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Vietnam Veterans Day Actions Attack VA & Imperialist Wars!

By VVAW

Chants such as "Look out VA, This is a Bust; Decent Benefits are a Must," "Thieu gets Billions, Vets get Crumbs; Organize to Fight the Bums," and "Come on People, Stand up and Fight, Jobs or Income is our Right" rang out in cities across the country VVAW/WSO chapters took to the streets on "Honor Vietnam Veterans Day."

In 1974, the Nixon administration set aside March 29 as Vietnam Veteran Day in attempt to placate a rising movement of veterans demanding decent benefits, an end to the red tape typical of Veterans Administration facilities, and an end to cutbacks. Last year on March 29, VVAW/WSO held demonstrations around demand of "Decent Benefits for All Vets' as we set out to unite vets and other people around the struggle for improving conditions at the VA, while at the same time, linking the struggles being waged by other working and oppressed people. After last year's militant actions, Vietnam Veterans Day "festivities" did not take place this year. The small class of people who rule this country couldn't face another exposure of the myth that the US "honors" its veterans, so the farce was called off.

Though the ruling class did not go through with its sham glorification of vets, VVAW/WSO took to the streets anyway. Because of the present economic crisis, the conditions working people face are getting worse, and vets are getting screwed like everyone else. Massive unemployment and cutbacks in just about every social service are taking their toll; vets, like other working people, are fighting back ? and they're fighting mad!

Most of the Vietnam Vets Day demonstrations were part of VVAW/WSOs growing campaign of "War on the VA." In Los Angeles, the first major VVAW/WSO action in over 2 years was held at the VA hospital. Chapters in southern California built for the action by getting out 12,000 leaflets at unemployment offices, campuses, plants and the VA in both LA and Long beach. Over 100 people attended the action and many of the people had never been to a demonstration before. The demonstrators picketed the VA hospital for about an hour, raising demands for "Decent Benefits for All Vets" and "Jobs or Income for All!" Great unity was expressed between the people demonstrating the VA patients and workers who were on the inside. After the picket line, people marched to the federal building where a rally was held. Speakers included a doctor who works at the VA, and VVAW/WSO members?one of whom is a patient the VA. The action in LA was a great success, both in developing the VA campaign and in building a fighting vets movements.

On April 2, the Milwaukee chapter again confronted the VA hospital after holding a rally where poeple put the VA on trial. Vets from all over the city angrily testified about the inadequate medical care, experimentation, harassment and red tape. One brother told how the hospital was locking all the wards to prevent patients from joining the action, but another brother said they couldn't lock up everyone! He was one of the many patients who somehow made it out of the hospital to join the action. At the close of the rally, a VVAW/WSO member explaiend that the VA, and the whole imperialist system that it is part of, is rotten to the core--and the only way we're going to get rid of this system is to fight it. With this in mind, people headed for the VA. When the demonstrators arrived a militant picket line of over 75 people was set up. Then people began to go inside the hospital to unite with the patients who were locked up, but as they poured in the doors, they were met by VA goons--the GSA guards. The guards started macing the demonstrators, and people used their fists and picket signs to their advantage. Although the people didn't get inside the hospital, the VA paid dearly for stopping them. The macing exposed the hospital for the butcher shop it is where the cops have to try and keep people in line. Although the demonstrators were prevented from physically linking up with those inside, the attack by the guards welded the aspirations of all the vets--inside and out--into an iron fist. Unity between VVAW/WSO and the VA patients was strengthened, despite the hospital's attempt to put an end to the rising tide of fighting spirit.

Macing also occurred at VVAW/WSO's demonstration at the VA Regional Office in Chicago. Thirty people set up a picket line at the VA, demanding decent benefits, an end to red tape, the hiring of more VA workers, and an end to all cutbacks. Seven of the demonstrators seized the lobby in an effort to unite with the many vets there. One VVAW/WSO member gave a speech, while others leafletted. VA guards askerd the demonstrators to leave and when they refused, a fight broke out. After a few minutes, guards attacked the demonstration with mace in a futile attempt to silence the people, indiscriminately spraying employees and patients. The demonstrators made a tactical retreat and went to leaflet on the steps outside, where several more confrontations with the VA cops erupted. Many vets going in and out of the building united with the demonstrators--taking leaflets, talking about the "War on the VA," and listening to the speeches that were being given on the steps. Though there were errors in the action, namely that the speech given inside was not agitational and did not take up the particular demands of the vets, this was corrected in the speeches given outside and vets were much more willing to unite with the demonstrators. In a sum-up leaflet taken to the VA, Chicago VVAW/WSO stated: "A few chumps with squirtguns aren't going to stop the struggle. We will be back, and next time there will be more of us. If they stand in our way we will run right over them."

