Letter To The Editor

Thanks to Bruce Carruthers for being the ghost writer for this letter that I was happy and proud to get published today in the Asheville Citizen-Times (although I asked that it be published ON Memorial Day and signed it as submitted by Veterans For Peace). Oh well.

Vets for Peace weekly vigil

Since Veterans for Peace, Chapter 099 vigil has been cancelled due to 'stay at home' orders, we offer up this photoshopped version of a prior vigil. Original photo taken by unknown person, but photoshopping was done by Brandon Jones.

We often have a sign that says "Healthcare Not Warfare" at our vigils.

Mental Health Fair at local VA hospital

Chapter 099, Asheville, N.C. Bruce Carruthers, Bruce Macdonald, and Don, the Chapter 099 SOVA subcommittee, attended a mental health fair at the Asheville VAMC on Thursday, February 27, 2020. We handed out literature on the Mission Act and Community Care, including questions for veterans to ask before accepting referral to the private sector. The information on questions to ask came from the website of the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute. We had these questions made into business cards that veterans can take with them to appointments.. (Here is the link to the nine questions, including how to download them on a business-card size reminder veterans can carry on their person: https://www.veteranspolicy.org/the-blog-2/2019/6/14/nine-questions-veterans-need-to-ask-before-theyre-referred-to-va-community-care?fbclid=IwAR0XTuKrG4qQBT2W-EWM6TAXfKTqqFWjDifGpn8YmN-OxVXDGzBusjpoi9w). The effort was a success and we talked to many veterans who are not aware of the extent to which the effort to privatize the VA is underway, and we make connections with other veterans’ groups in an effort to enlist their support in the SOVA effort.

Photo taken by unknown person. 

From the HKonJ 2020 Rally

Photos of Ken Jones representing Veterans for Peace, Chapter 099. Photos taken by Vicki Ryder (of Raging Grannies) at the HKonJ rally in Raleigh on February 8, 2020. 

Ken Jones also sang from the stage at this rally and here is the song he sang (will share a you tube video if one turns up):



Militarized Mind
(Sung to the Tune of “Satisfied Mind” by Johnny Cash)

I grew up a good boy
and I followed the rules
I knew we were good guys
and the rest of ‘em fools

But when I got older
what truth did I find?
That I had been raised with
a militarized mind.

In schools and on TV
They taught us to hate -
that god loved us better,
that our country was great.

But when we got older
what truth did we find?
That we had been raised with
a militarized mind.

We’re told that we’re free
but look at our jails
the poor in our streets
the war that prevails

Now it’s time to wake up
leave the lies all behind,
and free ourselves up from
this militarized mind.

73rd Annual Asheville Holiday Parade. Theme: "Peace on Earth"

We had a good turn-out under bad conditions... steady rain throughout the preparations and marching. Thanks, of course, to all who were there and thanks to all who intended to be there but were wise enough to stay home, warm and dry... TOTALLY understandable.

Gratitude as well to those who engaged in preparations for the parade well before today: Keiko & Dana, Susan, Garland, Ken Jones, and Candace. Well done!

Labor Day Parade in Canton NC

Veterans for Peace, Chapter 099, walked in the Canton Labor Day parade today. It was a lot of fun.

Photos by Susan Oehler.

Weekly vigil

A photo of a recent vigil in downtown Asheville. Not sure who took the photo.