The Question Alliance
The Question Alliance is a group of concerned citizens asking fundamental and necessary questions about issues that affect us all. We use the grass-roots method of peaceful sign-waving on street corners. We ask questions about issues that concern all people, no matter where they fall in the political spectrum. We do not endorse specific candidates -- we just ask important questions.
Petition our newspapers for more complete war coverage.
Watch our video!
Petition our newspapers for more complete war coverage.
Watch our video!
Dear Readers:
A recent Denver Post article by Michael Riley published on December 3, 2007 (http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_7619693?source=commented-news) noted that Common Sense Issues, a "qualified nonprofit" associated with veteran Republican operative Patrick Davis, has taken its first shot at Democratic candidates. The Denver Post article points out that with a little more than 11 months to go before the 2008 Election that opponents in the hotly contested Senate campaign are likely to lob a wide array of attacks at each other looking for something that sticks.
Apparently Common Sense Issues first attack (http://www.commonsenseissues.com/) calls into question Congressman Mark Udall's support of the US House Resolution 808 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-808). The ad calls Udall a "Boulder liberal", using the phrase three times in less than 30 seconds, and erroneously gives him credit for the idea of a Department of Peace. The fact however is, as the Denver Post article points out, Udall is distancing himself from the concept and even says he regrets is original support of the bill.
When I finished reading the Post article I'm not sure what upset me the most - the fact that the Republicans preferred campaign strategy STILL continues to be attack ads and misinformation rather intelligent debate on the issues; or, the fact that our Democratic leadership seems to "distance themselves" from anything that requires the courage to stand for their stated values for fear it may make them appear "soft". This is also just another example of why I'm a registered Independent and still in search of true leadership regardless of which Party it comes from. And while the ad takes a jab at Udall, it was the distortion of the proposed US Department of Peace that distressed me the most.
The idea of a US Department of Peace and Nonviolence is not new - nor is it a liberal or conservative concept. While recently introduced as HR 808, the concept itself is as old as the Constitution and was first introduced at the Continental Congress by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately Dr. Rush was unable to convince his fellow statesmen to include the Department of Peace in the Constitution (or Universal Health Care and Equality for ALL men and women either for that matter however that's another story).
The concept of a Department of Peace did not die however; in fact, a form of the US Department of Peace has been reintroduced in some form over 80 times throughout history. The latest attempt has been introduced by Rep. Dennis Kucinich NOT Udall (would have meant he showed leadership) and currently has over 65 co-sponsors and growing support across the Nation. There are also a number of States and Local Governments, and a broad cross section of the community service providers (Police Departments, Women's Shelters, Social Workers, etc.) who have also endorsed the concept.
Contrary to the implication that creating a Department of Peace will somehow diminish our safety as Americans the truth is that the proposed cabinet level department is designed to reduce the level of violence we ALL experience in our lives - whether it's in the bedroom, boardroom, our communities or the world. The ad asks "doesn't he know people are trying to kill us" and I wonder if Common Sense Issues really knows WHO is trying to kill us.
The truth is that we are more likely to be killed at home by someone we know than an illusive international terrorist. The health-related cost of rape, physical assault, stalking and homicide committed by intimate partners in America exceeds $5.8 billion each year. Of that amount, nearly $4.1 billion are for direct medical and mental health care services, and nearly $1.8 billion are for the indirect costs of lost productivity or wages. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States, April 2003.) And this is just the cost of domestic violence, when considering the full range of interpersonal violence a recent World Health Organization report estimated the cost of interpersonal violence in the U.S. (excluding war related costs) at $300 billion a year. [The Economic Dimensions of Interpersonal Violence, World Health Organization, 2004]
The US Department of Peace mobilizes resources, research and proven approaches to prevent domestic and community violence at the root level. Specifically the legislation states that the US Department of Peace and Nonviolence will:
1. Work proactively and interactively with each branch of the Federal Government on all policy matters relating to conditions of peace.
2. Call on the intellectual and spiritual wealth of the people of the United states and seek participation in its administration and in its development of policy from private, public and nongovernmental organizations; and,
3. Monitor and analyze causative principals and make policy recommendation for developing and maintaining peaceful conduct.
4. Develop policies that address domestic violence - spousal, child, elder
5. Create new policies and incorporate existing policies regarding crime, punishment and rehabilitation
6. Develop policies to address violence against animals
7. Analyze existing policies, employ successful, field-tested programs, and develop new approaches for dealing with the implements of violence, including gun-related violence and the overwhelming presence of handguns;
8. Develop new programs that relate to the societal challenges of school violence, gangs, racial or ethnic violence, violence against gays and lesbians, and police-community relations disputes;
9. Make policy recommendations to the Attorney General regarding civil rights and labor law;
10. Assist in the establishment and funding of community-based violence prevention programs, including violence prevention counseling and peer mediation in schools;
11. Counsel and advocate on behalf of women victimized by violence;
12. Provide for public education programs and counseling strategies concerning hate crimes;
13. Promote racial, religious and ethnic tolerance;
14. Finance local community initiatives that can draw on neighborhood resources to crate peace projects that facilitate the development of conflict resolution at a national level and thereby inform and inspire national policy; and
15. Provide ethical-based and value-based analyses to the Department of Defense.
When looking at the truth of what the bill would provide, one wonders exactly what activity Common Sense Issues or Udall have a problem with. Even though many of the activities HR 808 proposes are not necessarily new or different - what makes the Department of Peace unique and critical at this time is that it FINALLY brings the type of federal leadership and vision for domestic tranquility that has been the missing in our efforts to reduce violence in our homes, communities and the world for decades.
As a person who has been working in communities at a grassroots level for the past 30 years I can tell you that HR 808 is the type of bill I've been waiting for. And while admittedly it isn't as comprehensive or well defined as I would like, it is the first time in years that I have had a glimmer of hope that as a Nation we are willing to take an honest look at the cost of violence in the world - both in human and economic terms.
It confuses me that Mark Udall, who presents himself as dedicated to peace and the wellbeing of our Nation, would feel compelled to "distance" himself from this landmark legislation. It concerns me that he "wishes" he would have never lent his name in support of this historic effort to reduce the level of violence in our homes and communities rather than working to amend the bill if he has "problems" with parts of it. And it strengthens my resolve to find true leadership to represent my needs in Washington as it appears it will not be coming from Udall.
Julieann Murphy Cross
Brighton, Colorado
A recent Denver Post article by Michael Riley published on December 3, 2007 (http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_7619693?source=commented-news) noted that Common Sense Issues, a "qualified nonprofit" associated with veteran Republican operative Patrick Davis, has taken its first shot at Democratic candidates. The Denver Post article points out that with a little more than 11 months to go before the 2008 Election that opponents in the hotly contested Senate campaign are likely to lob a wide array of attacks at each other looking for something that sticks.
Apparently Common Sense Issues first attack (http://www.commonsenseissues.com/) calls into question Congressman Mark Udall's support of the US House Resolution 808 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-808). The ad calls Udall a "Boulder liberal", using the phrase three times in less than 30 seconds, and erroneously gives him credit for the idea of a Department of Peace. The fact however is, as the Denver Post article points out, Udall is distancing himself from the concept and even says he regrets is original support of the bill.
When I finished reading the Post article I'm not sure what upset me the most - the fact that the Republicans preferred campaign strategy STILL continues to be attack ads and misinformation rather intelligent debate on the issues; or, the fact that our Democratic leadership seems to "distance themselves" from anything that requires the courage to stand for their stated values for fear it may make them appear "soft". This is also just another example of why I'm a registered Independent and still in search of true leadership regardless of which Party it comes from. And while the ad takes a jab at Udall, it was the distortion of the proposed US Department of Peace that distressed me the most.
The idea of a US Department of Peace and Nonviolence is not new - nor is it a liberal or conservative concept. While recently introduced as HR 808, the concept itself is as old as the Constitution and was first introduced at the Continental Congress by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately Dr. Rush was unable to convince his fellow statesmen to include the Department of Peace in the Constitution (or Universal Health Care and Equality for ALL men and women either for that matter however that's another story).
