Emmaus grad speaks against war in Iraq
Michael Hoffman spent two months there with Marines.
By Randy Kraft
Of The Morning Call
If you have one of those magnetic ''support our troops'' ribbons on your car, Michael Hoffman suggests you grab a marker and add a few words: "Bring them home now."Hoffman, who graduated from Emmaus High School in 1997, returned to the school Thursday night to speak out against the war in Iraq.
"Being against the war is the only way to be for the troops," said Hoffman. "We're doing them no good by sending them over there."
The 25-year-old Marine veteran is a co-founder of
Iraq Veterans Against the War, a 5-month-old organization that claims 150 members, including some on active duty in Iraq. It wants the immediate withdrawal of all occupation forces from Iraq, "real" reconstruction aid for that country and properly funded and administered veterans' benefits.
''I need to make sure this stops,'' he said. ''The honest truth needs to be told in order for this war to end. We've got to get these guys home now before another guy is killed on either side.
''This war would be over right now if people really understood the horror of it.''
Like Vietnam, said Hoffman,
the only way to end the war will be for millions of Americans to get out on the streets every week and demand that it end.(snip)
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b4-5hoffmandec17,0,5893661.story?coll=all-newslocal-hedYOU GO BOYS!!!!! :toast:
===
Many people do not know that the United States bombed Iraq on what was a virtually weekly basis during the 12 years of sanctions. These bombings occurred during Operation Southern Watch and Operation Northern Watch. Although many people were injured or killed during these bombings, the effects were relatively small compared to what is happening in Iraq right now. Iraq Veterans Against the War will continue to call to bring the troops home now and also help the people who have been harmed from the effects of poor U.S. foreign policy in Iraq.
IVAW is proud to announce a working partnership with an organization called
No More Victims. The mission of No More Victims, a non-profit, non-sectarian, humanitarian organization, is to restore health and well being to victims of war and to advocate and educate for peace.
No More Victims is currently helping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl named Israa Abdul Amir. Israa was severely injured in a missile attack conducted by the US military on the morning of January 25, 1999. She had just finished a test at the Al Najed primary school and was walking home from school when the missile struck. A large piece of shrapnel severed her right arm below the shoulder and she suffered chest and abdominal wounds. A metal fragment remains lodged in her skull, a souvenir of the American Empire; doctors could not remove it for fear of killing her. Israa was nine years old.
http://www.ivaw.net/%69%76a%77%6E%65%74/%69%6Da%67%65%73/%69%73%72aa.%67%69%66Since coming to the U.S., Israa has received a prosthetic arm and rehabilitative treatment. She and her father will be flying to Los Angeles for further treatment at the end of November. On Dec. 8th, there will be a benefit event in Los Angeles, at which local IVAW members will be attending.
Please Donate to the IVAW
Donate OnlineMail donations to:
Veterans For Peace
216 South Meramec Ave
St. Louis, MO 63105
Make checks payable to Veterans For Peace, Inc. and place IVAW in the memo line.
The IVAW MissionIraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) is a group of veterans who have served since September 11th, 2001 including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. We are committed to saving lives and ending the violence in Iraq by an immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces. We also believe that the governments that sponsored these wars are indebted to the men and women who were forced to fight them and must give their Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen the benefits that are owed to them upon their return home.
We welcome all active duty, national guard, reservists, and recent veterans into our ranks. Confidentiality can be assured. To join IVAW please send an email to join@ivaw.net join@ivaw.net
====
IVAW Links:
Axis of LogicBring Them Home NowCost of WarDepartment of PeaceGI Rights HotlineIraq Body CountIraq Coalition Casualty SiteMilitary Families Speak OutNot In Our Name - GI SpecialPunk VoterTraprock Peace CenterTraveling SoldiertruthoutVeterans for PeaceVietnam Veterans Against the War===
===
F.A.Q.What are the main objectives of Iraq Veterans Against the war?
The main objectives of IVAW are threefold. They are:
1: Bring the troops home now.
2: Support Iraqi reconstruction in whatever way possible.
3: Support our veterans and our troops now and upon their return home.
Are the members of IVAW available for interviews and speaking events?
Yes. To request an interview or appearance, please send an email to the corresponding regional represntative on the Contact page.
Who is eligible to join?
We welcome anybody who has served in the military (active duty, national guard, and reservists) since September 11th, 2001. This includes anybody who has served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Military members who are currently serving can be guaranteed confidentiality.
If I join, what will I have to do?
If you choose to join, your involvement with IVAW can be as little or as much as you like. If you would like to be a member to show your support, but you are too busy to be actively involved, that's okay. If you are dedicated to ending the war ASAP and want to do interviews, flyer surrounding military communities, etc, that's okay too. And for those who are active duty or want to remain anonymous, just having you as a number helps us.
Why do you include members of the military who have served prior to the war in Iraq, dating back to September 11th, 2001?
We include these people in our ranks because of how the war in Iraq was fought on the premise of being part of the global war on terror.
How and when was the group formed?
Iraq Veterans Against the War went public on July 28th, 2004, during the Veterans for Peace annual convention in Boston, MA. The groundwork was laid when Mike Hoffman met Tim Goodrich in March, 2004 at the Dover to D.C. march, a protest of the war in Iraq and a memorial to the fallen soldiers. After that, contacts were made with the other co-founders until the decision to officially launch was made.
===
ABOUT US
Founding MembersMichael Hoffman
National Coordinator, East Coast Contact
Michael was a Lance Corporal in a Marine Corps artillery battery during the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Email xxxxx
Tim Goodrich
West Coast Contact
Tim served in the US Air Force and was in the Middle East during the invasion of Afghanistan. He has also visited Iraq as part of a Global Exchange trip in January of 2004. Tim is a resident of California.
Email xxxxx
Kelly Dougherty
Kelly is the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and served in Iraq as an MP with a National Guard Unit. Kelly is living in Colorado.
Diana Morrison
Diana has served in regular Army, Army Reserve and the California National Guard for over ten years. She was most recently deployed to Iraq where she served as a Military Police woman.
Alex Rybov
Alex was born in the Ukraine and his family emigrated to the United States while he was still a child. He was part of a Marine Corps artillery unit during the initial invasion of Iraq in March of 2003. Alex now lives in NYC.
Isaiah Pallos
Isaiah was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and served along side Michael Hoffman, and Alex Rybov in the invasion of Iraq. He lives in Ohio with his wife and child.
Ivan Medina
Shortly after Ivan's return to United States after serving as a chaplain's assistant in Iraq he received the devastating news that his identical twin brother had been killed in action. Since then he has dedicated himself to ending the occupation. Ivan now lives in White Plains, NY.
Jimmy Massey
Jimmy was a platoon sergeant in 7th Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. After witnessing first hand the horror of war he refused to continue this pointless war. After a hard fight he was discharged and has since been telling people the truth about the war in Iraq. Jimmy lives with his wife in North Carolina.
Rob Sarra
Rob , a 9 year veteran of the USMC, served as a sergeant with 4th Marines in last years invasion of Iraq. He supported the war before his deployment but after witnessing it first hand he joined his mother, a member of MFSO, in fighting to end the occupation. Rob currently lives in Chicago.
WebmasterJoel Nagy
Joel is a Web Developer and Graphic Designer and has known Michael Hoffman for the better part of a decade.
Email xxxxx
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
