Vets, Soldiers, Peaceniks Find Common Ground

Members of Veterans for Peace Chapter 21, Military Families Speak Out and other peace groups were featured in a Jan. 25 New York Times article titiled “Soldiers and Protesters, Seeking Common Ground”: <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/nyregion/long-island/25Rparenting.html?_r=1&ref=new-jersey>

The lead article in the Sunday section for regional news profiled some of the core members of the weekly peace vigil outside the National Guard Armory in Teaneck, with comments by National Guard members and local veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“On the face of it, you’d think the protesters and the National Guard members are divided and separate, antiwar outside the armory, pro-war inside. But that is not so. There is much common ground between the two groups,” the insightful investigative piece by reporter Michael Winerip notes.

For instance, he writes: “Joseph Nygard, 27, who served 16 months in Afghanistan with the Army, said he likes that his parents, Nancy and Walt Nygard [a Vietnam vet], are regulars at the vigil. ‘We have pretty much the same feelings about the war,’ he said. At one point during his tour, he flew home to Newark, on leave from Afghanistan. ‘When we landed, the pilot made an announcement: ‘Please stay seated and let the soldiers leave first.’ We got up and everyone on the plane clapped for us. It was a great feeling.’ Asked how he would describe the American public’s attitude, he answered, ‘I’d say, ‘End the war, support the troops.’ ”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Rally

Monday, Jan. 19, 1 pm in Teaneck

Rally and press conference to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and to call on President-Elect Obama and the new Congress to:
· end the war in Iraq
· bring all of the troops home NOW
· keep the New Jersey National Guard in New Jersey for New Jersey
· take care of the troops when they get here
· bring the more than $12/billion home to use for our communities –
· for health care, housing, jobs, and education

Where: 713 Teaneck Road (across from Holy Name Hospital)
at the site of the newest Bring them Home billboard.
Please bring food and baby supplies for National Guard families.

Sponsored by:
Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County Chapter http://www.mfsobergencounty.org/
Bergen Peace and Justice Coalition http://www.bergenjustice.net/
NJ Peace Action http://www.peaceaction.org/
Teaneck Peace and Justice Coalition http://www.teaneckpeace.org/
NJ Coalition to Bring the Troops Home NOW

Speakers include:
Teaneck Town Council member Barbara Toffler and other elected officials
Hallie Emma Brevetti, Teaneck High School student
Veterans, Military Family members, community activists

Call for Cease-fire in Gaza and Israel

Our chapter, in keeping with our charter, calls for an end to all violence against innocents in Gaza and Israel. We also call for an immediate United Nations monitored cease-fire and provision of food and medical supplies to all Palestinians and Israelis in the war zone.

Investigate Iraq War Crimes

We, the members of the Alan Reilly-Gene Glazer Chapter 21 of Veterans for Peace, New Jersey, at our January 3, 2009 meeting, voted to endorse a resolution that the Iraq War was an illegal and immoral invasion and occupation, whereas, all those responsible should and must be held accountable as per the Nuremberg Principles and International Law.

Therefore, we strongly urge that the national leadership of Veterans for Peace and all chapters take up this matter and make it an immediate priority. Furthermore, we call upon the leadership of Veterans for Peace to petition the President of the United States to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the war crimes of the Bush administration.