The concept of a Department of Peace did not die however; in fact, a form of the US Department of Peace has been reintroduced in some form over 80 times throughout history. The latest attempt has been introduced by Rep. Dennis Kucinich NOT Udall (would have meant he showed leadership) and currently has over 65 co-sponsors and growing support across the Nation. There are also a number of States and Local Governments, and a broad cross section of the community service providers (Police Departments, Women's Shelters, Social Workers, etc.) who have also endorsed the concept.
Contrary to the implication that creating a Department of Peace will somehow diminish our safety as Americans the truth is that the proposed cabinet level department is designed to reduce the level of violence we ALL experience in our lives - whether it's in the bedroom, boardroom, our communities or the world. The ad asks "doesn't he know people are trying to kill us" and I wonder if Common Sense Issues really knows WHO is trying to kill us.
The truth is that we are more likely to be killed at home by someone we know than an illusive international terrorist. The health-related cost of rape, physical assault, stalking and homicide committed by intimate partners in America exceeds $5.8 billion each year. Of that amount, nearly $4.1 billion are for direct medical and mental health care services, and nearly $1.8 billion are for the indirect costs of lost productivity or wages. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States, April 2003.) And this is just the cost of domestic violence, when considering the full range of interpersonal violence a recent World Health Organization report estimated the cost of interpersonal violence in the U.S. (excluding war related costs) at $300 billion a year. [The Economic Dimensions of Interpersonal Violence, World Health Organization, 2004]
The US Department of Peace mobilizes resources, research and proven approaches to prevent domestic and community violence at the root level. Specifically the legislation states that the US Department of Peace and Nonviolence will:
1. Work proactively and interactively with each branch of the Federal Government on all policy matters relating to conditions of peace.
2. Call on the intellectual and spiritual wealth of the people of the United states and seek participation in its administration and in its development of policy from private, public and nongovernmental organizations; and,
3. Monitor and analyze causative principals and make policy recommendation for developing and maintaining peaceful conduct.
4. Develop policies that address domestic violence - spousal, child, elder
5. Create new policies and incorporate existing policies regarding crime, punishment and rehabilitation
6. Develop policies to address violence against animals
7. Analyze existing policies, employ successful, field-tested programs, and develop new approaches for dealing with the implements of violence, including gun-related violence and the overwhelming presence of handguns;
8. Develop new programs that relate to the societal challenges of school violence, gangs, racial or ethnic violence, violence against gays and lesbians, and police-community relations disputes;
9. Make policy recommendations to the Attorney General regarding civil rights and labor law;
10. Assist in the establishment and funding of community-based violence prevention programs, including violence prevention counseling and peer mediation in schools;
11. Counsel and advocate on behalf of women victimized by violence;
12. Provide for public education programs and counseling strategies concerning hate crimes;
13. Promote racial, religious and ethnic tolerance;
14. Finance local community initiatives that can draw on neighborhood resources to crate peace projects that facilitate the development of conflict resolution at a national level and thereby inform and inspire national policy; and
15. Provide ethical-based and value-based analyses to the Department of Defense.
When looking at the truth of what the bill would provide, one wonders exactly what activity Common Sense Issues or Udall have a problem with. Even though many of the activities HR 808 proposes are not necessarily new or different - what makes the Department of Peace unique and critical at this time is that it FINALLY brings the type of federal leadership and vision for domestic tranquility that has been the missing in our efforts to reduce violence in our homes, communities and the world for decades.
As a person who has been working in communities at a grassroots level for the past 30 years I can tell you that HR 808 is the type of bill I've been waiting for. And while admittedly it isn't as comprehensive or well defined as I would like, it is the first time in years that I have had a glimmer of hope that as a Nation we are willing to take an honest look at the cost of violence in the world - both in human and economic terms.
It confuses me that Mark Udall, who presents himself as dedicated to peace and the wellbeing of our Nation, would feel compelled to "distance" himself from this landmark legislation. It concerns me that he "wishes" he would have never lent his name in support of this historic effort to reduce the level of violence in our homes and communities rather than working to amend the bill if he has "problems" with parts of it. And it strengthens my resolve to find true leadership to represent my needs in Washington as it appears it will not be coming from Udall.
Julieann Murphy Cross
Brighton, Colorado
During the week of November 5, Dennis J. Kucinich will introduce on the floor of the House of Representatives a bill to impeach Vice President Cheney(H Res 333). Exercising his right of personal privilege, his courageous act will put members of the House on record. Are they going to fulfill their oath of office to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic or just look the other way?
Our nation and our Constitution are in crisis!
You and your neighbors can make a difference!
Call all of our Colorado Congressmen/women TODAY!
Find a list of phone and fax numbers and staff names here.
TELL COLORADO's CONGRESSMEN/WOMEN
to Vote to debate Impeaching Cheney
Tell them "No Campaign Donations, Votes or Volunteering until after they vote to debate Impeachment on the floor of the full House". They were elected to Stop The Iraq War and get accountability for Bush and Cheney. They haven't delivered on their promises. That they do not have the Votes IS A LIE. It only takes a simple majority in the House to Impeach. Cheney will resign before it leaves the House.
Pelosi's plan to pass a few popular bills and embarass Bush is only wasting time and getting soldiers killed and maimed.
Impeachment is the Only bill that Bush by law cannot veto and the Supreme Court cannot overturn.
CLICK HERE TO SEE The Latest Info on this patriotic cause.
The Colorado Impeachment Coalition at http://ImpeachCO.com is doing everything it can to ensure that at least Vice President Cheney will be held accountable by Impeachment.
JOIN US-Email: protestinthestreet@yahoo.com
..
Our nation and our Constitution are in crisis!
You and your neighbors can make a difference!
Call all of our Colorado Congressmen/women TODAY!
Find a list of phone and fax numbers and staff names here.
TELL COLORADO's CONGRESSMEN/WOMEN
to Vote to debate Impeaching Cheney
Tell them "No Campaign Donations, Votes or Volunteering until after they vote to debate Impeachment on the floor of the full House". They were elected to Stop The Iraq War and get accountability for Bush and Cheney. They haven't delivered on their promises. That they do not have the Votes IS A LIE. It only takes a simple majority in the House to Impeach. Cheney will resign before it leaves the House.
Pelosi's plan to pass a few popular bills and embarass Bush is only wasting time and getting soldiers killed and maimed.
Impeachment is the Only bill that Bush by law cannot veto and the Supreme Court cannot overturn.
CLICK HERE TO SEE The Latest Info on this patriotic cause.
The Colorado Impeachment Coalition at http://ImpeachCO.com is doing everything it can to ensure that at least Vice President Cheney will be held accountable by Impeachment.
JOIN US-Email: protestinthestreet@yahoo.com
..
The River of Light Enterprise, a local non-profit organization, invites you to celebrate
Spring in the Rockies
Bi-Annual Plant and Seed Exchange
PROCEEDS BENEFIT FOOD, EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE CITIZENS - HOMELESS VETERANS, DISABLED ADULTS, HIGH RISK YOUTH, FRAIL ELDERLY - IN THE METRO AREA
Bring to Exchange with Fellow Gardeners
Seeds - Starts - Shrubs - Bulbs -Tree Saplings - Vegetable seedlings
Indoor and Outdoor Plants Welcome
Bring as many plants as you wish and take home an equal amount from others' donations
If you don't have plants or seeds to share from your yard, we suggest bringing vegetable sprouts
All native plants are Welcome
Please separate and label plants individually, ready to be taken home by fellow gardeners - We suggest placing individual plants in small wax paper cups
Save $ toward your landscaping needs - Add a variety of new and interesting plants to your yard
A $10 per family donation is requested at the gate
Join us for this unique and fun family event
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JULIE AT 303-667-6032
Spring in the Rockies
Bi-Annual Plant and Seed Exchange
PROCEEDS BENEFIT FOOD, EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE CITIZENS - HOMELESS VETERANS, DISABLED ADULTS, HIGH RISK YOUTH, FRAIL ELDERLY - IN THE METRO AREA
Bring to Exchange with Fellow Gardeners
Seeds - Starts - Shrubs - Bulbs -Tree Saplings - Vegetable seedlings
Indoor and Outdoor Plants Welcome
Bring as many plants as you wish and take home an equal amount from others' donations
If you don't have plants or seeds to share from your yard, we suggest bringing vegetable sprouts
All native plants are Welcome
Please separate and label plants individually, ready to be taken home by fellow gardeners - We suggest placing individual plants in small wax paper cups
Save $ toward your landscaping needs - Add a variety of new and interesting plants to your yard
A $10 per family donation is requested at the gate
Join us for this unique and fun family event
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JULIE AT 303-667-6032
Since Jan 24 our group PNA 1stProtestInTheStreet.Org Link
has through it's project website
WeeklVigilsToImpeach.US Link
has held two weekly vigils-protests per week to
a. Stop The Iraq War ( Now! and save
the 800 US Soldiers who will be killed
and the 8000 who will be seriously wounded
prior to the
fantasy withdrawal dates that have been proposed in 2008.
b. Impeach Bush and Cheney
for lying to Congress to get an OK to go to War
( and a few other reasons of course)
Many members of ProgressNowAction.Org have emailed us
or signed up on the Calendar listings
to say they were coming to the
Stop Iraq War Now protests.
