ATLANTA FOCUS: Veterans for Peace

Republicans love to talk about supporting the troops and our Veterans...but they seldom actually do so...or even listen to them. Cutting combat pay and Veterans benefits while sending out troops into a war based on lies, Republicans refuse to listen to the increasing number of soldiers and veterans who oppose the Iraq quagmire.

I try to make it a point to highlight those very voices that Republicans try to ignore. In that spirit, and noticing that Atlanta, Gerogia has become one of the cities I have lots of readers in, I would like to highlight the Atlanta, Georgia chapter of Veterans for Peace.

From the Veterans for Peace Atlanta Chapter website:

Since the build-up to the Iraq war, scattered members of VFP in the Atlanta area started finding one another and working together to oppose the war - sometimes by accident, sometimes by design.

According to longtime VFP members in the Atlanta area, previous efforts to form an Atlanta chapter have been made over the years, however, an official chapter was not chartered by VFP National until August 2005, following concerted efforts by Debbie Clark of Marietta in instituting regular monthly meetings and rounding up members in the Atlanta area (and beyond) to sign a petition for chapter status. The chapter was approved by the VFP National Board at the VFP National Convention in Dallas, Texas in August 2005. Thus was the first VFP chapter in the state of Georgia born.

As soldiers who served in Iraq started trickling back into the American mainstream, the Atlanta VFP has been attempting to provide support to them. Now being formed by Adam Reuter, Patrick Bray, and Erick Garcia is an Atlanta chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Veterans for Peace have several vigils and rallies around Atlanta. Here is their weekly schedule. I urge you to join them if you can to show your support:

Tuesdays

12:45-1 pm

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Emory University , in front of Woodruff Library. For more information e-mail: thee.smith@emory. edu.

Thursdays

5:00-6:00pm

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at CNN, Marietta and Centennial Olympic Park. For more information e-mail John.Zientowski@ turner.com

Fridays

12:00-1:00 pm

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Colony Square , corner of Peachtree and 14th Street . For more information, e-mail bobbiepaul@rp.cbeyond.com

12:00-1:00 pm

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Marietta Square ( Cobb Court House). For more information e-mail cobbpeace@comcast.net

Saturdays

12:00-1:00

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Dekalb Farmers Market At 3000 Ponce de Leon Avenue , Decatur For more information, Fro more information e-mail John.Zientowski@ turner.com

Sundays

12:15-1:00 pm

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at the corner of MLK Drive and Washington Street (across from the state capitol). For more information, e-mail elogan@gsu.edu or peggyhendrix2000@yahoo.com.

12:00-12:30 pm

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at 910 Ponce De Leon Ave NE ,Open Door Community. For more information contact Lauren Cogswell at lauren_cogswell@yahoo.com, 404-874-9652