Tag Archives: memorial

Denver not Colorado Springs

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Neath the capitol stepsThe Eyes Wide Open exhibit is in Denver. The 2,700 boots span the green between City Hall and the State Capitol Building. The news reports that the memorial was not as welcomed in Colorado Springs.
 
A friend of mine reacted to the Colorado Springs City Council deciding to have nothing to do with the EWO Iraq War Memorial exhibit. She called it a “damn shame.” I related her words to the council today.
 
“It’s a damn shame, she said, that the city is unwilling to support our troops in a reverential fashion, it’s a shame the boys see only the city’s seedy tributes.”

“The city offers pawn shops to the troops, conveniently located across from the base on B-street, to prey on the financial plight of those young men. Check cashing services and furniture rental joints offer similar rip-offs. The city is happy to collect the sales tax from those activities.

“Likewise the city pays tribute with strip bars and sex shops along B-Street to prey on the soldier’s other vices. The city is pleased to collect those sales taxes.

“The soldiers are offered dealership lots filled with cars they cannot afford, but do purchase, on bad credit terms, with high insurance rates, to drive around the few months they are here between assignments.

“So it’s a damn shame the city can live off the soldiers, can tout the patriotic benefit even from their sacrifices overseas, but cannot see itself rising to the occasion of honoring the soldiers killed in the line of duty.”

I’ll admit it’s too bad that only the antiwar activists are coming forward with memorials to the fallen soldiers. I don’t see why it should be our responsibility at all. If we had our choice there would be no young men and women being sent to fight these dirty mercenary wars.

If you don’t like our memorial, do your own. But don’t sit back and pay lip service to the men and women dying in Iraq, meanwhile running a city off their government paychecks, disability checks and survivor benefits.

Support your local war memorial

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I’m working on an address to our city council. I only have three minutes:

MemorialMr. Mayor, distinguished members of the City Council: as a member of the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission, I’ve come once again on their behalf to ask the City Council for your support of the traveling Iraq War Memorial, known as Eyes Wide Open, which is coming to Colorado Springs on October 12 and 13.
 
Two weeks ago, at the previous opportunity to address the council, the Justice and Peace Commission asked for the use of Memorial Park as a fitting site for a memorial. We also asked the City of Colorado Springs to adopt a resolution similar to that of the City of Baltimore, proclaiming the two day visit as “Days of Reflection on the Human Cost of War.” To this day we’ve received no formal response from the council. I’m here today to repeat our requests.

Actually we did hear one reply from Councilman Bernie Herpin, a resounding no, because he considers any such memorial to be a blatant anti-war statement. I’d like to ask Mr. Herpin: do you have such little faith in the patriotism of the general public, in the wisdom of your constituents, that were they to reflect -on the many lives the war in Iraq has cost us- that you think they would automatically be against the war?

Do you consider it patriotic, and showing support for our troops, Mr. Herpin, to hide the Iraq War casualties from the sight and memory of their friends, neighbors and community? If the war in Iraq, or as you call it, the War on Terror, is indeed worth fighting, why do you want to conceal its cost from the people of Colorado Springs, the people who more than nearly any other community in the country, must bear the cost of this war? The cost being measured, in their lives, the lives of their loved ones, the lives of their friends and coworkers. This is to say nothing of the many more who are injured and maimed.

Are you afraid to let the people of Colorado Springs gaze upon the boots of 2,700 soldiers -only the official count of the US casualties in Iraq- boots that stretch across vast green fields, nearly to the horizon? One hundred and seventy pairs of those boots will correspond to the Fort Carson soldiers who’ve died in Iraq.

The latest count of soldiers wounded in Iraq according to the V.A. hospital system is over 40,000. If the ratio of US soldiers wounded to US soldiers killed in Iraq holds for Colorado Springs, by a terrible coincidence, the 2,700 pairs of boots that Colorado Springs residents will see on October 12 and 13 will also correspond to the number of Colorado Springs residents -Iraq War veterans- who now move about in wheelchairs and on prosthetic limbs.