The only one who 'ever' showed up was Mike Collins last week
and we were thrilled...
Thanks Mike.
As a Vietnam Vet you know this is important
and you put your feet on the street that day to support
our effort to 'support the troops' by bringing them home.
We hope that today and each Wednesday more of you will attend and show our Colorado and Washington legislators that Stopping The War Now and Impeaching Bush/Cheney are important to you.
Todays event listing: Link
has through it's project website
WeeklVigilsToImpeach.US Link
has held two weekly vigils-protests per week to
a. Stop The Iraq War ( Now! and save
the 800 US Soldiers who will be killed
and the 8000 who will be seriously wounded
prior to the
fantasy withdrawal dates that have been proposed in 2008.
b. Impeach Bush and Cheney
for lying to Congress to get an OK to go to War
( and a few other reasons of course)
Many members of ProgressNowAction.Org have emailed us
or signed up on the Calendar listings
to say they were coming to the
Stop Iraq War Now protests.
The only one who 'ever' showed up was Mike Collins last week
and we were thrilled...
Thanks Mike.
As a Vietnam Vet you know this is important
and you put your feet on the street that day to support
our effort to 'support the troops' by bringing them home.
We hope that today and each Wednesday more of you will attend and show our Colorado and Washington legislators that Stopping The War Now and Impeaching Bush/Cheney are important to you.
Todays event listing: Link
The possibility that Cheney and his Wooden Dummy(Bush) will be Impeached seems to be becoming more real.
In a blog today by Mary Ann Akers, The Sleuth, Behind the Scenes in Washington in The Washington Post...
Articles of Impeachment To Be Filed On Cheney
Looks like he's reached his boiling point.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), the most liberal of the Democratic presidential candidates in the primary field, declared in a letter sent to his Democratic House colleagues this morning that he plans to file articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.
Kucinich has made ending the war in Iraq the central theme of his campaign. He has even taken aim at the leading Democratic presidential candidates in the field for their votes on authorizing the war.
Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to impeach the president, vice president and "all civil Officers of the United States" for "treason, bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Sources tell the Sleuth that in light of the mass killings at Virginia Tech Monday, Kucinich's impeachment plans have been put on hold. There will be no action this week, they say.
Kucinich's office had no comment on the Congressman's "Dear Colleague" letter -- which apparently was drafted over the weekend, before the school massacre -- or on what the focus of articles of impeachment against Cheney would be.
But Kucinich shouldn't hold his breath on getting anywhere with his impeachment plan. "We'll see a Kucinich Administration before we'll see a Cheney impeachment," quipped one Democratic aide.
Here is the text of his letter, a copy of which was forwarded to the Sleuth:
April 17, 2007
Dear Colleague:
This week I intend to introduce Articles of Impeachment with respect to the conduct of Vice President Cheney. Please have your staff contact my office . . . if you would like to receive a confidential copy of the document prior to its introduction in the House.
Sincerely,
/s/
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress
Link
As one who has been pushing for this since Jan 24th, 2007 every Thursday Noon at Lincoln & 14th at the Capital, I gotta say...
this is kind of interesting.
Please come Join Us tomorrow. Wed. at the State Capital at Noon.
We've had some great new Signs for you to carry....
Stop the War Now and Save 800 Soldiers who will die before Aug. '08
( and 8000 wounded, not including the non-combat deaths/injuries).
See the Rally Listing for Wed. April 18, 2007 (tomorrow) Link
Come and Join Us
In a blog today by Mary Ann Akers, The Sleuth, Behind the Scenes in Washington in The Washington Post...
Articles of Impeachment To Be Filed On Cheney
Looks like he's reached his boiling point.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), the most liberal of the Democratic presidential candidates in the primary field, declared in a letter sent to his Democratic House colleagues this morning that he plans to file articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.
Kucinich has made ending the war in Iraq the central theme of his campaign. He has even taken aim at the leading Democratic presidential candidates in the field for their votes on authorizing the war.
Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to impeach the president, vice president and "all civil Officers of the United States" for "treason, bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Sources tell the Sleuth that in light of the mass killings at Virginia Tech Monday, Kucinich's impeachment plans have been put on hold. There will be no action this week, they say.
Kucinich's office had no comment on the Congressman's "Dear Colleague" letter -- which apparently was drafted over the weekend, before the school massacre -- or on what the focus of articles of impeachment against Cheney would be.
But Kucinich shouldn't hold his breath on getting anywhere with his impeachment plan. "We'll see a Kucinich Administration before we'll see a Cheney impeachment," quipped one Democratic aide.
Here is the text of his letter, a copy of which was forwarded to the Sleuth:
April 17, 2007
Dear Colleague:
This week I intend to introduce Articles of Impeachment with respect to the conduct of Vice President Cheney. Please have your staff contact my office . . . if you would like to receive a confidential copy of the document prior to its introduction in the House.
Sincerely,
/s/
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress
Link
As one who has been pushing for this since Jan 24th, 2007 every Thursday Noon at Lincoln & 14th at the Capital, I gotta say...
this is kind of interesting.
Please come Join Us tomorrow. Wed. at the State Capital at Noon.
We've had some great new Signs for you to carry....
Stop the War Now and Save 800 Soldiers who will die before Aug. '08
( and 8000 wounded, not including the non-combat deaths/injuries).
See the Rally Listing for Wed. April 18, 2007 (tomorrow) Link
Come and Join Us
from Bob Fertik 's Blog on Democrats.Com on March 6, 2007
"In what may be a national first, a State-initiated impeachment resolution against the President and Vice-President of the United States has reached the floor of a State Senate.
Drawing support from hundreds of supremely dedicated citizens willing to wait hours on both weekends and weekdays for the opportunity to speak, the five Democrats present on the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee, voted in favor without doubt or hesitation. No audience member spoke against."
Read the rest here= Link
So I have to ask?
Why can't Colorado's State Senate Democrats
Do this Without Protesters in the Street ???????
Which one will be our Hero? Step forward. Now!
JOIN Us
at Our State Capital At Noon Today Link
"In what may be a national first, a State-initiated impeachment resolution against the President and Vice-President of the United States has reached the floor of a State Senate.
Drawing support from hundreds of supremely dedicated citizens willing to wait hours on both weekends and weekdays for the opportunity to speak, the five Democrats present on the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee, voted in favor without doubt or hesitation. No audience member spoke against."
Read the rest here= Link
So I have to ask?
Why can't Colorado's State Senate Democrats
Do this Without Protesters in the Street ???????
Which one will be our Hero? Step forward. Now!
JOIN Us
at Our State Capital At Noon Today Link
Weekly Vigils To impeach has held 12 Weekly Vigils to Stop The Iraq Killing.
We have not missed a planned event.
We've also organized and coordinated a related special rally (Feb. 27) at the State Capitol to support State Senator Tupa's Anti-Escalation Bill,
and another rally at the Democratic Jefferson Jackson Dinner (Mar. 3) to push Speaker Pelosi to Put Impeachment Back On The Table & Get The US Out Of Iraq,
We've been busy and we are making a difference.
