Wednesday, September 17, 2008

WE NEED YOU

Vets for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, NJ Peace Action and other peace groups are mobilizing a campaign to bring National Guard units home from Iraq. The next step is to seek resolutions of support from local governments for a bill in the New Jersey Legislature to challenge the Bush administration's misuse of the National Guard in prolonging a reckless war. Activists in Teaneck plan to raise this issue with the town council next week.

WE NEED YOU.
On September 23, we will call on the Teaneck Town Council to pass a resolution of support for Senate Joint Resolution 55, a resolution in the NJ State Legislature. SJR55 explains that the 2002 Congressional Authorization for the use of the National Guard in Iraq has expired and insists that the Governor take action to bring the NJ Guard Home from Iraq NOW and keep them and their equipment here for the safety of the people of NJ (and other states when necessary). We all know that THE NJ NATIONAL GUARD IS A LOCAL ISSUE. It's time for the Teaneck Town Council to take a stand. Of course, we continue with our larger demands: Support the troops, Bring all of the troops home now, Bring the contractor army (of 180,000) home now, take care of our troops when they get here.

Please let us know if you will attend the meeting and if you are willing to speak during Good and Welfare. Please respond to this by hitting reply. Thanks.
_______ Yes, I will attend the September 23 meeting of the Teaneck Town Council. 8:00 pm. Municipal Building. Teaneck Road and Cedar Lane.
_______ Yes, I will speak about this resolution during Good and Welfare.

We are continuing the petition drive calling on other municipal and county governments, as well as members of the NJ Legislature and Governor Corzine to support legislation SJR55. Let us know if you would like to get your municipal government to introduce a resolution. To get more information, sign on-line or download the petition, and get a copy of SJR55 go to www.bringhometheguard.org or www.bergenjustice.net. Please return completed copies of the petition at the Wednesday vigils.

George (age 95!), a World War II veteran, and member of the Wednesday vigil, has been concerned about the numbers of troops wounded in Iraq. Here is some data and a link to www.anti-war.com/casualties. The exact numbers are not known. Injuries such as PTSD and traumatic brain injury, depleted uranium poisoning from US weapons, are not even counted. American Wounded: Official: 30,634, Estimated: Over 100,000.

Peace NOW!
Paula Rogovin, Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County. www.mfsobergencounty.org
paula.rogovin@verizon.net