IVAW members arrested while attempting to present

[Blue_In_AK]

questions to Obama and McCain. http://ivaw.org/node/4405


One hour before the final presidential debate of the 2008 campaign, fourteen members of IVAW marched in formation to Hofstra University to present questions for the candidates. IVAW had requested permission from debate moderator Bob Schieffer to ask their questions during the debate but got no response.

The contingent of veterans in dress uniforms and combat uniforms attempted to enter the building where the debate was to be held in order to ask their questions but were turned back by police. The IVAW members at the front of the formation were immediately arrested, and others were pushed back into the crowd by police on horseback. Several members were injured, including former Army Sergeant Nick Morgan who suffered a broken cheekbone when he was trampled by police horses before being arrested.

"Neither of the candidates have shown real support for soldiers and veterans. We came here to try and get serious questions answered, questions that we as veterans of the Iraq war, have a right to ask, but instead we were arrested. We will continue to ask these questions no matter who is elected. We believe that the time has come to end this war and bring our troops home, and we will be pushing for that no matter what happens in this election." said Jason Lemieux, a former Sergeant in the US Marine Corps and member of IVAW who served three tours in Iraq.

A total of 10 veterans were arrested during the action, including Matthis Chiroux, Kristopher Goldsmith, Adam Kokesh, Mike Spinnato, Geoff Millard, Marlisa Grogan, Nathan Peld, Nick Morgan, James Gilligan and Jose Vasquez.

Watch Democracy Now's coverage of the action. http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/16/15_arrested_outside_presidential_debate_in




-------------------

[malaise]

1. WTF?

Why were they arrested?

[Blue_In_AK]

2. I don't know.

I hadn't heard anything about this until just now when I was talking on the phone with Diane Benson (my candidate for Congress who lost in the primary to Ethan Berkowitz). She's particularly attuned to veterans' issues since her son lost both his legs in Iraq, and she was horrified by this story. I told her I hadn't heard anything about it, and she asked that I get it out to my contacts. Apparently, one of the IVAW members was rushed to the hospital after being trampled by a policeman on horseback.

From the Democracy Now! transcript:

MATTHIS CHIROUX: Iraq Veterans Against the War is out here today at the final presidential debate to force the issue to these candidates that this government is not listening to or taking care of its veterans, as it promised to do when we all enlisted. As I told Detective Calver yesterday during our meeting, “Sir, I hope the next time I see you you’ll be escorting me inside the debate and not putting a pair of handcuffs on me, because we’re both veterans, and you understand the importance of these issues.” And he seemed to concur.


Right now, five minutes to deadline, we are preparing to form it up and march to the main gate of Hofstra, where Kristofer Goldsmith and myself will be attempting to enter the debate and ask our question. The butterflies in my stomach are pretty big, but so is my determination and my resolve to have our voices heard. Our troops demand nothing less. What we do here mirrors the courage displayed on the battlefield. What we do here mirrors the courage displayed in every nonviolent protest in history.


IVAW MARCHERS: Left, left, left, right, right, left, the other left, left. It’s alright, it’s OK. It’s alright, it’s OK. Remember MLK. Remember MLK. He tried to lead the way. He tried to lead the way.


CROWD: Let them in! Let them in!


MATTHIS CHIROUX: One moment, one moment, so we can get clear. The two questions we wish to ask the candidates are: one, Barack Obama, you yourself have said that the war and occupation of Iraq is illegal. If, by your words, it is illegal, then it is not the right of servicemembers such as myself to refuse deployment and participation in Iraq; it is our responsibility. So, sir, as president, are you willing to go by your own words to back them up and support servicemembers refusing to participate in what you yourself have termed an illegal occupation? Kris Goldsmith.


KRISTOFER GOLDSMITH: My question is addressed to Senator John McCain. Senator, as a veteran who claims that he has been endorsed by every major veterans’ organization in America, you continually refused to fund the VA. In the years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, you have refused or voted against VA funding. We currently have 1,000 servicemembers, 1,000 veterans, attempting suicide each month in this country. We have an average of seventeen or eighteen succeeding in killing themselves each month in this country. Senator McCain, what are you doing? Are you prepared to fully fund the VA system? Are you prepared to fully staff the VA system? And what are you going to do about your poor voting record according to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Disabled American Veterans?