Come Join Us this week.
Wed. Noon at the State Capital, Corner of Lincoln & 14th
and
Thurs. Noon at US Rep. DeGette's Office, Corner of E 6th & Grant.
We have Signs or Bring Your Own.
Join US. You'll be glad you did.
We have not missed a planned event.
We've also organized and coordinated a related special rally (Feb. 27) at the State Capitol to support State Senator Tupa's Anti-Escalation Bill,
and another rally at the Democratic Jefferson Jackson Dinner (Mar. 3) to push Speaker Pelosi to Put Impeachment Back On The Table & Get The US Out Of Iraq,
We've been busy and we are making a difference.
Come Join Us this week.
Wed. Noon at the State Capital, Corner of Lincoln & 14th
and
Thurs. Noon at US Rep. DeGette's Office, Corner of E 6th & Grant.
We have Signs or Bring Your Own.
Join US. You'll be glad you did.
Denver motorists responded loudly and often to our 'Show us you agree' sign. We had them honking from two directions at both the State Capital on Wed at Noon and at DeGette's Office on Thursday at Noon ( Two one way streets).
They now know we will be there every week, so they often will start honking before they get close to our corners. We are building a relationship with the drivers who pass these locations at the same time every Wednesday and Thursday.
Their support builds cumulatively. And the effect on the Democratic Congresspersons that we are Vigiling is growing, to Stop the Iraq War and Impeach.
We had hoped to join the MoveOn presentation of protest letters to DeGette on Thursday at 11 am. But we got involved in the 'Tell Foxy' news conference across the street from City Hall and ran late. We got to DeGette's office at 11:45. Everyone was gone.
So we did our Weekly Vigil there as usual at noon. None of the MoveOn people stayed to help out at our Weekly Vigil... oh well. Actually I recently joined the Denver MoveOn Council so I guess one of us was there.
We've been doing this regularly now for three-four weeks. Haven't missed a day. That's Vigiling. You make a pledge to be there every time. The motorists begin to realize you are serious and they begin to really appreciate your committment. It is not a 'once in a while' thing.
It is every week until the Democrats Impeach and Stop the Iraq War. Period! It is very powerful.
One person with a sign can make a tremendous difference.
Ten or twenty can Change a Nation.
JOIN US Next Week
.
They now know we will be there every week, so they often will start honking before they get close to our corners. We are building a relationship with the drivers who pass these locations at the same time every Wednesday and Thursday.
Their support builds cumulatively. And the effect on the Democratic Congresspersons that we are Vigiling is growing, to Stop the Iraq War and Impeach.
We had hoped to join the MoveOn presentation of protest letters to DeGette on Thursday at 11 am. But we got involved in the 'Tell Foxy' news conference across the street from City Hall and ran late. We got to DeGette's office at 11:45. Everyone was gone.
So we did our Weekly Vigil there as usual at noon. None of the MoveOn people stayed to help out at our Weekly Vigil... oh well. Actually I recently joined the Denver MoveOn Council so I guess one of us was there.
We've been doing this regularly now for three-four weeks. Haven't missed a day. That's Vigiling. You make a pledge to be there every time. The motorists begin to realize you are serious and they begin to really appreciate your committment. It is not a 'once in a while' thing.
It is every week until the Democrats Impeach and Stop the Iraq War. Period! It is very powerful.
One person with a sign can make a tremendous difference.
Ten or twenty can Change a Nation.
JOIN US Next Week
.
We had a little fun with 'Foxy' the fox today... NO, not That Kind of Fun!
We heard that Frontier was doing a Campaign Interview style promo for the 'Foxy' Frontier's Favorite Animal at the Civic Center today across from the City Hall. So we thought this would be great test of our Concept of Instant Vigils.
We flew downtown and did a 'one indian' to their 'circle the wagons' maneuver. The media types applauded my arrival but grumbled later when they had trouble getting a shot without our signs in the background.
Our sign on one side said.
Call Foxy and tell her to
Stop the Iraq War
and impeach Bush
and on the other side
Call Foxy and say
Stop the War and
impeach Bush.
Amazing the amount of eyeballs these signs got.
It was Fun...
you all shoulda been there.
Maybe next time, eh! Join Us.
Impeachment can be fun.
John
WeeklyVigilsToImpeach.Us
Link
ProgressNowAction Member
Link
We heard that Frontier was doing a Campaign Interview style promo for the 'Foxy' Frontier's Favorite Animal at the Civic Center today across from the City Hall. So we thought this would be great test of our Concept of Instant Vigils.
We flew downtown and did a 'one indian' to their 'circle the wagons' maneuver. The media types applauded my arrival but grumbled later when they had trouble getting a shot without our signs in the background.
Our sign on one side said.
Call Foxy and tell her to
Stop the Iraq War
and impeach Bush
and on the other side
Call Foxy and say
Stop the War and
impeach Bush.
Amazing the amount of eyeballs these signs got.
It was Fun...
you all shoulda been there.
Maybe next time, eh! Join Us.
Impeachment can be fun.
John
WeeklyVigilsToImpeach.Us
Link
ProgressNowAction Member
Link
Weekly Vigils To Impeach & Stop The Iraq War
Will be at the State Capital at Noon at 14th & Lincoln
We will also be joining the fun at Sen. Salazar's Office at
2 pm. today.
Member of 'The Occupation' will be visiting Salazar's Office with some requests and may stay 'quite a while' I'm told.
I understand that another group will protest the Iraq War outside.
And of course our Group Weekly Vigils To Impeach...
Link
will be there
Come one, come all
Join us
Will be at the State Capital at Noon at 14th & Lincoln
We will also be joining the fun at Sen. Salazar's Office at
2 pm. today.
Member of 'The Occupation' will be visiting Salazar's Office with some requests and may stay 'quite a while' I'm told.
I understand that another group will protest the Iraq War outside.
And of course our Group Weekly Vigils To Impeach...
Link
will be there
Come one, come all
Join us
Last week at the Capital we had a good group of activists. Our efforts were rewarded by motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists with a lot of honking and waving.
The Iraq War was the central issue of the 2006 Election and the public still wants Bush and Cheney held accountable.
During World War II Franklin D. Roosevelt had four (4) Republican led investigations going against him. The last finished up after his death. They were trying to prove he knew in advance about Pearl Harbor and failed to warn the military in Hawaii. they never succeeded in making the charge stick.
If the greatest US war President of modern times can have this much oversight, why is Bush and Cheney about to get away with lying to Congress in order to get permission to invade snother country?
We wonder when the Democrats who campaigned against Bush's Iraq WMD lies and Iraq Invasion Outcome will begin to hold serious investigations, hearings and if warranted impeachment? Will it ever happen?
Our group will be there to remind them... and you are all invited to stand with us.
We'll be there...
Every Wednesday Noon at the State Capital ( Lincoln & 14th) and
Every Thursday Noon at DeGette's Office ( East 6th & Grant)
There is a proposal to move this vigil around to different US Reps offices each week day. Tell us what you think about this.
We have extra signs if you don't. If your schedule is tight, come and stay for only a few minutes. It all helps.
The Iraq War was the central issue of the 2006 Election and the public still wants Bush and Cheney held accountable.
During World War II Franklin D. Roosevelt had four (4) Republican led investigations going against him. The last finished up after his death. They were trying to prove he knew in advance about Pearl Harbor and failed to warn the military in Hawaii. they never succeeded in making the charge stick.
If the greatest US war President of modern times can have this much oversight, why is Bush and Cheney about to get away with lying to Congress in order to get permission to invade snother country?
We wonder when the Democrats who campaigned against Bush's Iraq WMD lies and Iraq Invasion Outcome will begin to hold serious investigations, hearings and if warranted impeachment? Will it ever happen?
Our group will be there to remind them... and you are all invited to stand with us.
We'll be there...
Every Wednesday Noon at the State Capital ( Lincoln & 14th) and
Every Thursday Noon at DeGette's Office ( East 6th & Grant)
There is a proposal to move this vigil around to different US Reps offices each week day. Tell us what you think about this.
