IVAW members will tend bar to support their commitment to ending the war in Afghanistan and occupation in Iraq, advocating for the rights of veterans, and providing reparations to the people of Iraq.

DJ DiaLogic and Matt Void will spin old-school soul, funk, and hip-hop music to entertain the crowd.

In addition to the festivities, members of IVAW will be on hand to talk about the repeal of  ”Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) and our campaign for LGBTQ service members discharged under DADT to receive upgraded discharges and their full veterans benefits.

Rebel is located at 1760 Market Street (between McCoppin and Octavia) in San Francisco.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is nonprofit 501(c)3 advocacy group of veterans and active-duty US military personnel who have served in the U.S. Military since September 11, 2001. IVAW currently has over 1,400 members in fifty states, as well as in Canada, Europe, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sunday, February 26, 2012 3-5:30 P.M.
Niebyl- Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave.
Ph: (510) 595-7417, Fax: 595-7748

Within the Black community it has been observed that a relatively large number of military veterans of World War II and Korea were prominent in the civil rights movement, such as Medger Evers (Army, World War II), James Forman (Air Force, Korean War) and Floyd McKissick (Army, World War II). However, less noted are the large numbers of African-American veterans who were rank-and-file activists in the struggle. There is now solid evidence that veterans were not only a disproportionate number of participants, but they were also largely motivated to action by their experience in the miltary.

This presentation will indicate the historical context in which this happened, as well as the empirical data showing the disposition of military service to civil rights involvement.

Following this introduction, the documentary film, “Negroes With Guns,” will be screened to give an example of one such person—Robert F. Williams, Army and Marine Corps veteran, North Carolina NAACP leader and founder of the Black Armed Guard which fought the Klan in the late 1950′s.

Sponsored by the Friedrich Engels Institute of Marxist War and Military Analysis

The only overseas chapter of Veterans For Peace, the Hoa Binh (Peace) Chapter 160 of VFP in Viet Nam, are inviting up to 10 vets and non-vet activists (minimum 5 people) to come as a group this Spring, 2012, for an insider’s 2-week tour. They are asking each person to bring $1,000 as a donation to VFP or other projects in Viet Nam – you chose. If $1,000 donation is not possible, part of this – or a commitment to send the remainder after return to the US – would be fine.

Tour dates
Tuesday, April 17 to Tuesday, May 1, 2012.(to include the April 30th Liberation Day ceremonies in Ho Chi Minh City – of which the group will be a part!)

Tour Coordinators and Leaders

• Suel Jones – ex-Marine, VN combat vet, lives in VN half of each year since 1998, volunteers with Viet Namese victims of Agent Orange (AO), lives in Da Nang.
• Chuck Searcy – ex-VN vet, lives in VN full time since 1995. Director of ProjectRENEW – clearing landmines & unexploded ordinance, lived in Ha Noi.
• Chuck Palazzo – ex-VN vet, lives in VN full time, volunteers with Viet Namese victims of AO.

Money:
Participants pay for: their own airfare to and from Viet Nam. We’ve found a Great $925 round trip from San Francisco! (details below) in-country tour cost of $2,000 per person (all-inclusive: hotels, transport, meals, guides & translators), in addition to the $1,000 donation. Visa fee is $80 – we can give all details and help facilitate visas – very easy.

Itinerary: (working draft schedule)

• SUN 15 APR: San Francisco – be at airport by 10:30 pm Sunday night.
• MON 16 APR: Depart SF Airport (SFO) 1:35 am (1 ½ hours after midnight, Sunday night/Monday morning)
• TUE 17 APR: Arrival 9:40 am in Ha Noi – you’ll be met at the airport & taken to hotel.
• WED 18 APR: Meet with PACCOM & Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations. Veterans Association of Viet Nam briefing then visit to Army Museum & “Ha Noi Hilton” (prison where US pilots were held).
• THU 19 APR: See Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, tour Temple of Literature, lunch at Koto.
  Afternoon visit to Friendship Village (residence & hospital for Agent Orange (AO) victims)..
• FRI 20 APR: Fly to Hue (evening or night flight) or optional overnight sleeper train.
• SAT 21 APR: Orphanage visit arranged by vet Don Blackburn. Viet Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) visit to AO families.
• SUN 22 APR: Tour The Citadel (site of the 1968 Tet Offensive battle), Tu Duc’s Tomb & Thien Mu Pagoda.
• MON 23 APR: Drive to Dong Ha city, visit Project RENEW (land mine & unexploded ordinance clearance); Tour DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) & Vinh Moc Tunnels. Overnight in Dong Ha.
• TUE 24 APR: Truong Son Cemetery & Khe Sanh (fmr. US base), drive down Ho Chi Minh Trail to A Luoi Valley (major site of battles). Overnight.
• WED 25 APR: Drive from A Luoi thru Hue. Bus (or train) to Da Nang, overnight.
• THU 26 APR: Agent Orange briefing & Da Nang airport cleanup site. VAVA visit with AO families.
• FRI 27 APR: China Beach, Marble Mountain, Hoi An (restored Chinese city on canals), My Son Cham ruins.
• SAT 28 APR: Flight to Nha Trang, VAVA meeting and family visits, beach time.
• SUN 29 APR: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Reconciliation Palace, War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels, other optional visits.
• MON 30 APR: Take part in Liberation Day ceremony (7:00 a.m.), remainder of the day open for site-seeing, relaxing, shopping, etc.
• TUE 01 MAY: Depart HCMC at 4:50 pm for U.S.
  Arrive back in San Francisco (SFO) at 7:20 pm. Will be met by VFP Chapter 69 members: drive to accommodations in SF, or onward flights to your homes.