Is this your way to show support for the troops? To keep their sacrifices unseen from their countrymen and their city? Why are you so quick to send them off, to fight a war on foreign soil, and so quick to hide the cost they’ve paid or will pay? The media networks aren’t even allowed to show their coffins on television! Why are you conspiring to keep a soldier’s most ultimate sacrifice a secret? -because you think the American people would not support your war?

If you are so gung-ho to have someone fight this war on terror, why don’t you do it yourself? You go over there and do it! And reflect, please, whether you want your effort to go seen or unseen. Otherwise please know that you can count on us, that if you pay the ultimate price to defend our freedom, that we intend to make sure the people of this country and this city see it and show their thanks. Good luck and bon voyage.

Please accord the people of Colorado Springs the respect of honoring their sacrifice. I’d like to see the proclamation we ask for in writing as soon as possible, or I’d like to see each of you fill out the Defense Department paperwork to enlist to go to Iraq yourself. Thank you.

Eyes Wide Open exhibit coming October 12-13

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Coming to Colorado College Armstrong QuadWe’ve asked the Colorado Springs City Council for the use of Memorial Park for this memorial. We’ve also asked for a formal city proclamation, that October 12 and 13 be officially declared “days of reflection on the human cost of war.” Regardless of their answer, it’s coming.

At the ceremony, we’ll read the names of the 2,700 Americans who have been killed in Iraq, among them 170 from Fort Carson. CSAction put together a list: 1st Lt. Michael R. Adams, Spc. Ronald D. Allen, Pfc. Elden D. Arcand, Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Bader, Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Bertolino, Spc. Hoby F. Bradfield, Spc. Joshua T. Brazee, Staff Sgt. Scottie L. Bright, Sgt. Thomas F. Broomhead, Staff Sgt. Jeremy a. Brown, Sgt. Ernest G. Bucklew, Spc. Brock L. Bucklin, Capt. Joshua T. Byers, Cpl. Lyle J. Cambridge, Cpl. Richard P. Carl, Sgt. Tyrone L. Chisolm, Cpl. Gary B. Coleman, Spc. Ernest W. Dallas, Pfc. Grant A. Dampier, 1st Lt. Joseph D. deMoors, Spc. Michael A. Diraimondo, Sgt. Micheal E. Dooley, Sgt. 1st Class Donald W. Eacho, Spc. Phillip C. Edmundson, Capt. Brian Faunce, Spc. Rian C. Ferguson, Master Sgt. Richard L. Ferguson, Staff Sgt. Marion J. Flint, Pvt. Benjamin L. Freeman, Staff Sgt. Brian L. Freeman, Sgt. Denis J. Gallardo, Pfc. Jesse A. Givens, Spc. Christopher A. Golby, Spc. David J. Goldberg, Capt. Sean Grimes, Chief Warrant Officer Hans N. Gukeisen, Chief Warrant Officer Dennis P. Hay, Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck, Spc. Christopher L. Hoskins, Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard, Spc. Walter B. Howard, Spc. Nicholas R. Idalski, Spc. Darius T. Jennings, CWO Philip A. Johnson, Kendall, Cpl. Dustin L. Johnson, Spc. Anthony D. Kinslow, Pvt. Joseph L. Knott, Spc. Jared W. Kubasak, Sgt. Larry R. Kuhns, Maj Douglas A. La Bouff, CWO Matthew C. Laskowski, Staff Sgt. William T. Latham, Pfc. Vorn J. Mack, Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras, CWO Ian D. Manuel, Spc. Joseph L. Martinez, Capt. Michael R. Martinez, Cpl. Stephen M. McGowan, Staff Sgt. Frederick L. Miller, Sgt. Gordon F. Misner, Sgt. Keman L. Mitchell, Staff Sgt. Jason W. Montefering, Sgt. Milton M. Monzon, Spc. Jose L. Mora, Staff Sgt. Brian L. Morris, Sgt. James P. Muldoon, Pfc. Robert W. Murray, Sgt. Dimitri Muscat, Sgt. Julio E. Negron, Spc. Louis E. Niedermeier, Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda, Staff Sgt. Dale A. Panchot, Sgt. 1st Class Eric P. Pearrow, Spc. Brian H. Penisten, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher W. Phelps, Spc. Eric J. Poelman, Staff Sgt. Andrew R. Pokorny, Spc. Justin W. Pollard, Spc. Robert C. Pope, Sgt. 1st Class Neil A. Prince, Staff Sgt. Michael B. Quinn, Spc. Tamarra Ramos, Pfc. Mario A. Reyes, Spc. Lizbeth Robles, Spc. Ricky W. Rockholt, 2nd Lt. Charles R. Rubado, Staff Sgt. Alberto V. Sanchez, Spc. Luis D. Santos, Sgt. Stephen P. Saxton, Maj. Mathew E. Schram, Spc. Stephen M. Scott, Sgt. Jacob M. Simpson, 1st. Lt. Justin S. Smith, Spc. Michael J. Smith, Pfc. Armando Soriano, Sgt. Timothy J. Sutton, Pfc. Robert A. Swaney, Spc. Wade Michael Twyman, Pfc. Brian S. Ulbrich, Sgt. Melissa Valles, Chief Warrant Officer Brian K. Van Dusen, Staff Sgt. Justin L. Vasquez, Spc. Brian A. Vaughn, Pfc. Ramon A. Villatoro, Sgt. Antwan L. Walker, CWO Stephen M. Wells, Sgt. Charles T. Wilkerson, Cpl. Jeffrey A. Williams, Spc. Ronnie D. Williams, Sgt. Taft V. Williams, Spc. Thomas J. Wilwerth, Spc. James R. Wolf, Pfc. Eric P. Woods, and Sgt. James R. Worster