We have extra signs if you don't. If your schedule is tight, come and stay for only a few minutes. It all helps.
We think the 'freezing' fog scared off the volunteers today. Actually the sun was out at DeGettes office and it was great.
It was just Ken and I today, but We got a lot of supportive honks and waves in reply to the big Impeach Signs. The people want this.
The Wednesday vigil at the State Capital this week was well attended and we really appreciate your support.
Hope we see you at
the Weekly Vigil To impeach Bush & Cheney and Stop The Iraq War,
at the State Capital on Wednesday next week at Noon....
bring your signs or use ours.
John Kennedy
It was just Ken and I today, but We got a lot of supportive honks and waves in reply to the big Impeach Signs. The people want this.
The Wednesday vigil at the State Capital this week was well attended and we really appreciate your support.
Hope we see you at
the Weekly Vigil To impeach Bush & Cheney and Stop The Iraq War,
at the State Capital on Wednesday next week at Noon....
bring your signs or use ours.
John Kennedy
Our group
Link
1stProtestinTheStreet.org
is having a MeetUp 7 pm TONIGHT at the Hooked On Colfax Coffee House (w/ Free Wifi ) at 3215 East Colfax Ave, Denver. Anyone interested in the possibility of holding Bush and Cheney accountable for their crimes is welcome to join us. We believe that we can put enough public pressure on our US Representatives we might be able to cause a Bill of impeachment. ( Yes..especially the Democrats we elected... the ones who dissed Bush/Cheney so, who now are Congressmen who have the power to Impeach).
We are doing two weekly vigils so far, one on
">Link
Wednesdays at Noon at the State Capital in Denver and on Link
Thursdays at Noon at US Rep. DeGette's Denver Office at East 6th & Grant. The purpose of the Wednesday and Thursday Vigils is to attract the attention of our State Legislature. our two Daily Newspapers, and the public. We hope that someone in the Legislature will carry a bill to ask the US House to begin proceedings on Impeachment (as New Mexico's Democrats are doing).
We hope the newpapers will consider that if Bill Clinton can be brought up on Impeachment for lying about sex... then perhaps the more serious offense of lying to Congress ( and Voters) just before a vote on War Resolution should require the same journalistic attention.
We hope the public will begin to see that this ( lying to Congress) is a more serious matter even than the Iraq War itself (if that is possible). The previous 'do nothing' Republican Congress was not much of a check on Bush's Imperial ambitions and our current Democratic Congress' Leadership would like to ignore impeachment and 'move on 'as they say, and hope it just goes away. What they are trying to ignore is the fact that all of Bush's lies and Signing Statements add up to a huge expansion of Presidential Power. We need to protect our grandchildren from the future Imperial excesses of the next President RunAmuck, regardless of which party they come from.
We need to put the Fear Of Impeachment into all future presidential candidates.
Bush doesn't think the Congress will call his bluff and impeach him, so he will push his supposed 'powers' to the limit. Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are kidding themselves if they think he will back off. And even if he does, shouldn't he be held accountable for lying to Congress about a War resolution in the first place... to prevent this from recurring? And about the 700 plus Signing Statements. Saying he will ignore US Laws, after taking an Oath to Uphold them.
I'll stop now....
See you tonight at Hooked On Colfax,
and Wed. at the Capital,
and Thursday at DeGette's Office
PS... We've already started getting Push Back, from Democrats no less, about Vigiling in front of DeGette's Office. Why her they say... Well.. she is in a 'safe' seat, she now has powerful positions on very important Congressional Committees. She Can support this without endangering her re-election far more than other Democratic US Reps.
As a lifelong Democrat, I've voted for DeGette in every election and carried signs for her and probably will do so in the future. I think she is Super. However, I think she and all the other Democratic Reps will duck Impeachment if we let them. We will Vigil at other Colorado US Representative's offices as soon as we have the volunteers (all of them).
join us.
Link
1stProtestinTheStreet.org
is having a MeetUp 7 pm TONIGHT at the Hooked On Colfax Coffee House (w/ Free Wifi ) at 3215 East Colfax Ave, Denver. Anyone interested in the possibility of holding Bush and Cheney accountable for their crimes is welcome to join us. We believe that we can put enough public pressure on our US Representatives we might be able to cause a Bill of impeachment. ( Yes..especially the Democrats we elected... the ones who dissed Bush/Cheney so, who now are Congressmen who have the power to Impeach).
We are doing two weekly vigils so far, one on
">Link
Wednesdays at Noon at the State Capital in Denver and on Link
Thursdays at Noon at US Rep. DeGette's Denver Office at East 6th & Grant. The purpose of the Wednesday and Thursday Vigils is to attract the attention of our State Legislature. our two Daily Newspapers, and the public. We hope that someone in the Legislature will carry a bill to ask the US House to begin proceedings on Impeachment (as New Mexico's Democrats are doing).
We hope the newpapers will consider that if Bill Clinton can be brought up on Impeachment for lying about sex... then perhaps the more serious offense of lying to Congress ( and Voters) just before a vote on War Resolution should require the same journalistic attention.
We hope the public will begin to see that this ( lying to Congress) is a more serious matter even than the Iraq War itself (if that is possible). The previous 'do nothing' Republican Congress was not much of a check on Bush's Imperial ambitions and our current Democratic Congress' Leadership would like to ignore impeachment and 'move on 'as they say, and hope it just goes away. What they are trying to ignore is the fact that all of Bush's lies and Signing Statements add up to a huge expansion of Presidential Power. We need to protect our grandchildren from the future Imperial excesses of the next President RunAmuck, regardless of which party they come from.
We need to put the Fear Of Impeachment into all future presidential candidates.
Bush doesn't think the Congress will call his bluff and impeach him, so he will push his supposed 'powers' to the limit. Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are kidding themselves if they think he will back off. And even if he does, shouldn't he be held accountable for lying to Congress about a War resolution in the first place... to prevent this from recurring? And about the 700 plus Signing Statements. Saying he will ignore US Laws, after taking an Oath to Uphold them.
I'll stop now....
See you tonight at Hooked On Colfax,
and Wed. at the Capital,
and Thursday at DeGette's Office
PS... We've already started getting Push Back, from Democrats no less, about Vigiling in front of DeGette's Office. Why her they say... Well.. she is in a 'safe' seat, she now has powerful positions on very important Congressional Committees. She Can support this without endangering her re-election far more than other Democratic US Reps.
As a lifelong Democrat, I've voted for DeGette in every election and carried signs for her and probably will do so in the future. I think she is Super. However, I think she and all the other Democratic Reps will duck Impeachment if we let them. We will Vigil at other Colorado US Representative's offices as soon as we have the volunteers (all of them).
join us.
Say out loud. We Can stop the Iraq War, We Can Impeach Bush and Cheney
(repeat often)
Yes we can... but first we have to do three things ,
a. 'always believe we can' because our 60's experience tells us we can.
b. 'believe' we can.. that if even a few of us Vigil Weekly, we bring enormous pressure on US Officials
c. 'change' the way you think, believe and behave, so join one of our vigils and make it happen
If each of the Colorado activist organizations send just a few activists to help staff our vigils and if just a few of we Progress members also attend our vigils, we can bring immense pressure on our US elected officials. Impeachment CAN happen. The Iraq War CAN be stopped.
In the 60s We did just exactly that... stopped the Vietnam War, and through the Congress We threatened to Impeach Nixon, prompting his resignation.
Are you any less gutsy than 60's Americans?
For those of you nervous about Pelosi becoming President. Consider this.
Would the present and future be different with a President Pelosi?
Different than with a President Bush or President Cheney?
A lot less lying, spying, and dying. for sure.
Perhaps not a perfect President but heaven compared to Bush, Cheney and their NeoCon handlers. ( All current Democratic contenders will diss this)
Please Join us at one of this weeks two Impeachment & Anti-Iraq War Vigils.