RECOMMENDED FLIGHT: Best & Lowest $925
Scandia Travel Unlimited
55 New Montgomery Street, Suite 307
San Francisco, CA 94105
E-Mail: travel@scandiatravelsfo.com
Web: www.scandiatravelsfo.com
Tele: (415) 552-5300
Fax: (415) 243-0234
Hours: M – F 9 – 5 (PST)
Contact: Michelle Campillo – primary staffer for the Tour
Email: Michelle@ScandiaTravelSFO.com
Price: $925 (including tax, round trip, San Francisco (SFO) to Viet Nam and back)
Notification: Reservations should be made by mid-January to secure this price! Each person on the tour needs to contact Scandia asap & secure your ticket.

DEPARTURE from SFO: Monday, April 16, 2012 @ 1:35 am ( SUNDAY NIGHT APRIL 15TH!)
China Air #2031 to Taipei (1.5 hour stopover), arr Taipei April 17 @ 6:00, leave # 579 @ 7:30 am.
ARRIVAL Ha Noi Tuesday, April 17 @ 9:40 am
DEPARTURE from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Tuesday, May 1 @ 4:50 pm
China Air #570 to Taipei (2 hour stopover), Arr. Teipei @ 9:15pm, Leave # 2030 @ 11:10 pm
ARRIVAL SFO Tuesday, May 1 @ 7:20pm

DEADLINES:
By Feb. 12 Full Payment of the $2,000
Make checks Payable to: “Veterans For Peace, San Francisco Ch. 69”
Write in Memo Line: “Spring Tour to Viet Nam”
Mail to: Veterans For Peace, Chapter 69
P.O. Box 40430
San Francisco, CA 94140

Send Steve Noetzel our VFP SF Ch. 69 Treasurer, and Nadya nadyanomad@gmail.com, a short message to let us know your check is in the mail. We will confirm receipt.
Steve Noetzel: C – (415) 378-8214 H – (415) 641-8740 noetzel@pacbell.net

BY CREDIT CARD:
You can pay the $2,000 (for the land cost of the 2-wk tour) through the Veterans For Peace National office in Saint Louis, MO. The Credit Card total is $2,060. $60 is added to cover the 3% bank charge. The office will then send us a check for you.
Credit card charges are handled by:
Virginia Druhe, Office Manager, Veterans For Peace National Office.
Tele: 314-725-6005
E-Mail: virginia@veteransforpeace.org
She’s there: Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 8a.m. – 5:30p.m.
You can give Virginia your card info over the phone.
Or you can go onto the Veterans For Peace national website: www.veteransforpeace.orgpay and pay there—add a note that it is for the Viet Nam trip. Give Virginia an email/phone heads up that it is there. The money goes into the VFP bank account overnight.

As soon as we receive payment, I can put you in INK & NOT PENCIL on our list.

Some website to look at:
The Hoa Binh Viet Nam, Chapter 160 of Veterans For Peace  Blog
Project RENEW

Questions? Contact ASAP:
Nadya Williams
E-mail: nadyanomad@gmail.com
Veterans For Peace, San Francisco Ch. 69
Director of Communications www.vsasf.org and www.veteransforpeace.org
Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign www.vn-agentorange.org
Global Exchange www.globalexchange.org
War Crimes Times Contributing Editor www.warcrimestimes.org

Develop your visual voice. Photographic training for veterans. Learn basic photographic skills. Workshop by 6th Street Photo Workshop  and the Veterans Administration.

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans staged dramatic demonstrations at Federal Building, banks and Becthel. Injured Occupy Oakland Iraq Veteran Scott Olsen and Matt Howard (IVAW) were interviewed and spoke about what happens everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan and of how new detention law can be used against American Citizens.

