even civil disobedience. We must take advantage of these opportunities now while there is still an open window to reach out to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and to re-shape the dreadful direction in which our nation is heading. How will future generations remember us if we fail to effectively organize and tackle the challenges that face us today?

I do not make any claims to being an experienced organizer or a great leader. Maybe we do not need to wait on iconic figures or saints. Maybe it is time that ordinary people everywhere stood up and resisted this current incarnation of oppression. Previous generations resisted slavery and succeeded. Will we walk in their footsteps?

Walk Blog: Visit to Governor Doyle's office (Madison, WI)

Kathy Kelly — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:17:33 -0500

Project

WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

Short Information Teaser

delivery of a letter to Governor Doyle

Excerpt

July 30, 2008

In Madison, WI, we delivered a letter to Governor Doyle, urging him to support State assemblyman Spenser Black in his efforts to prevent the National Guard from going to Iraq. Mr.Farland, an aide to the governor, met with about two dozen of us who crowded into the reception area of the governor’s office. The letter reads:

Governor Jim Doyle
Office of the Governor 115 East State Capitol Madison, Wisconsin 53702 Governor Doyle,

The Red Arrow 32nd Brigade Combat Team of the Wisconsin National Guard is currently scheduled to deploy to Iraq in 2009.

We urge you to take all necessary steps to prevent this deployment from happening. This includes, but is not limited to, taking legal action in the form of a lawsuit to prevent future deployments to Iraq.

VCNV Author

Kathy Kelly

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July 30, 2008

Governor Jim Doyle
Office of the Governor 115 East State Capitol Madison, Wisconsin 53702 Governor Doyle,

The Red Arrow 32nd Brigade Combat Team of the Wisconsin National Guard is currently scheduled to deploy to Iraq in 2009.

We urge you to take all necessary steps to prevent this deployment from happening. This includes, but is not limited to, taking legal action in the form of a lawsuit to prevent future deployments to Iraq.

We believe that you have the legal authority to prevent the deployment of the Wisconsin National Guard to Iraq. Specifically, the Authorization to Use Military Force against Iraq, passed by Congress in October 2002, achieved its objectives. Congress authorized the use of military force against Iraq for two very specific reasons:

to force Iraq to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions; and,

because Iraq was considered to be a threat to the national security of the United States.

Each of these two conditions have been achieved. Indeed the U.S. is negotiating a Status of Forces Agreement with the current government of Iraq, indicating that the U.S. considers Iraq to now be an allied nation.

With the achievement of these two conditions, the purpose for the authorization for the use of military force against Iraq has terminated. This authorization provided the basis for the federalization of the National Guard. With the expiration of this authorization, the legal basis for the federalization of the Guard has also lapsed.

We encourage you to challenge the deployment of the National Guard by refusing to permit the deployment of the 32nd Brigade next year. This no doubt will result in legal action involving your office. But it truly is essential that such a constitutional crisis be created in order to challenge continuing deployments of the National Guard to the Iraq war.

Precedent exists for Wisconsin to challenge the federal government’s military decisions. In 1983 Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government seeking to prevent the operation of the Navy’s Project ELF, a transmitter key to the U.S. nuclear first strike strategy.

We look forward to your action to keep the Guard home.

Jim Cusack, a labor organizer and organizer with Voces de la Frontera (an immigrants rights and workers rights organization based in Milwaukee), spoke of displacement and loss caused by the war, recalling the hundreds of thousands of families, in the US and in Iraq, aching for loved ones who will never return.

Dan Pearson explained Representative Spenser Black’s proposal to Mr. Farland and emphasized that funds allocated for military spending should be redircted to ease the humanitarian crisis caused by ongoing war in Iraq. Dan briefly noted that he had lived amongst Iraqi refugees in Damascus, Syria, for five months and then worked with Iraqis resettled in Chicago. He could verify, through personal experience, that many Iraqis he met were unable to provide basic needs for their families.

I wanted the governor’s aide to know that we’re planning to visit Ft. Mc Coy, which is training soldiers from other states to deploy for combat duty in Iraq. I told him that after living under aerial bombardment of Baghdad throughout the Shock and Awe bombing, I felt acutely responsible to help prevent the terror and horror that these attacks cause.

A teacher from Wisconsin told Mr. Farland that the state had abruptly cut funding for a program to teach English as a Second Language to refugee families that have just arrived in the state, many of them families displaced by the Viet Nam war who, for decades, awaited resettlement in the U.S. and who have now finally arrived here. She asked if the war in Iraq would likely create new waves of displaced people whose needs would be unmet while the military demands dominated state and national budgets.

Alice Gerard told Mr. Farland about a crossing guard, in Jefferson, WI, who told Alice that she supported our walk because she had a son who is in Iraq now and this is his fifth deployment. “Mr Farland, there is a hole left in these families,” said Alice, “a hole in their homes and their hearts when their loved ones go off to war.”

“Witness Against War” walkers and supporters presented earnest, well-informed and persuasive testimony to Mr. Farland. We encourage anyone reading our reports to echo the sentiments we presented by writing letters to Governor Doyle.

Peace marchers go the distance to oppose Iraq war

voices — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:09:36 -0500

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WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

Excerpt

By Anita Weier
July 27 2008
The Capitol Times
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Helene Hedberg is marching through much of Wisconsin to oppose the Iraq war.

But first she had to fly to Chicago — from Sweden.

Hedberg helps Iraqi refugee children in Stockholm and got to know march organizer Kathy Kelly during a human rights conference in Sweden. So when she heard from Kelly that Voices for Creative Nonviolence was organizing a march from Chicago to St. Paul, Minn., to arrive Aug. 31 in time for the Republican National Convention, Hedberg decided she had to participate.

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from The Capitol Times in Madison, WI

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By Anita Weier
July 27 2008
The Capitol Times
View photos

Helene Hedberg is marching through much of Wisconsin to oppose the Iraq war.

But first she had to fly to Chicago — from Sweden.

“This has a lot to do with my work,” said Hedberg, who is studying in a human rights program at Stockholm University and working at an after-school center.

“There are 90,000 refugees from Iraq in Sweden, the most after Syria and Jordan. I work with about 60 kids who have been very much affected by the war. Often one of their parents was injured in the war, and even though the children are in a safe country, some are afraid and others are angry and express their anger with violence.”

The Witness Against War march includes about a dozen regulars who are marching most of the 450 miles, as well as many others who walk segments. The marchers straggled into Cottage Grove on Saturday afternoon in twos and threes, some limping and others walking pretty slowly, after their trek from Lake Mills. They stayed Saturday night with friends and neighbors of Cottage Grove residents Dennis and Karen Coyier and on Sunday were marching on to Madison, where they were hoping many people would join them in the walk or listen to what they have to say.

One of the marchers is Army veteran Paul Melling, 27, who served in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 in field artillery as a specialist E-4.

Melling, of Melrose, Minn., is a member of Iraq Veterans against the War.

“What we did in Iraq, I didn’t agree with most of it,” he said. “With harassment and interdiction, the fire was kind of random. While shooting up insurgent strongholds, we would hurt and kill children and other innocent people. I don’t feel we ever tried to win hearts and minds.”

Also participating in the walk is Alice Gerard, 51, of Grand Island, N.Y., a freelance writer who also knew Kelly, a longtime peace advocate who is co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

“I thought it would be a good idea to go,” she said. “I was getting pretty depressed about the war going on and on. I though this was a good way to say the violence has to cease. We are a good and kind people, and our foreign policy should match that.”

She had walked almost all the way so far, but got a ride the last few miles into Cottage Grove because of a cramp in her leg.

Mary Dean, 43, a physical therapist from Chicago, has been involved in the peace movement for a while and decided the march was something to do for peace.

“I think that’s how we will change things in this world — from the bottom up,” she said. “We cannot rely on our government to change things.”

Dan Pearson, 27, the organizer of the march, is a Wisconsin native who now lives in Chicago and is a co-coordinator for Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

The main objectives of the protest walk are to end the war in Iraq immediately and secure full finding for veterans’ initiatives, he said. The group also wants to see funding for reconstruction efforts in Iraq and the cancellation of debts owed by Saddam Hussein’s former regime.

Another objective is to prevent future deployment of the Wisconsin National Guard.

“We’d be asking that the Wisconsin Guard stay home,” said Pearson, who said he is in the antiwar movement because “I’ve come to understand that nobody wins in war. Though some people are making a tremendous profit they are not really winning, because there is no justice behind it.”

On Sunday morning they marched to Olbrich Park from 2866 Alydar Way in Cottage Grove. Later on Sunday, the walkers and community activists spoke at St. Bernard Church at 2450 Atwood Ave. Kelly, who was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was among the speakers.

The walkers also will take part in a Day of Action on Monday by participating in the regular noon peace vigil at the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Doty Street. They then plan to deliver a letter to the governor asking that he do what he can to prevent the Guard’s deployment.