Wednesday @ Noon at our State Capital: see link on ProgressNowAction.org Link or See Our Website: Link
Thursday @ Noon at Degette's Office: see link on ProgressNow Action.org Link or See Our Website:
Please go to the links above on ProgressNowAction.org and sign up to attend.
We all will be one step closer to what we all want.
John Kennedy
protestinthestreet@yahoo.com
Next action for:
The Question Alliance
Saturday, October 14, 2006
10-11:30 AM
Corner of University & Highlands Ranch Parkway
Topic: Health Insurance
Question: Did you know 767,000 Coloradoans lack Health Insurance?
According to Marie Cocco from Newsday, an official, non-partisan government commission set up by Congress found that over 90% of study participants believe every American should have affordable health coverage. The commission found that, "across the board, that majorities of the population were willing to pay more to ensure that all Americans are covered." Americans are concerned and insecure about their health-care future. Let us ask our community members to think about how this issue affects them and their neighbors.
Please remember that it is important to have the same exact wording on your sign.
The exact wording for the question on October 14th, is:
Did you know 767,000 Coloradoans lack Health Insurance?
Please bring family and friends to join The Question Alliance. All are welcome!! Children need to be supervised.
This action will be postponed if the weather is too nasty. You might want to make sturdy signs. It can get windy!
We encourage others to participate in this action in your own neighborhood if you'd like. Just let us know your plans, make sure the question is worded exactly the same as above, and let us know how it goes. Remember we are a peaceful, respectful group that abides by local requirements. We'd like to expand The Question Alliance by having drivers read the same important question at multiple locations the same day!
Please contact us with any questions, etc.
TheQuestionAlliance@gmail.com
Thank you,
Jim and Diane Schrack
The Question Alliance
Saturday, October 14, 2006
10-11:30 AM
Corner of University & Highlands Ranch Parkway
Topic: Health Insurance
Question: Did you know 767,000 Coloradoans lack Health Insurance?
According to Marie Cocco from Newsday, an official, non-partisan government commission set up by Congress found that over 90% of study participants believe every American should have affordable health coverage. The commission found that, "across the board, that majorities of the population were willing to pay more to ensure that all Americans are covered." Americans are concerned and insecure about their health-care future. Let us ask our community members to think about how this issue affects them and their neighbors.
Please remember that it is important to have the same exact wording on your sign.
The exact wording for the question on October 14th, is:
Did you know 767,000 Coloradoans lack Health Insurance?
Please bring family and friends to join The Question Alliance. All are welcome!! Children need to be supervised.
This action will be postponed if the weather is too nasty. You might want to make sturdy signs. It can get windy!
We encourage others to participate in this action in your own neighborhood if you'd like. Just let us know your plans, make sure the question is worded exactly the same as above, and let us know how it goes. Remember we are a peaceful, respectful group that abides by local requirements. We'd like to expand The Question Alliance by having drivers read the same important question at multiple locations the same day!
Please contact us with any questions, etc.
TheQuestionAlliance@gmail.com
Thank you,
Jim and Diane Schrack
Next action for:
The Question Alliance
Saturday, October 7, 2006
10-11:30 AM
Corner of University & Highlands Ranch Parkway
Topic: U.S. Foreign Policy
Question: Is current U.S. policy spreading Hope or Hatred?
U.S. foreign policy has changed a great deal in the last 6 years. The United States used to symbolize hope- in and around the world. Let us ask our neighbors if they think that is still the case. Are we exporting hope or hate? It is distressing to have reached a point where we feel the need to ask such a question?
Please remember that it is important to have the same exact wording on your sign. The exact wording for the question on October 7th, is:
Is current U.S. policy spreading Hope or Hatred?
Please bring family and friends to join The Question Alliance. All are welcome!! Children need to be supervised.
This action will be postponed if the weather is too nasty. You might want to make sturdy signs. It can get windy!
We encourage others to participate in this action in your own neighborhood if you'd like. Just let us know your plans, make sure the question is worded exactly the same as above, and let us know how it goes. Remember we are a peaceful, respectful group that abides by local requirements. We'd like to expand The Question Alliance by having drivers read the same important question at multiple locations the same day!
Please contact us with any questions, etc.
TheQuestionAlliance@gmail.com
Thank you,
Jim and Diane Schrack
The Question Alliance
Saturday, October 7, 2006
10-11:30 AM
Corner of University & Highlands Ranch Parkway
Topic: U.S. Foreign Policy
Question: Is current U.S. policy spreading Hope or Hatred?
U.S. foreign policy has changed a great deal in the last 6 years. The United States used to symbolize hope- in and around the world. Let us ask our neighbors if they think that is still the case. Are we exporting hope or hate? It is distressing to have reached a point where we feel the need to ask such a question?
Please remember that it is important to have the same exact wording on your sign. The exact wording for the question on October 7th, is:
Is current U.S. policy spreading Hope or Hatred?
Please bring family and friends to join The Question Alliance. All are welcome!! Children need to be supervised.
This action will be postponed if the weather is too nasty. You might want to make sturdy signs. It can get windy!
We encourage others to participate in this action in your own neighborhood if you'd like. Just let us know your plans, make sure the question is worded exactly the same as above, and let us know how it goes. Remember we are a peaceful, respectful group that abides by local requirements. We'd like to expand The Question Alliance by having drivers read the same important question at multiple locations the same day!
Please contact us with any questions, etc.
TheQuestionAlliance@gmail.com
Thank you,
Jim and Diane Schrack
I read a short story by Ivan Moreno (Rocky Mountain News, September 27, 2006 - Veterans' plight is focus of rally) on a recent rally to raise awareness to the plight of homeless Veterans in Colorado and had two responses - the first being "duh" - it's only something Veteran Service Advocates have been saying for more than a decade! My second response was "Thank God" that someone is starting to listen!
Unfortunately, your article only touched the tip of the iceberg. Most people are unaware of the true deficit in services that exist for Veterans in our community. The general perception is that the Veterans' Administration is caring for the needs of vulnerable Veterans. Reality, however, is far from the truth. Consider the following:
Almost one-half of the 2.7 million disabled U.S. Veterans receive $337 or less a month in benefits, which comes from the VA's Veterans Benefits Administration. Less than one-10th of disabled Veterans are rated 100-per-cent disabled. To an outsider, the VA benefit formulas can seem like a riddle. If, for instance, a vet is diagnosed as 70 percent physically disabled and 30 percent disabled as a result of post-traumatic stress, the total disability does not necessarily add up to 100 percent; it could amount to 80 per cent. And that means a monthly check of $1,277; $1,500 for a family of four - poverty level!
The backlog of unprocessed claims has reached the astronomical count of 489,297, a number which is unfortunately increasing all of time. There are also currently 500,000 Compensation and Pension cases still pending. This means that close to a million Veterans and their families are at risk of financial ruin and homelessness, while the VA processes the paperwork!
More than 1 million American soldiers serve in Iraq and according to a recent study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that 15 to 17 percent of Iraq vets meet "the screening criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety, or PTSD." Of those, only 23 to 40 percent are seeking help - in part because so many others fear the stigma of having a mental disorder. Those who do reach out often find long waiting lists for treatment within the Veterans' Service Network and a Civilian Service System that is ill-prepared to meet their needs.
Over 1.7 million Veterans do not have any health insurance nor do they have access to health care through the Veterans' Administration. Another 3.9 million Veteran households do not have health insurance nor do they have access to Veterans' health care due to ineligibility.
The Denver 2005 VA CHALENG Report acknowledges Colorado has 3,895 homeless veterans yet there are only 102 beds dedicated to meet their needs. The majority of these are operated by non-Veteran run organizations that may or may not have unique services for Veterans or even have Veterans on staff. In fact, while the growing body of research supports the fact that the most effective services for homeless Veterans are "Vet to Vet" - of the eight organizations listed by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans to be providing services in Colorado, only three are Vet run organizations. .
According to the Denver Metro Homeless Initiative Point in Time Survey conducted on January 23, 2006, 813 homeless individuals indicated they had served in the US Military yet only 110 (or 1 in 7) were collecting Veterans' Benefits. The true picture of homelessness among Veterans in Colorado cannot fully be known as the only question asked was whether the individual served in the US Military. There was no exploration as to whether Veterans are over represented among the chronically homeless, although given 85% of those identified as chronically homeless are men.
The FY 2005 CHALENG Report (the VA equivalent to the Point in Time Survey) indicated that long-term permanent housing is among the top three unmet needs and has been consistently over the past five years. As the author of the very first CHALENG Report in 1997 in the Denver-metro area, I can tell you this has been true for the past 10 years!
Contrary to the perceptions that our nation's Veterans are well-supported, the fact is that many go without the services they require and are eligible to receive. Neither the VA, State, or County Departments of Veteran Affairs, or community-based and faith-based service providers are adequately resourced to respond to these veterans' health, housing and supportive services needs.
For example, the VA reports that its homeless treatment and community-based assistance network serves 100,000 Veterans annually. With an estimated 500,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness at some time during a year and the VA reaching only 20 percent of those in need, 400,000 Veterans remain without services from the department responsible for supporting them. Likewise, other federal, state, and local public agencies--notably housing and health departments--are not adequately responding to the housing, health care and supportive services needs of Veterans. Indeed, it appears that Veterans fail to register as a target group for these agencies.
It is disconcerting and difficult to reconcile the Nation's call to "support our troops" with the systematic denial of benefits to Veterans and their families created by administrative barriers. These barriers are failing to fully fund the programs or even honoring the most basic assurances of Veterans preferences in hiring and contracting work.
Even more disconcerting is the given the number of Veterans from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War who are still fighting for recognition and benefits they earned. We are willing - as a Nation - to subject another generation of soldiers to the same fate. Already community-based organizations from across the Nation are seeing returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans in their shelters, soup kitchens and food banks.
After spending months in a war zone, many of the 170,000 soldiers who've returned home are struggling with their transition to back-to-civilian life. They are dealing with everything from coping with a maze of red tape and contradictory messages on healthcare to finding affordable housing and jobs with adequate incomes to accessing disability payments.
One of the biggest problems, according to advocates and a report by the Government Accountability Office, is a lack of resources to deal with battle fatigue, or posttraumatic stress disorder, as it's now called. Another is providing support for Reserve and National Guard troops, who make up 45 percent of the troops in Iraq.
"The bottom line is that the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] wasn't prepared for the 33,000 troops that have come back and gone to the VA needing care," says Paul Rieckhoff of Operation Truth, a nonprofit advocacy group for Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. "They're definitely not ready for the flood that's going to come back next year."
Operation Truth and the Circle of Friends for American Veterans mentioned in your article are National efforts to bring justice to our Veterans. Locally, the River of Light Enterprise, Inc, Veterans Justice Alliance Project has joined in partnership with the American GI Forum, Veterans for Peace and Veterans Faith Based Village to raise the level of awareness and justice for Colorado Veterans.
The project will kick-off on October 4th from 7-9 pm with a lecture and book signing by local author John DeVore at the Tennyson Gallery in northwest Denver (44th & Tennyson). John, a combat Vietnam Veteran, will share his story from a soldier of war to a warrior of peace, in his lecture the "Myth and Reality of War". While the event is free, proceeds from the sale of John's book "Sitting in the Flames: Unleashing Fearlessness to Serve Others", will support services to homeless and incarcerated Veterans living in the Denver-metro area.
We encourage Veterans who are seeking their own journey back to a sense of peace as well as people who really want to both understand how to support Veterans in their lives to attend. To quote one Veteran I met recently: "If people really supported our troops they'd do more than throw a parade…they'd make sure Veterans received the benefits they were promised!"
Unfortunately, your article only touched the tip of the iceberg. Most people are unaware of the true deficit in services that exist for Veterans in our community. The general perception is that the Veterans' Administration is caring for the needs of vulnerable Veterans. Reality, however, is far from the truth. Consider the following:
Almost one-half of the 2.7 million disabled U.S. Veterans receive $337 or less a month in benefits, which comes from the VA's Veterans Benefits Administration. Less than one-10th of disabled Veterans are rated 100-per-cent disabled. To an outsider, the VA benefit formulas can seem like a riddle. If, for instance, a vet is diagnosed as 70 percent physically disabled and 30 percent disabled as a result of post-traumatic stress, the total disability does not necessarily add up to 100 percent; it could amount to 80 per cent. And that means a monthly check of $1,277; $1,500 for a family of four - poverty level!
The backlog of unprocessed claims has reached the astronomical count of 489,297, a number which is unfortunately increasing all of time. There are also currently 500,000 Compensation and Pension cases still pending. This means that close to a million Veterans and their families are at risk of financial ruin and homelessness, while the VA processes the paperwork!
More than 1 million American soldiers serve in Iraq and according to a recent study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that 15 to 17 percent of Iraq vets meet "the screening criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety, or PTSD." Of those, only 23 to 40 percent are seeking help - in part because so many others fear the stigma of having a mental disorder. Those who do reach out often find long waiting lists for treatment within the Veterans' Service Network and a Civilian Service System that is ill-prepared to meet their needs.
Over 1.7 million Veterans do not have any health insurance nor do they have access to health care through the Veterans' Administration. Another 3.9 million Veteran households do not have health insurance nor do they have access to Veterans' health care due to ineligibility.
The Denver 2005 VA CHALENG Report acknowledges Colorado has 3,895 homeless veterans yet there are only 102 beds dedicated to meet their needs. The majority of these are operated by non-Veteran run organizations that may or may not have unique services for Veterans or even have Veterans on staff. In fact, while the growing body of research supports the fact that the most effective services for homeless Veterans are "Vet to Vet" - of the eight organizations listed by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans to be providing services in Colorado, only three are Vet run organizations. .
According to the Denver Metro Homeless Initiative Point in Time Survey conducted on January 23, 2006, 813 homeless individuals indicated they had served in the US Military yet only 110 (or 1 in 7) were collecting Veterans' Benefits. The true picture of homelessness among Veterans in Colorado cannot fully be known as the only question asked was whether the individual served in the US Military. There was no exploration as to whether Veterans are over represented among the chronically homeless, although given 85% of those identified as chronically homeless are men.
The FY 2005 CHALENG Report (the VA equivalent to the Point in Time Survey) indicated that long-term permanent housing is among the top three unmet needs and has been consistently over the past five years. As the author of the very first CHALENG Report in 1997 in the Denver-metro area, I can tell you this has been true for the past 10 years!
Contrary to the perceptions that our nation's Veterans are well-supported, the fact is that many go without the services they require and are eligible to receive. Neither the VA, State, or County Departments of Veteran Affairs, or community-based and faith-based service providers are adequately resourced to respond to these veterans' health, housing and supportive services needs.
For example, the VA reports that its homeless treatment and community-based assistance network serves 100,000 Veterans annually. With an estimated 500,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness at some time during a year and the VA reaching only 20 percent of those in need, 400,000 Veterans remain without services from the department responsible for supporting them. Likewise, other federal, state, and local public agencies--notably housing and health departments--are not adequately responding to the housing, health care and supportive services needs of Veterans. Indeed, it appears that Veterans fail to register as a target group for these agencies.
It is disconcerting and difficult to reconcile the Nation's call to "support our troops" with the systematic denial of benefits to Veterans and their families created by administrative barriers. These barriers are failing to fully fund the programs or even honoring the most basic assurances of Veterans preferences in hiring and contracting work.
Even more disconcerting is the given the number of Veterans from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War who are still fighting for recognition and benefits they earned. We are willing - as a Nation - to subject another generation of soldiers to the same fate. Already community-based organizations from across the Nation are seeing returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans in their shelters, soup kitchens and food banks.
After spending months in a war zone, many of the 170,000 soldiers who've returned home are struggling with their transition to back-to-civilian life. They are dealing with everything from coping with a maze of red tape and contradictory messages on healthcare to finding affordable housing and jobs with adequate incomes to accessing disability payments.
One of the biggest problems, according to advocates and a report by the Government Accountability Office, is a lack of resources to deal with battle fatigue, or posttraumatic stress disorder, as it's now called. Another is providing support for Reserve and National Guard troops, who make up 45 percent of the troops in Iraq.
