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Editorial: Scab Group Misuses Our Name

By VVAW

A second "VVAW" is creeping around the country. Sponsored, funded and fondled by the group which calls itself the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) this phoney VVAW bears small resemblance to the real organization. Some of its members are actually Vietnam vets; a few were once in VVAW; and they insist on misusing VVAW's name and insignia. There the resemblance ends.

Vietnam vets; a few were once in VVAW; and they insist on misusing VVAW's name and insignia. There the resemblance ends.

I have been a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War since 1970. Since I have been in the organization, only two types of groups ever tried to destroy or takeover VVAW.

The U.S. government, using the FBI, as in the Gainesville Conspiracy Trial in Florida following the Republican National Convention in 1972.

And, over the years, the other attacks have come from ulta-left communist-type groups such as the Progressive Labor Party, NCLC, and off and on since 1974, the RCP, once known as the RU or Revolutionary Union.

Few people have ever heard of the RCP. They've attempted to steal the name of VVAW which has a long and proud history, and which has a name known to many. Their use for VVAW has been demonstrated for years. Take a veteran with the credibility which comes from speaking for the oldest Vietnam veterans' organization; put him in front of a crowd to speak on the general question of "war," and you have the practical experience to boost whatever airy theory of world events the RCP is pushing at that moment.

Vietnam Veterans Against the War is 20 years old in 1987. Since 1978 and the Agent Orange movement many veterans organizations have been working together more closely than in the past. In August 1986, in Chicago, 13 anti-war veterans groups joined to form the Veterans Peace Coalition.

Off this energy grew support for the veterans' 46-day Fast for Life in Washington, DC, and the growing movement against wars like Vietnam in Central America. All over America, small groups of veterans, some of them old VVAW people, have been becoming more active.

On the West Coast, in LA, Berkeley, and Seattle, a group calling itself "VVAW-Anti Imperialist" has reared its ugly head and says, "We are VVAW." A few of its members were once in VVAW but quit to join the RCP or other cults who feed off the energy of the peace movement, like Jim Jones did off the Kool Aid business.

Back in 1979 we sued this group for trying to steal the court agreement just like we did. They agreed to print a disclaimer on all their literature and not to call themselves VVAW. The phrase "A.I." or "anti-imperialist" had to appear before the name VVAW with the disclaimer according to the court order.

These RCPites also used VVAW's name to raise funds for the RCP demonstrations and have even gone to coalitions, demanding speakers and then putting forward an RCP hack to preach, one who sometimes is not even a veteran.

We don't intend to let this kind of political sabotage continue. These shells of human beings are comparable to cultists, like Moonies or worse, like Nazis. They use the real problems of veterans to promote their own leaders.

With all the important veterans work coming up, we once again had to clear the air. We have a proud history in VVAW and will not take direct attacks on us by outsiders—left or right—lying down. This is probably why these people never show up where we are; they might have to look us in the eye.