They will depart on Tuesday morning from the corner of Webster and Main, heading for Waunakee, where a conversation about the war will take place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Village Park.

From there, the group goes on to Sauk City.

A map and schedule are available at www.vcnv.org.

Pictures From Summer Camp

Kathy Kelly — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:16:07 -0500

Short Information Teaser

Joel Gulledge attacked by Israeli settler while escorting children to summer camp

Excerpt

July 27, 2008

At 6:45 a.m. this morning, our friend, Joel Gulledge, called from At-Tuwani, a village in the West Bank where he and another Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) member were escorting Palestinian children to a local summer daycamp, protecting them from hostile Israeli settlers. A masked settler, carrying a slingshot, was threatening the children. While Jan Benvie, the other CPT team member, raced the children to safety, Joel paused to film what was happening. The masked settler caught up with Joel and attacked him. “He smashed my head again and again,” said Joel, “with my video camera, and punched me in the face, repeatedly, with his other hand.” Joel managed to remain standing. He didn’t fight back, but he screamed for help. The attacker broke Joel’s glasses, and Joel was bleeding from a gash over his eyes. When he called, he was waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

Body

July 27, 2008

Earlier this week, CPT’s website, (www.cpt.org), reported that on Wednesday 23 July, “three Israeli settlers, one masked and wielding a stick, pursued fourteen Palestinian children who were on their way to a summer camp in At-Tuwani. The children from the villages of Tuba and Maghaer Al-Abeed waited thirty minutes for the Israeli military escort that should have accompanied them on the most direct road between the villages of Tuba and At-Tuwani. When the military failed to arrive, the children began walking along a long path through the hills to At-Tuwani. When the children neared the Israeli settlement outpost of Havat Ma’on, three settlers with two dogs came out from the outpost and began walking in the direction of the children.”

“Members of the At-Tuwani team yelled at the children to alert them that settlers were coming at them from behind. The children ran down and across a valley to a location further from the settlers. They continued to At-Tuwani. The settlers remained on a hill top near Havot Ma’on, watching the children as they walked toward the school.”

“The previous day, Tuesday 22 July, the military escort never arrived to escort the children to summer camp. Seven children took a long path to the school. They told the At-Tuwani team that at least eight other children did not attend summer camp because they were too afraid to come to school without an escort. The mayor of At-Tuwani spoke with Israeli military to coordinate the escort for the children. However, several military spokespersons and soldiers on the ground denied receiving orders to escort the children.”

“In 2004, the Israeli Knesset recommended that the Israeli military carry out a daily escort of the children of Tuba and Maghaer Al-Abeed to their school in At-Tuwani because settlers repeatedly attacked them.”

Yesterday’s New York Times carried a front page article, “Dear Parents: Please Relax, It’s Just Camp,” about parents in the U.S. who experience separation anxiety when their children go to sleep-away camps. Summer camps frequently post videos and still photos of the children on their websites, allowing parents to keep in touch with the children’s activities. But now it’s customary for many camps to hire a full-time “parent liason,” because the parents become very involved in their children’s lives at the camp, so much so that some camps are bombarded with phone calls, daily, from anxious parents. Could these parents understand the terror of Palestinian parents whose children are at risk of being beaten and killed as they walk between their village and the local summer camp, each day.

“Nobody goes to school for how to send your child away from you,” said Maria Coleman, a past president of the American Camp Association. “We help the parents become independent. And especially post-9/11 in today’s society, that’s definitely a heightened need.” Clearly greater than American parents’ fear of terrorist attacks, we hear of Israeli parents and their fear that their children will fall prey to terrorism, but human rights groups like Israeli B’Tselem tell us that Palestinian children are far more likely - by a factor of over eight to one in recent years - to die by violence in the conflict, often by weapons provided to Israel, without significant human rights oversight, by the United States. All lives are precious, especially children’s lives, from whatever community they make their way out into the world. How must the parents of Palestine, the parents of Iraq, the parents of Iran, feel knowing that not only they but their children are at the wrong end of American weapons?

I feel such a concern for my friend and co-worker Joel as he and his fellow CPT team members try to protect endangered Palestinians and their children in the West Bank. The example they set, in their dedication to nonviolence and their refusal to carry weapons, can help all of us gain independence from the cycle of threat and violence which the U.S. has driven in its support for and arming of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Kathy Kelly () is a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, www.vcnv.org

VCNV Author

Kathy Kelly