CROWD: Let them in! Let them in! Let them in! Let them in! Let them in!


MATTHIS CHIROUX: Freedom! Justice! Democracy!


CROWD: Let them in! Let them in! Let them in! Let them in!


PROTESTER: You just stepped on his head!


PROTESTER: The police arrested the members of Iraq Veterans Against the War. And we were standing in solidarity with them in the line of people in this rally, and the police continued to charge their horses at the protesters, at the activists, at the civilians, at the people who care about this country, resulting in the stepping on an Iraq veteran, or at least one Iraq veteran, by a horse. And I believe that that veteran is receiving medical attention right now.


IVAW MEMBER: They were arrested for trying to use their freedom of speech, arrested for trying to ask a question that did not come through—you know, through the filtered process in which we elect our presidents. They’re elected to actually bring a little bit of grassroots democracy to America. And you saw tonight how veterans of this country are treated. And that’s a shame.


At least one, we believe two, were trampled, because another one was knocked down. His name is also Geoff Millard. And another woman was trampled, as well. And I have not seen injuries like that since Iraq, seeing him laying on the ground like that. I don’t need to go through that here in the streets. I don’t need to go through that here in America. I don’t need to relive that. And this is what I got tonight trying to peacefully bring a message to these candidates and which we’re trying to elect. And both of them claim that they support veterans. And this is how we got supported tonight, by being pushed back, trampled and arrested.

[roguevalley]

3. Oh my god. "Remember MLK."

TEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love them. What can we do to help them? This makes me so sick, blue.

COME ON, PEOPLE! KICK THIS THROUGH THE CEILING!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. Because They Didn't Listen To Police Orders And Tried Getting Through.

They were arrested legitimately.

You don't just get to storm into a presidential debate and ask your questions, regardless of how passionate you are to your cause or how much you believe in it. Believing otherwise would just be plain silly.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I know most of these guys

and trust me, they don't care. :)

[barbtries]

4. i went and donated to them

i am so touched by the courage of this group of people. the world needs more and more of them.

[Raster]

5. The Iraw Veterans Against the War have NEVER stopped or retreated.

If you want to see a group of true patriots--not the keyboard kind--these men and women are the real deal.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Good idea!!

I just got paid yesterday and will donate myself.

[MiniMe]

6. If I was security, and a large group of military in full dress uniform came

towards where the candidates were, and if they were not expected, I can't say that I would disagree with them for not letting them near the candidates. There are a lot of crazy people in the world. This doesn't mean the IVAW didn't have a right to be there, or that they should have been arrested. or that violence should have been used, of course it shouldn't. But the debate was not a debate that was open to questions from the public. I think they should have requested time from the candidates themselves. McCain would have refused to give them any time, because he knows that they aren't happy with him.

To make a long answer short, it was the inappropriate place to try have their questions answered directly.

[Orsino]

8. Shame, though, that the debate's only mention of the war/occupation...

...was of the ten billion per month spent. Or was it? I didn't see the whole thing, but I would have hoped that it included some acknowledgment of the attendant death, misery, and environmental damage.

Yeah, the IVAW need representation. The media (and the candidates) are working hard to keep them invisible.

[MiniMe]

9. I don't know that Obama is

But McCain sure is. This was supposed to be the domestic debate. The place for IVAW (or is it IAWV?)would have been either in the first debate which was supposed to be on foreign policy or at the town hall meeting which was the last debate.

[Orsino]

13. The place for IVAW is the election.

They have been underrepresented so far, as have their brothers and sisters in uniform. The war/occupation have been terrible, but you wouldn't know that, watching TV coverage of the campaigns.

[ScottytheRadical]

14. First of all, they did request time....

But do you think it's possible to directly reach the candidates? Seriously?

Secondly, I don't think that having the police stop a group from entering a venue is the same as having police trample/billyclub a group. If the police acted like this at all the protests I've been at over the years, I'd have an arrest record longer than Tanya Harding's (sorry, had to throw in a little Portland reference) :P.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. True American heroes

:patriot:

[Joe the Liberal]

15. True American heroes indeed.

:patriot: