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VVAW NYC Metro Area Updates

By Brian Matarrese & Marty Webster

On April 28th, 2012, a VVAW organizing meeting was held at Susan Schall's apartment in Manhattan. The meeting was convened by VVAW National Coordinator Marty Webster, who spoke about the important role VVAW has historically played in the anti-war movement and the need for veterans to once again play a lead role in future directions against the war in Afghanistan.

Susan Schnall, a co coordinator of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign, described legislation currently before the House of Representatives—Victims of Agent Orange Relief Act of 2011 (HR 2634) and the need to organize grassroots support. This bill requests services for American veterans and their children, the harmed Vietnamese and the joining together of former enemies to heal the wounds of war.

At the next meeting, Ben Chitty reported on the Mayday march from Union Square to Wall Street. Thousands of people—including Occupy, students, union members and a large contingent of VVAW and other vets—marched for hours, enjoying the support of thousands of bystanders along the route.

Brian Matarrese and Marty Webster are VVAW national coordinators.

June 2012 meeting of New York Metro VVAW and friends.