Action to Keep National Guard in NJ

After no one at the governor's office a week ago Friday would accept copies of the petition to keep New Jersey's National Guard from deployment to Iraq, Jack Donnelly, Policy Advisor to Governor Corzine on Military and Veterans' Affairs, agreed to accept the petitions at the weekly peace vigil at the National Guard Armory in Teaneck on Wednesday, September 3.

In a press release, petitition organizers also asked that vigil participants "please bring school supplies, baby supplies, and/or food for the Family Assistance Center at the National Guard Armory. Many of the families are really hurting during the deployment of their loved ones."

Activists at the vigil will also describe their efforts to gather support for a bill currently in the NJ State legislature, Senate Joint Resolution 55, which instructs Governor Corzine to refuse to send the Guard to Iraq and to return any Guard currently serving in Iraq to New Jersey. The legal basis for this resolution is explained in SJR55. "The New Jersey National Guard, now in Iraq, must be recalled and returned with their equipment to the Garden State immediately to serve the needs of the people of the State during emergencies," said Paula Rogovin, of Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County.

"Governor Corzine has legal grounds to order our National Guard to return home immediately," said Leigh Davis, a NJ coordinator of Keep the National Guard Home - It's the Law. "We want him to stand up and do what should have been done last October - reject an illegal order. States across the nation have legislation pending to return full control of their National Guard troops to the Governors."

"The war in Iraq has wreaked havoc on the U.S. troops (4138 killed and tens of thousands wounded) and contractors (1,200 killed) and on their families who face financial hardship and ruin, and who are left to support loved ones returning with PTSD, alcoholism and high rates of suicides," said Madelyn Hoffman, Director of New Jersey Peace Action. "The Federal Government is sending our National Guard personnel to be prison guards in a powder-keg situation," said Hoffman. "Instead, our NJ Guard members and their equipment should be here in New Jersey to protect the people of New Jersey in case of emergencies. Now is the time to work round the clock to bring all the troops home as quickly as possible."

For more information about the state and national efforts to de-federalize the National Guard, please visit www.bringhometheguard.org or www.bringtheguardhome.org.

People can also sign a petition supporting SJR 55 and contact their state legislators to demand the Guard be brought back from Texas to New Jersey, by visiting www.bergenjustice.net.