Fawcett hole-in-the-head

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Jay Fawcett is a pro war DemocratOf what good is another pro-war politician, be he a Republican or a Democrat? Colorado Springs congressional candidate Jay Fawcett is a revolving-door military contractor who is unapologetic about what the US is doing in Iraq. We’ve already got plenty of those in Washington. What do the Democrats of El Paso County gain by promoting another conservative schmo who is running on a platform of “smarter governance?”

In my opinion, Fawcett is a Republican plant, a straw-man meant to lose, meant to usurp the opportunity the Democrats have to offer a better candidate. If I’m wrong, the Republicans couldn’t have hand-picked a bigger loser than Fawcett.

At this year’s MLK march, Jay Fawcett walked out of the memorial service when the preacher expounded on King’s adamant opposition to war. Fawcett stood up and worked his way out the row before many gaping mouths.

At the single Justice and Peace event which he attended, Fawcett voiced his opposition and signed off with a condescending “good luck.”

The democrats need an alternative or they need to give it a rest.

CPT captives released

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CPT memorials on postThe three remaining CPT captives, held hostage since Novemember 27 have been freed.
 
On DAY 119 of their captivity, on DAY 106 or so of the vigil which we’ve kept every day at noon, the BBC has just reported that the three CPT hostages, English Norman Kember and Canadians Jim Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden, have been freed.

The news so far reports that they were liberated from their captors by a join military mission, the details and repercussions of which remain to be revealed. But it’s a happy day, the three CPT members are safe.

A little over a week ago, we learned that the fourth captive, American Tom Fox, had been killed. This was a fate which seemed improbable considering the mission of the Christian Peacemaker Team. They had been working without protection in Iraq to help families there negotiate for the release of their loved ones detained without due process in American prisons.

The memorial post we had erected for the CPT members will remain to shine the light on persons all over the world who are held in unlawful detainment. The post is still draped in black because of the death of Tom Fox, but soon we will raise another backdrop which will read: HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL CAPTIVES.

