war

Today is Veterans Day in the United States, and tributes are being made across the nation to those women and men who have risked their lives on behalf of the principles they feel are represented by our country's armed forces. While I am opposed to our nation's military efforts, I hold great respect for the selfless service of these courageous individuals.

The U.S. military has many faces across our globe. Today's international news reports that the deal being sought between the U.S. and Iraqi governments on security cooperation and transition is in danger because Iraqi officials want more concessions from the U.S. -- especially regarding the immunity that U.S. soldiers have had to crimes committed on Iraqi soil. According to the AP, "The latest U.S. draft also strengthens language regarding Iraqi
sovereignty but does not appear to make significant changes in the
limited legal authority granted to Iraq to prosecute U.S. soldiers."

Soldiers of Conscience is a documentary about how soldiers deal with the morality of killing. It will be shown on PBS's POV next week, which interestingly is also the week of the Media Violence Fast - supported by Rainbow/PUSH Coalition as well as the United Church of Christ. 

Soldiers of Conscience is a dramatic window on the dilemma of individual U.S. soldiers in the current Iraq War – when their finger is on the trigger and another human being is in their gun-sight. Made with cooperation from the U.S. Army and narrated by Peter Coyote, the film profiles eight American soldiers, including four who decide not to kill, and become conscientious objectors; and four who believe in their duty to kill if necessary. The film reveals all of them wrestling with the morality of killing in war, not as a philosophical problem, but as soldiers experience it - a split-second decision in combat that can never be forgotten or undone.

- Soldier of Conscience: About the Film

My friend Liza Sabater posted a blog entry reminding readers to remember the 23 Senators who voted against authorizing the war in Iraq.

Here's the list of US Senators who dared to say "NO" to the war in Iraq:

Here's a new video from the American Friends Service Committee about the cost of war. Please pass it on.

Thanks to my friend (and fire-breathing progressive blogger) Pam Spaulding for posting 'Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - those other speeches' to remind readers about King's unequivocal message about the injustice of war in his time.

Many of us peace activists are familiar with "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence," delivered April 4, 1967, at the Riverside Church in Harlem. But I wasn't aware of "Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam," a sermon at the Ebenezer Baptist Church on April 30, 1967.

Read on to listen and read from these speeches.

Speaking of veterans, I just received an e-mail about Courage to Resist, a group working to support troops who refuse to fight. They are asking people to sign on to a letter asking Canadian government officials to allow resisters to stay there.

Visit www.couragetoresist.org/canada to send a letter.

In honor of the holiday, I want shout out to my two personal favorite veterans - Jonathan Kuniholm: Iraq veteran, engineer, co-founder of the Open Prosthetics Project; and Stan Goff: veteran of numerous conflicts from Vietnam to Haiti, author, blogger, founder of Insurgent American, and co-founder of Bring Them Home Now.

Today I ran into Erin Byrd, a grassroots organizer for economic and social justice in North Carolina. She showed me this video she made about "being a military brat who hates war." It's called "I am a duality." I think it's great and I know she would really like some feedback from others.

You probably won't hear about it in your local paper, but United for Peace and Justice is organizing major demonstrations in 11 cities across the US this Saturday, October 27th. The cities are: Boston, Chicago, Jonesborough, TN, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

UFP has been posting some fun videos online to promote the events. Here's the latest:

Because it's not enough to vote in November. Because it's not enough to write letters to Congress. Because it's not enough to march in the streets of New York, San Fransisco, and Washington. Because it's not enough to reduce my consumption of fossil fuels and boycott businesses that support the war and war-mongering politicians.

Because we all must be the change we want to see in the world.

I will join thousands of other Americans tomorrow in refraining from food from dawn to dusk. I will meditate and I will generate compassion and love (metta) for the people of Iraq and the U.S. service members, who are suffering every day that this war goes on and will continue to feel the physical and mental pain of war for years to come. And like many others, I will join with an interfaith community to break the fast and celebrate our unity around the cause of peace.

Find out more and find a fast-breaking near you at http://interfaithfast.org

Join me in Second Life to feed our avatars and our souls at 7pm EDT. keep reading for more information.