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From the National Office

By Joe Miller

This is the 35th anniversary issue of The Veteran. Most of us didn't think we'd live to be thirty-five, let alone belong to an organization that has lasted so long. VVAW continues to raise provocative issues, work on the problems of veterans, and define war from a view of our experiences at home and abroad.

35th Anniversary Event
We want you to think long and hard about coming to the 35th anniversary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 21 and 22. We aren't getting any younger and quite frankly have lost a lot of friends and comrades this past few seasons, and this might be your last chance. We hope to have an event that provides politics and culture and a time to schmooze and reminisce.

Country Joe McDonald, who, all by himself can provide all four of the above, will be performing at this event. There will be displays, and peace and vet goodies to buy. Videos and an authors' panel are also on the agenda. If you want to remember or honor someone, you can do it in person at the event or buy an ad in the commemorative booklet. You will find more information about the event and accommodations in this issue.

Become a Local Contact
As you can see, many more VVAW members have volunteered to be contacts for their regions, and there is room for you in the next issue to come forward. This is important for the continuing visibility of our organization on a national level.

What's Happening?
The "war on terrorism" is just a way to break open the Social Security Cookie Jar and expand the war machine to Cold War levels and beyond, while figuring out ways to topple Saddam and finish off Daddy Bush's nemesis. In addition, the erosion of civil liberties and human rights goes apace with cutbacks in the VA system.

Bush won't get any blank check from us, and even if the news cheerleaders (-casters) won't say it, we will: Bush is simply stupid! That's right. He can't put sentences together, eat pretzels, or run this New Roman Empire without his advisors manipulating from behind the scenes like imperial Chinese eunuchs.

America may have the guns and banks, but it's a big world out there, and we as Americans have to figure out a way to work collectively and humanely, at home and abroad.