 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
"We should not be mere e-mail activists!": Chicago Memorial Day 1999By Joe Miller
This would have been a good day for media coverage, since Barry pointed out that for the first time in VVAW's history our organization has not taken a national position concerning an ongoing conflict. The war in the Balkans has supporters and opponents within the ranks of VVAW, he remarked. There is no consensus, though we respect each other's opinions. Therefore, this Memorial Day there would be speakers from each side of the issue.
Barry next introduced Carl Nyberg, one of our younger members. Carl is a graduate of the Naval Academy and served with the UN peacekeeping force in Cambodia. Besides being a member of the Chicago chapter, he also works with Illinois Peace Action. Carl opened his comments on the Balkans with thanks to Barry and to VVAW for inviting him to speak. He said, "This is a testament to VVAW's strength and courage in giving voice to diverse opinions" on the Balkan war.
Following Carl's remarks, Barry prodded members of the crowd to act, to act on their convictions, no matter which way they felt about the war. "Do something! We should not be mere e-mail activists!" he said. He challenged people to speak in high school and college classes at least once each year. All VVAW members and supporters should do something on the widows' pensions issue. Everyone should be able to come back on Veterans' Day and report on some action they have taken. "Oh, and pay your dues." The next speaker was Claudia Lennhoff, member of the Champaign-Urbana chapter and the executive director of Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC), an organization that Ralph Nader has described as the best of its kind in the country. Claudia's lively remarks really fired everyone up (see text on page 12), and when she challenged everyone to have fun while engaging in activism, it really struck a positive chord with the crowd. As she left the podium and Barry stepped to the microphone, he commented, "It really gets the blood circulating!" Bill Branson was then introduced, a comrade of Barry's for nearly thirty years. Barry reminded everyone how important Bill has been to VVAW in passing along our experiences in security and the holding of demonstrations. "Bill does not give speeches," Barry said, "but he is so heartfelt about the genocide taking place in Kosovo that he volunteered to speak on this issue." Bill expressed his support for the NATO action against the genocidal policies of Milosevic. He said support for this action doesn't mean that we can now trust our rulers to always do the right thing. The rich who run this country have never gone far enough in correcting any social evils, he remarked, and it is strange that much of the so-called Left in this country is on the side of right-wing Republicans in their opposition to NATO. Bill pointed out that we must find a way to guarantee the lives of Kosovar Muslims along with their right to self-determination. Bill's remarks are the basis for an article on page 10 in this issue in support of the NATO actions. His comments also received applause from many in the crowd.
Before introducing Buzz Doyle, a Gulf War combat vet, to close the event, Barry read a recent quote from Ossie Davis, World War II veteran, actor and social justice activist, in support of the NATO actions: "I accept Veteran's Day and July Fourth as high points of patriotism. Memorial Day is when we remember that we pay the costs for the stupidness of war. ... The necessary wars are as much hell as those that are unnecessary. I watch most closely the faces of the refugees, particularly the children, so I understand why we are there."
Finally, Buzz stepped to the podium to ask that everyone remember fallen comrades and friends with a moment of silence. He talked about the eleven men he knew and always remembers who were casualties of friendly fire in the Gulf. We all stood quiet for a few minutes, thinking about the people who have been lost in the necessary and unnecessary wars of the past - remembering the dead, while making the commitment to fight like hell for the living!
|
The clouds threatened, the wind blew, but the weather finally cooperated with Chicago VVAW and out-of-town friends this Memorial Day. As the sun broke through, Barry Romo, VVAW National Coordinator and member of the Chicago chapter, greeted everyone. He pointed out that this was the twenty-eighth VVAW Memorial Day event in Chicago. It was only after VVAW began to get media attention with these events that the traditional veterans' organizations began to hold their parades and rallies in the city. This day, however, it seemed that the media was nowhere to be found.
The first speaker, Ray Parrish, a member of the Chicago chapter and a veterans' counselor, did not talk about the Balkans, however. Ray wanted to inform everyone of the disastrous situation concerning pensions for widows of veterans (see his article on page 7). He presented a detailed rundown on the current situation and called for everyone to write to Congress to demand an increase in these pensions. As Ray put it, Congress worries about a flag desecration amendment, but will not spend "dime one" on spouses of vets.
Carl pointed out reasons for his opposition to this war, how he considered it illegal since it had no support from the United Nations and was even "outside the perimeter" of NATO. He also raised doubts about the "humanitarian concerns" that were used to justify the action. He ended with a call for negotiations to resolve the war. This was met with applause by many in the crowd.
