NEWSROOM
January 6, 2008
RESULTS OF THE 2007 VFP BOARD ELECTION
There were a total of 962 ballots received by the National Office. Of these there were: 1 spoiled ballot (voted for more than four), 85 were received from unidentified senders
Thus, there remained 876 valid ballots which yielded the following results:
- Gary May 619 - Elected
- John Varone 543 - Elected
- Thomas Brinson 528 - Elected
- Patrick McCann 484 - Elected
- Lane Anderson 398
- Dan Shea 340
- George Johnson 276
The 85 unidentified when added to the 5th place holder's total falls short by one to the 4th place total. Therefore, the inclusion of any or all of the disallowed ballots would not have affected the outcome and we declare May, Varone, Brinson and McCann to be the winners. F Lincoln Grahlfs acted as Primary Election Judge
Submitted by Mike FernerVeterans For Peace National Secretary
January 1, 2008
From War to Peace: Why You Joined VFP
In an effort to build up our membership, we have asked several of our most active members what moved them from being someone who is willing to wage war, to someone who now wages peace, why did you join VFP, and what have been your successes in recruiting new members to VFP?
Here is part of what VFP Veteran Member, Leah Bolger has to say: "While I was on active duty, I believed that I wasn't allowed to join an organization like VFP. I knew I wasn't allowed to protest or speak out against our military policies. Although I believed in the values of VFP, I waited until I had been discharged to join. As our country has become more bellicose and misguided, I have become more outspoken and active with the peace movement. I am involved with several other peace organizations, but I feel that as a veterans' organization, we have more credibility and power in advocating for peace than some other organizations."
To include your submission on why you joined and how you recruit, please fill out the following online form.
January 1, 2008
2008 - What Do We Do Now?
Written by Executive Director Michael McPhearson
As we move towards commemorating the beginning of the 6th year of the Iraq Occupation/War, I am excited about all the work the peace and justice movements have accomplished. We have kept the issue of the Iraq Occupation in the forefront of U.S. national conversation. We have not allowed the Bush Administration and others who support the war to distort the fact that the war is illegal and immoral. We have turned a solid 30% minority of dissent against the war to a solid majority against the war. Due in large part to our efforts the Republican led Congress fell to the current Democrat leadership. While this accomplishment was not itself an intended result (putting Dems in office is not what we are trying to do) it does show the power of the people and that the anti-war/peace movements can have substantial influence on the outcome of local elections. Since the election in 2006 we have put tremendous pressure on Congress to end the war. This pressure has kept the war front and center in the minds of the US public and changed the political debate.
However, we have failed at the most basic task of ending the war and it is hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel in this regard. Right now it appears to me that the movements are in a kind of drift. We have lost momentum and we must regain what combat arms types call the initiative.
December 28, 2007
IVAW Requests no National Mass Mobilizations or DC Based Actions during Winter Soldier
As we approach the fifth anniversary of the quagmire known as the invasion/occupation of Iraq, many of us feel a need to mark this occasion with an appropriately momentous show of resistance. For the past few months, IVAW has been organizing "Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan." From March 13-16, 2008, we will assemble the largest gathering of US veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan in history, as well as Iraqi and Afghan survivors, to offer first-hand, eyewitness accounts to tell the truth about these occupations - their impact on the troops, their families, our nation, and the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.