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VVAW Kentuckiana 2007 Summer Activities

By Carol Rawert Trainer

I've been contacted by the GI Rights Hotline to be a resource here in Louisville for returning AWOL soldiers to Ft. Knox and providing them free legal counseling. Ken Nevitt, a lawyer from the Louisville Peace Action Community (LPAC), will provide free legal support and I believe I can get a few more lawyers involved. Volunteers from VVAW and LPAC will do the driving. We've been looking for some worthwhile projects and this seems to be one.

We have been involved in the "Iraq Summer" and "Americans Against Escalation in Iraq" efforts here locally to end the war. On Tuesday, October 28 we participated in the Bellarmine University event (with our banner hanging next to the stage). Andrew Horne was one of the speakers. During his speech, he recognized me and VVAW for "Taking a Stand." Over 700 attended the event in the auditorium calling for Sen. McConnell to "Take A Stand." A couple hundred marched to his home where we were met by some Gathering of Eagles types. Cops were there. We had a candlelight procession and a vigil/protest in front of Mitch McConnell's home. About 250-300 participated. We gave McConnell quite a scare. He was afraid to leave the house whenever we were around. He paid some thugs to appear in front of his house to support him. I would have been embarrassed if I were him.

I was also featured in The Nation magazine. Bob Moser spent a week here in Louisville watching the political and activist scene. I apologize that VVAW was not mentioned. My association with VVAW is what I'm most proud of! I did mention it many times. But anyway, it is a good article about our local scene. He was very impressed with our activism and said we were the most active with the most members across the country. I do believe my arrest set the fire under some who were at the burn-out point, including me. You can see it at www.thenation.com

I had my third court appearance regarding the Memorial Day incident and all charges have now been dropped. Now I have to focus on the grievances I want to file against the Sheriffs Dept and the Metro PD.

The Kentuckiana chapter was involved in the march in DC September 15th.

As Harry (aka Harold) and I were taking the Metro from Bethesda Naval base, Maryland to Washington to attend the September 15 march I met and spoke to the sister of SSgt Jeremy Murphy who was also on her way to the march. Jeremy was one of the 7 soldiers who wrote the article "The War As We Saw It" that was in the New York Times on August 14. He was shot in the head by a sniper before the article was in print his sister told me. His sister invited me to visit Jeremy which I did on Sunday morning before we flew home. His parents (from Seattle) were also in the room with him. They along with his sister have stayed by his side for over a month. They were visibly worn out but said that the worst was behind them. He was sleeping but they woke him so he'd know I had been there. I spoke for a few minutes and told him how proud of him everyone was that he spoke out about the truth as he saw it. I told him that he had many supporters that wished him the best.

So I just want to let everyone know about him and ask that if you have a minute, please drop him a card, letter or note to let him know how you feel. I am sure it will do wonders for him. He was very lucky to have survived. He has a very long road of treatment ahead of him. In addition to disfigurement he has severe traumatic brain injury. Two of his friends and co-workers who wrote the article with him died last week when their vehicle had a blowout and overturned. His sister said at first they wondered if it were a conspiracy to punish them for speaking out, but after contacting those who were there and in the know they said that the vehicle was speeding and went out of control when they had a blowout. It was an unfortunate accident. Now he is also mourning the loss of his friends.

I have learned that SSgt Jeremy Murphy was transferred recently from Bethesda Naval Hospital. He is in Casa Colina rehab center in Pomona, California You can reach him at:

SSgt. Jeremy Murphy TLC (circle TLC next to his name)
255 E. Bonita Ave
Pomona, CA 91767

There were a lot of people and there were a lot of speeches that went on way too long. Everyone waited two hours in line to get the march started and they were chomping at the bit to get started. They kept screaming "March Now!" I learned we were waiting for Iraq Vets who were still speaking at the rally to lead us. One veteran came up to me and asked to hold the banner because he wanted to be part of it. He was very proud to hold it. He was from DC. Then the police barricaded our march route and made us go to the front of the capitol, changing all the plans for the die-in in the road. It was complete chaos. No one knew what to do or what was going on. Finally some did die-in on the capitol lawn but it angered those who wanted to get arrested for dying-in on the street. So they had to charge the capitol steps. We left at 4pm. Unfortunately Harold was sick with a cold and we had to get out of there while he had the energy. I'm not sure how much the march accomplished but we did it.

On September 19, Insight Cable TV came over to film Harry and I for a program that aired on Channel 2 in Louisville called "Veterans: Our Front Line Heroes." We had a 30 minute interview about our military experience, but mostly we talked about our anti-war efforts and mentioned VVAW. I also wore my VVAW pin.

A group of us from the Kentuckiana chapter attended the 40th annual reunion. A HUGE thank you to everyone who made the weekend a success. It left me feeling very sad that here we are 40 years later and we (US) didn't learn a damn thing! I am fired up and ready to go again!

Anyway, that's about it. Never a dull moment.