You Can Make A Difference DFA!!

Written by: linda b on Aug 13, 2007 12:33 PM EDT

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DFA!!

The "Take a Stand Campaign" is a nation-wide organizing drive to demand that  members of Congress and the Senate take a stand with the vast majority of Americans who want a safe and responsible redeployment of American Forces from Iraq.

Across America, over 100 "Iraq Summer" organizers are working to involve thousands of ordinary Americans in an effort to pressure targeted members of Congress to vote to bring

There are lots of ways to get involved -- from attending a Take a Stand town hall in your area to helping organize and spreading the word about the event. Contact Cammie Croft at cammie@iraqcampaign.org for more information.

Senator Warner, END THIS WAR

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I met Andres Moreno when he came to our Newport News Democratic City Committee meeting to talk to us about this "Out of Iraq" summer tour. Sound familiar? Howard had one of those one memorable summers during his presidential campaigns!!

http://noiraqescalation.org/

Andres is one of a group of organizers in targeted parts of the country focusing on congress people who are balking at bringing our troops home.

One is Thelma Drake, congresswoman from the 2nd district of Virginia.

Andres has filmed her and attempted to ask questions on two different occasions and has gotten no where.

On one occasion, Drake had policemen guarding her from the Iraq war protesters.

Andres is an Operation Iraqi Freedom war veteran and also served in Pakistan while in the Air Force. He is still in the ready reserve and could be called back to the military any day.

Andres was born in Colombia, South America but moved with his parents to the United States while quite young. He is a naturalized citizen and has lived all over the United States.

While in the service he was stationed in Saudi Arabia, protecting Coalition Forces from chemical and biological weapons. After 9/11 he was stationed in Pakistan at an air force base where there were no aircraft and very little else. He became frustrated at the lack of intenseness to go after Osama bin Laden.

After the invasion of Iraq,where he and his fellow soldiers thought they were there to make a difference, he became disillusioned when they knew that what they invaded for was not there and that the mission was ill -conceived.

After leaving the service, he found this group of organizers for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, the organization that constructed the "Iraq Summer Campaign," and quickly he joined up to make a difference.

He has traveled all over Virginia going door to door to impress upon citizens that it is time to speak up and let their representatives know how they feel about this reckless Iraq war. For too long this growing portion of America has been silent.. We are here to simply help organize and give a voice to the overwhelming number of constituents that are against this war. He has the support of his family and those of his friends still in the military, many of whom are still stationed in Iraq.

August 28th is Take a Stand Day, the culmination of the campaign and just days before representative's head back to Washington DC. Throughout the United States vigils and town hall meetings will take place on this day. All focused on the issue of the Iraq War.  Here in Hampton Roads the "Iraq Summer" group will hold town hall meetings preceded and followed by vigils. Congresswoman Thelma Drake was publicly invited to attend and address her constituents, and members of the greater Hampton Roads community on this most important issue. She declined. The meeting will go on, and we together will notify her of our demand that she must choose: endless war or end this war. Her choice can lead to political peril if she decides not to listen to our community and her constituents. Join him and take a stand, you can RSVP at virginia2@iraqsummer.org or at 202-425-0949.

I hope you stand with me to thank Andres for taking a stand.

Be sure to check out the updates at the website and do what you can to help Andres and those brave volunteers.

 Virginia's Iraq Summer Website:  http://www.noiraqescalation.org/iraq_summer?id=0016

Americans Against Escalation in Iraq:   http://iraqcampaign.org

 Store: http://www.iraqcampaignstore.org/

Support the Troops: END THIS WAR

-Linda B.

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