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25th National Meeting

By VVAW

The 25th National Meeting of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War was held in Chicago on September 24, 1983. The meeting was highlighted by votes to raise money for a Catholic Church self-help project in Nicaragua, and a proposal to change the name of the organization. (See accompanying article.)

After a presentation about the Catholic parishes in Bocana de Piawas, Nicaragua, the organization voted to support a program of aid. Two priests, Father Bob Stark and Jim Phelps, have inaugurated two reconstructions projects; a women's sewing collective and a cultural project focusing on teaching photography skills. This parish has had 300 of its members killed by the "contras" (a US CIA backed band of anti-government forces. The priests see these self-help projects as vital to the well being of the people of their parishes.

The sewing collective is to teach the women job skills, develop a cottage industry for the area, develop a worker's collective, and encourage women's' leadership and empowerment. What is particularly needed is sewing machines. The photography skills are being taught in order to pictorially chronicle Piawas' reconstructive history.

Recently the Veterans of Foreign Wars at their national meeting attended by President Ronald Reagan, initiated a program to support the 'contras' with financial aid. The VVAW voted-on resolution is being done to directly counter the right wing aims of the VFW and to actually aid the people of Nicaragua in their Catholic community who are opposed to the CIA-VFW backed contras.

Other business dealt with by the meeting was the election of National and Regional Coordinators. Bill Davis, John Lindquist, Barry Romo and Peter Zastrow were re-elected to the National Office. Regional Coordinators elected were: Annie Bailey for the Mid-west, Ed Damato for the Northeast, Elton Manzione for the South and Tom Wetzler for the Southwest.

Chapter reports were given for San Antonio TX, Norman OK, Athens GA and Iowa. Milwaukee, Madison, New York City and Chicago chapters presented. Most chapters reported to be working around the situation in the Mideast and Central America and also a lot of work was done around the issues of Agent Orange. Almost every chapter gave reports about their work in high schools, countering the military recruitment programs and advertisements.

John Lindquist gave a report on the Agent Orange lawsuit that has been in the courts for a long time. Right now the situation is unclear. There is a delay in the trial and it may not reconvene until next June.

One very important discussion that took place revolved around the future of VVAW. Many people put forward that they thought the organization should re-establish its ties with the general peace movement and get back to the roots of why the organization was formed. Examples given were the situations in Lebanon and Central American and the escalation of the arms race.

It was also stressed that VVAW should continue to build its ties with other veterans organizations.

VVAW appreciation awards were given this year to four people who have given of their services above and beyond the call of duty. They were: Muriel Hogan and Fred Wallace, for their work on the VVAW Agent Orange Dossier; Keith Kavenagh, the belated Agent Orange attorney; and Victor Yannacone also an attorney for the suit. VVAW would also like to thank Virginia McFadden for the delicious meal she made for the delegates to the national meeting.

All in all the 25th National Meeting was a success and hopes that the 26th meeting in New York City, (proposed) would continue to build the organization and its work.