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Here We Grow Again - VVAW Kentuckiana

By Marty Webster

Long before 9/11 and the start of the Iraq War, Carol Rawert Trainer had been active in Louisville Peace Action Community (LPAC). Carol has now expanded her efforts and formed a new chapter of VVAW in Louisville, Kentucky. Our newest chapter is called VVAW Kentuckiana. Kentuckiana is the Louisville and southern Indiana area.

Carol first represented VVAW at the Kentucky State Fair from August 17-26, 2006. Carol is a Vietnam-era vet and the wife of Vietnam veteran and retired Air Force officer, Harold Trainer. She participated in the Louisville Peace Action community booth, whose theme was "Support the Troops: Stop the War." On each day of the fair VVAW and IVAW brochures were distributed along with other related materials. For the most part, they were supported and thanked by the public, including active-duty military and veterans.

VVAW Kentuckiana has also sponsored a series of protests and demonstrations surrounding the 3,000 plus deaths.

On New Years day VVAW Kentuckiana sponsored their first protest at Hurstbourne and Brownsboro Road, in Louisville, Kentucky. VVAW Kentuckiana member Harold Trainer, USAF Retired, came up with an idea for "Random Acts of Protest (RAP)." About 6 people showed up. Not bad for the first chapter event with last minute arrangements.

Marty Webster congratulates Carol Rawert Trainer and her husband Harold on their new banner, provided by a grant from the VVAW National Office

On Saturday, January 6th VVAW Kentuckiana co-sponsored a massive demonstration at the intersection of Hurstbourne and Taylorsville Road in Louisville.

There was a protest at the Federal Building in Louisville on January 10 after Bush's speech to the nation. About 50 people joined with VVAW Kentuckiana for the event. Local media was present, but there was no mention in news concerning the event

At 4pm on January 12, VVAW Kentuckiana sponsored another RAP (Random Act of Protest) at Hurstbourne and Brownsboro Road. This was to protest the surge. It was rainy and dismal and about 4 people showed up. This was in a mostly pro-Bush area and they felt good to be in their face to remind them that a war is going on. "One screamer rode by and yelled, 'Get over it.' I gave that a lot of thought. How can we get over it when people die every day for a lie and in our name?" said Carol. The chapter has been very active and continues to keep the pressure on congress through RAPs, phone calls and emails. The RAPs that Carol and her husband do seem to be very effective. "It only takes a few on a busy corner to make an impression," Carol added further.

Carol and Harold attended and displayed their VVAW Kentuckiana Chapter banner at the anti-war marches in Washington on both January 27 and March 17.

On Saturday, February, 17 VVAW Kentuckiana participated in a "Cut off War funds" demonstration by the Summit shopping center in Louisville. The following Monday, they organized a "Protest the Escalation of the War" event surrounding a visit by Senator Mitch McConnell as he spoke at Vincenzo's restaurant. The demonstrators certainly let him know how they felt about his stance on the war.

On March 2, VVAW Kentuckiana took part in the Second Annual King Memorial Walk and Peace Fest which helped close out the Fourth Annual Greater Louisville Martin Luther King, Jr. Season of Service 2007, which mobilized over 2,000 volunteers for community service projects. Close to 1,000 walkers participated.

For those who could not attend the DC event, LPAC/VVAW Kentuckiana held an anti war protest on Saturday, March 17, at the busy intersection of Hwy 22 and Hurstbourne Road, a very "Republican" area. They had someone on each corner holding VVAW signs and "Out of Iraq now" signs left over from UFPJ march in DC. There was a lot of interaction. One woman and her daughter stopped and delivered Starbucks coffee to everyone and thanked us for being there. The snow was coming down pretty hard that day and it was so cold the ground was frozen and they could not put their yard signs in the ground.

At Waterfront Park, in Louisville on Monday, March 19, LPAC/VVAW Kentuckiana set up about 4,000 small white flags to commemorate the US and Iraqi deaths since March 19, 2003. The flags were arranged in straight lines, approximately 200' x 200', on the Great Lawn at Waterfront Park. Throughout the day, they had speakers, musicians, a bell choir, and people to read the names of the dead.

I truly believe that it is because of folks like Carol and her husband Harold stepping forward to help carry the VVAW banner that we are able to remain in the vanguard of the anti-war movement.

What a privilege it is to offer them our thanks and support, share with them the benefits of our experiences and with great pride and respect, welcome them to the VVAW family.