"The bottom line is that the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] wasn't prepared for the 33,000 troops that have come back and gone to the VA needing care," says Paul Rieckhoff of Operation Truth, a nonprofit advocacy group for Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. "They're definitely not ready for the flood that's going to come back next year."
Operation Truth and the Circle of Friends for American Veterans mentioned in your article are National efforts to bring justice to our Veterans. Locally, the River of Light Enterprise, Inc, Veterans Justice Alliance Project has joined in partnership with the American GI Forum, Veterans for Peace and Veterans Faith Based Village to raise the level of awareness and justice for Colorado Veterans.
The project will kick-off on October 4th from 7-9 pm with a lecture and book signing by local author John DeVore at the Tennyson Gallery in northwest Denver (44th & Tennyson). John, a combat Vietnam Veteran, will share his story from a soldier of war to a warrior of peace, in his lecture the "Myth and Reality of War". While the event is free, proceeds from the sale of John's book "Sitting in the Flames: Unleashing Fearlessness to Serve Others", will support services to homeless and incarcerated Veterans living in the Denver-metro area.
We encourage Veterans who are seeking their own journey back to a sense of peace as well as people who really want to both understand how to support Veterans in their lives to attend. To quote one Veteran I met recently: "If people really supported our troops they'd do more than throw a parade…they'd make sure Veterans received the benefits they were promised!"
Next action for:
The Question Alliance
Saturday, September 23, 2006
10-11:30 AM
Corner of University & Highlands Ranch Parkway
Topic: National Debt
Question: Is it moral to leave our children our $8.5 trillion National Debt?
This is the second time we will address the issue of our enormous National Debt. During our action last June, 2005 the debt was $7.7 trillion. That debt has now grown to $8.5 trillion. Every man, woman and child would have to pay $28,500 each in order to pay it off today. Let us ask our community if it is ethical to leave our children this amount of debt? Should our government exercise some fiscal responsibility? There is considerable concern about U.S. debt among international financial markets as well. The possible consequences of such debt are disturbing. Please google for more information.
We encourage others to participate in this action in your own neighborhood if you'd like. Just let us know your plans, make sure the question is worded exactly the same as above, and let us know how it goes.
Remember we are a peaceful, respectful group that abides by local requirements. We'd like to expand The Question Alliance by having drivers read the same important question at multiple locations the same day!
Please remember that it is important to have the same exact wording on your sign.
The exact wording for the question on September 23rd, is:
Is it moral to leave our children our $8.5 trillion National Debt?
Please bring family and friends to join The Question Alliance. All are welcome!! Children need to be supervised.
This action will be postponed if the weather is too nasty.
You might want to make sturdy signs. It can get windy!
Please contact us with any questions, etc.
TheQuestionAlliance@gmail.com
Thank you,
Jim and Diane Schrack
The Question Alliance
Saturday, September 23, 2006
10-11:30 AM
Corner of University & Highlands Ranch Parkway
Topic: National Debt
Question: Is it moral to leave our children our $8.5 trillion National Debt?
This is the second time we will address the issue of our enormous National Debt. During our action last June, 2005 the debt was $7.7 trillion. That debt has now grown to $8.5 trillion. Every man, woman and child would have to pay $28,500 each in order to pay it off today. Let us ask our community if it is ethical to leave our children this amount of debt? Should our government exercise some fiscal responsibility? There is considerable concern about U.S. debt among international financial markets as well. The possible consequences of such debt are disturbing. Please google for more information.
We encourage others to participate in this action in your own neighborhood if you'd like. Just let us know your plans, make sure the question is worded exactly the same as above, and let us know how it goes.
Remember we are a peaceful, respectful group that abides by local requirements. We'd like to expand The Question Alliance by having drivers read the same important question at multiple locations the same day!
Please remember that it is important to have the same exact wording on your sign.
The exact wording for the question on September 23rd, is:
Is it moral to leave our children our $8.5 trillion National Debt?
Please bring family and friends to join The Question Alliance. All are welcome!! Children need to be supervised.
This action will be postponed if the weather is too nasty.
You might want to make sturdy signs. It can get windy!
Please contact us with any questions, etc.
TheQuestionAlliance@gmail.com
Thank you,
Jim and Diane Schrack
Denver, Colorado - September, 1 2006 - The River of Light Enterprise, Veterans Justice Alliance Project, with the gracious support of local Gallery Director Trina Hoefling and her staff, will be hosting local author John DeVore. The free event will be held Wednesday, October 4th from 7:00 to 9:30 at the Tennyson Street Gallery at 44th and Tennyson.
John DeVore, a decorated Viet Nam combat Veteran, will introduce his recently released work "Sitting in the Flames: Uncovering Fearlessness to Help Others" and will speak to the journey combat Veterans and the Nation must take to heal the wounds of war.
For 40 years, John Edwin DeVore carried the weight of war before finally removing the burden and looking closely at what it signified. "Sitting in the Flames" is a fascinating and thought provoking study of human character blinded by corporate greed, by the passion to consume, by the myth of armed conflict and by cultural conditioning that fosters what one believes, as opposed to how one behaves. DeVore has written a critically important and timely perspective of war, and he offers a very compelling and priceless message.
As reviewed by New York Times best selling author Ellen Tanner Marsh, "In clear, heartfelt prose, DeVore describes a brave and unflinching confrontation with his past, made necessary in order for him to have a more meaningful future. War, he realized, isn't just one man's experience-it's the sum total experience of an entire country. To stop wars, he argues, we must understand them and why we seem to need them. Beautifully told, DeVore's book is an important and unforgettable addition to the literature of Vietnam..."
The event is the first in a series of events that will be held throughout the fall to bring public attention to the critical gaps in services to vulnerable Veterans living in the Denver-metro area. Currently research indicates that nearly 35% of all homeless people in America are Veterans of US Military Services yet nearly 1 million Veterans across the Country are awaiting the benefits that will keep them out of poverty because the Veterans Administration hasn't finished processing their claims!
The River of Light Enterprise, Veterans Justice Alliance Project was established to raise funds and support "vet to vet" programs to address the long-term care needs of disabled Veterans. The River of Light Enterprise is working closely with Veterans for Peace, the American GI Forum, Veterans Faith Based Village and other Veterans Service Organizations to increase services to Veterans and their families throughout the Denver-metro area. Read More »
John DeVore, a decorated Viet Nam combat Veteran, will introduce his recently released work "Sitting in the Flames: Uncovering Fearlessness to Help Others" and will speak to the journey combat Veterans and the Nation must take to heal the wounds of war.
For 40 years, John Edwin DeVore carried the weight of war before finally removing the burden and looking closely at what it signified. "Sitting in the Flames" is a fascinating and thought provoking study of human character blinded by corporate greed, by the passion to consume, by the myth of armed conflict and by cultural conditioning that fosters what one believes, as opposed to how one behaves. DeVore has written a critically important and timely perspective of war, and he offers a very compelling and priceless message.
As reviewed by New York Times best selling author Ellen Tanner Marsh, "In clear, heartfelt prose, DeVore describes a brave and unflinching confrontation with his past, made necessary in order for him to have a more meaningful future. War, he realized, isn't just one man's experience-it's the sum total experience of an entire country. To stop wars, he argues, we must understand them and why we seem to need them. Beautifully told, DeVore's book is an important and unforgettable addition to the literature of Vietnam..."
The event is the first in a series of events that will be held throughout the fall to bring public attention to the critical gaps in services to vulnerable Veterans living in the Denver-metro area. Currently research indicates that nearly 35% of all homeless people in America are Veterans of US Military Services yet nearly 1 million Veterans across the Country are awaiting the benefits that will keep them out of poverty because the Veterans Administration hasn't finished processing their claims!
The River of Light Enterprise, Veterans Justice Alliance Project was established to raise funds and support "vet to vet" programs to address the long-term care needs of disabled Veterans. The River of Light Enterprise is working closely with Veterans for Peace, the American GI Forum, Veterans Faith Based Village and other Veterans Service Organizations to increase services to Veterans and their families throughout the Denver-metro area. Read More »