The noon vigil has proved itself to be an excellent touch stone for organizing our myriad other actions. It’s been an opportunity to stay apprised of the latest developments and strategies, and we’ve had occasion to be interviewed for three separate documentaries: one about American conscientious objectors who’ve removed themselves to Canada, another about the concept of Constantine’s Sword, and another about grassroots activism.

An Iraqi remembrance

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Holiday season event, date to be announced.

When we dismantled the 1900 CROSS IRAQ WAR MEMORIAL on October 13, we recited the names of all the US soldiers killed in the war in Iraq. Recalling the recitation of the American names, CAMP CASEY will next attempt to memorialize the people of Iraq who lost their lives.

This remembrance performance will require a chorus of at least twelve people, half male, half female, half of each of them children. A larger group can certainly be accomodated, as long as the make-up remains three parts men, three parts women, three parts boys, three parts girls.

As a lead vocalist reads the first names from the official list of US casualties, the chorus will punctuate each American name with a rythmic chant of Islamic first names to represent the Iraqi dead. Each member of the chorus will be assigned a set of four Islamic names, appropriate to their gender.

Between each American name, the chorus of twelve people will simultaneously chant four names in quick succession:
“Abdallah, Saleh, Sabah, Jabbar.”
“Qasem, Ahmad, Ali, Nusseir.”
“Yahya, Yaseen, Khaled, Ammar.”
“Ziyad, Taha, Nayef, Munther.”
“Hameed, Salah, Leith, Wahhab.”
“Mushtaq, Riyad, Basem, Mahdi.”
“Aziz, Nafe, Omar, Shiya.”
“Hussein, Dia, Jalal, Abbas.”
One man and one boy would voice a base rhythm of “Mohammad, Mohammad, Mohammad, Mohammad.”

The effect will be to have 48 Iraqi names called out for every American name, two thousand times.

Who’s a war criminal?

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War Criminal t-shirtGeorge W. is a war criminal, Dick Cheney is a war criminal, Colin Powell is a war criminal, every last White House staffer is a war criminal, nearly every Congress member is a war criminal, every mainstream media pundit is a war criminal, and YOU are a war criminal for permitting their illegal war in your name. “Not in our name” you decry? Did you stop it?

No one in the world could have stopped the American onslaught except the American people. No one on the other side of our tanks and our missiles can stop the American military machine. Neither their sovereign borders nor their laws can protect them from falling into our gunsights. Only the American people have recourse through their constitution to bring an aggressive rogue government to heel.

After the last election, thousands of American contributed photos of themselves to a website offering their apologies to the rest of the world. “We’re sorry” was the theme. Many of them added “we did what we could.”

A European website quickly emerged with thousands of world citizens turning up in photographs of their own to say “apology accepted.” That was very gracious of them. Do Americans have any idea what it will really take to stop this administration? When will we really be able to say we did our best?

You can purchase WAR CRIMINAL t-shirts at the IraqWarMemorial.info website.

My idea for an Iraq War Memorial

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A box. Sunken in the earth. Like the foundation of an unfinished house.

Borrowing from Maya Lin’s Vietnam Wall obviously, this memorial foundation would be at the base of a hill. Preferably in te shadow of a hill. Looking up at the north slope with the sun beyond the hill.

On one wall, the thousand US casualties of the war.

On the next wall, blank space reserved for the next thousand who will die before we can extricate ourselves from Iraq. Without abandoning the Iraqi population.

Now it occurs to me that I’ve left out the casualties of the first Gulf War. The many who served in that conflict and have since died of causes related to their service. We’ll have to find a suitable memorial for them.

In the corner between the two walls already described will sit a small replica of Rodin’s THINKER. He’ll be seated on a stool and he’ll wear a dunce cap emblazoned with the logos of the corporate profiteers and media war mongers.

On the other two walls which rise against the hill -which rise higher and together in the fashion of the twin towers of the WTC perhaps- here will be engraved with the names of each Iraqi citizen casualty. Fifteen thousand names, many thousand whose names we neglected to record, and about which few relatives or friends remain to give testament. Those could each be listed as “Sovereign Citizen of Iraq.”