The IVAW protest at Bechtel Corporation’s headquarters was staged to bring attention to the misuse of more than $2 billion in U.S. taxpayer funds that was meant to fund infrastructure rebuilding projects in Iraq. Read more

ABC Video link

San Francisco screening of  “Where Soldiers Come From“
Join us for a discussion on “Operation Recovery“,
Iraq Veterans Against the War’s national campaign to
stop the re-deployment of traumatized troops.

From Joshua Sheperd,

Hey friends. I’m sending out an invite for this remarkable film screening that Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace (both of which I’m a member of) are collaborating to bring you. Tickets will be $9, and additional donations welcomed. We are using this opportunity to fund-raise in support of our work in “Operation Recovery“, a national campaign to stop the re-deployment of traumatized troops. Every month, troops who are unfit for deployment, even by military standards, are sent anyway, compounding the effects on their health & prolonging the already arduous road to recovery. IVAW SF wants to send a delegation to Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas next month to be trained & bring Operation Recovery back to the bay.

With your help, we will be on our way to changing the way the military treats our troops.

Please join us and share with your friends.

Thank you,
Joshua Shepherd

Read more…

Where Soldiers Come From

This interview in USAToday is the first of what will likely be many interviews with the news media. Scott continues to work his way back to health. VFP members and supporters contributed over $14,000 to Scott’s fund. We sent nearly all of that to him a few weeks ago and will send the remainder when it looks like contributions have stopped coming in.

Veterans For Peace, 216 S. Meramec, St. Louis, MO 63105
314-725-6005
www.veteransforpeace.org

Veterans For Peace appreciates your tax-exempt donations
We also encourage you to join our ranks.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — There are fresh charges of police brutality against a war veteran arrested near an Occupy Oakland demonstration. See report http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8419878

The veteran, 32-year-old Kayvan Sabeghi, underwent surgery on Friday for a ruptured spleen. Before he went into surgery, Sabeghi told his sister that he was walking to his home near Frank Ogawa Plaza when he was stopped by police, hit in the abdomen four times and then arrested and taken to jail where he could not receive medical treatment.

Sabeghi is a former Army ranger who served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sabeghi’s sister Shoole Sabeghi said her brother dedicated his life to serving his country and that he did not deserve the treatment he received Wednesday night.

“I am absolutely furious,” Sabeghi said. “I’m absolutely furious at the way they treated my little brother. I’m so mad. They hurt him and then they refused to help him.”

Sabeghi underwent surgery at Highland for about two hours. Doctors tried to repair his spleen, which was apparently ruptured after Sabeghi was beaten and arrested.

“Just because you have the power to do so doesn’t mean you have the right to do so,” Sabeghi said. “You can’t treat people that way. If someone is injured…you have to take care of them.”

His sister said Sabeghi spent the night in a jail cell and was refused medical treatment for nearly 24 hours.

“At one point he asked for assistance and they told him to stop taking heroin,” Sabeghi said. “Another time they told him he was an alcholic and a diabetic, neither of which are true.”

It’s the second time in two weeks that an Iraq war veteran has been injured in violence between protesters and police.

Sabeghi was suffering from internal bleeding and vomiting. Sabeghi’s sister charges Alameda County deputies with not helping him and said they have not heard back from authorities.

In a statement to ABC7, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department said they have heard claims that Sabeghi didn’t receive medical attention and are launching an investigation, which will include reviewing video from Wednesday’s incident.

The Oakland Police Department said they are also launching an investigation.

Sabeghi is out of surgery and is recovering in the intensive care unit.

The following statement was released by the Oakland Police Department:
The Oakland Police Department is conducting an investigation regarding Kayvan Sabeghi and the circumstances of his arrest on November 3, 2011. This case, as are all reported or alleged instances of force, is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Crimes Section at (510) 238-3821.

SECOND VETERAN IN AS MANY WEEKS INJURED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN OAKLAND

On the night of Tuesday, November 2, 2011, another veteran of the Armed Forces was severely injured at the hands of the Oakland Police Department. He is currently in the Intensive Care Unit in an Oakland hospital. His name is currently being withheld at his request.

He was at the scene of the disturbance that happened after the General Strike that occurred earlier that day and was charged with resisting arrest and remaining present at the place of a riot. The veteran said he was beaten with nightsticks in his hands, shoulders, ribs, and back. He suffers from internal bleeding and a lacerated spleen.

This is the second time in as many weeks that a veteran has been injured at the hands of the law enforcement officials in Oakland. As you may recall, Scott Olsen; who is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and who was deployed to Iraq twice; received a fractured skull and brain swelling when a law enforcement official fired a tear gas canister and it struck him.

We at Iraq Veterans Against the War stand by our fellow veterans and denounce the police brutality that our brothers in arms endured. We stand by to support them in any way possible.

####

For more information, please contact:

Dottie Guy
Iraq Veterans Against the War
415-290-5447
dottie.guy@gmail.com