Elsewhere in the country, VVAW/WSO in Oregon made a limited incursion into the Portland VA hospital. VVAW/WSO is just beginning to organize in Portland and this action consisted of members handing out newspapers and leaflets which were met with great enthusiasm from patients, hospital workers and some doctors who supported their demands. One vet told the VA officials, "We're here as part of the 'War on the VA.' Vets are fighting against the rotten conditions at VA hospitals all over the nation and we're opening a new front here!"

In Syracuse, NY, 9 VVAW/WSO member occupied the VA office as a picket line of 60 people marched and chanted outside. Spirits were high during the takeover, and as one vet with a bad discharge said (while sitting in one of the office's comfortable swivel chairs), "This is the only thing I've ever gotten out of the VA." During the occupation, demonstrators answered phone calls, explaining that it was their office for the day. Solidarity was expressed with VA employees who enthusiastically took copies of WINTER SOLDIER. Later in the day, a picture of Jerry Ford was turned upside down and people decided he didn't look any different hanging that way. After a few hours the occupation ended, but the demands of "Decent Benefits," "Jobs or Income," and "End All Aid to Thieu and Lon Nol" were boldly presented to the VA bureaucrats.

In Washington, DC, over 100 people demonstrated around the same demands that were put forth in Syracuse. The action began with a picket line at an unemployment office and later, a rally was held there. Several people had gathered around the picket line and rally and the speeches were received with cheers of solidarity. After the rally, the demonstrators marched 3 miles to the VA, where another picket line was set up. A few days before the demo, VVAW/WSO had made contact with a vet who had his disability cut, but the VA refused to talk to him when he tried to protest the cutback. While the picket line was going on outside, a small contingent went inside with this brother for the purpose of jamming the VA about the disability cut. Though the VA did not take any action, at least demonstrators forced a meeting. As a result, the brother is now working with VVAW/WSO in DC and is part of their weekly picket line. The action was summed up as being one of the most militant and spirited that Washington has seen in a long time. As the crisis of imperialism deepens, we can see that more and more people are coming out to these kinds of action, looking for ways to fight back against the attacks that are coming down on people and beginning to understand that through unity, there is strength.

The largest Vietnam Vets Day action was held in New York City, where a coalition of groups, initiated by VVAW/WSO, built for a demonstration which was attended by over 700 people (in the rain). Over 62,000 pieces of literature were gotten out to build the action under the major demands of: "Implement the Agreement--End All Aid to Thieu and Lon Nol," "Jobs or Income for All," "We Won't Fight Any Imperialist Wars-US Hands Off the Mideast," and "Vets Unite and Fight Back." The 700 demonstrators marched through the heart of Manhattan, and ended with a rally in Herald Square. One of the most popular chants, focusing on the threat of imperialist war was, "We Didn't Cause Your Crisis: We Won't Fight Your Wars!" As one VVAW/WSO speaker stated at the rally, "Our goal is not ending this particular war, but the smashing of the system that causes the war--imperialism!"

Other demonstrations around Vietnam Vets Day took place in Riverside, Orange County and Oakland, California; Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Boston, Westchester, NY and other cities.

Vietnam Veterans Day was concocted to "honor" the GIs who fought against the people of Indochina. But it's a sham to "honor." It's no honor to fight an imperialist war and it's not honor to live in a system that exploits and oppresses not only people in the US, but people around the world. It's no honor to be unemployed or to have rotten health care. And it's no honor to be used by society to fight wars of agression and then be shoved aside by a society that can't meed the needs of its people. Vets and non-vets joined in these demonstrations to expose this sham. They joined their united voices and actions to direct one more blow at the system causing the wars, the exploitation and the oppression--the system of imperialism. More and more people are daily adding their voices to this fight--a fight that will be won when the imperialist system is finally wiped out once and for all!