Lois Fisher

Brian Arredondo Son of Carlos Arredondo and stepson of Melida Arredondo.

11/27 Jim Scarborough at Occupy Boston video Jim is a highly decorated Vietnam veteran Veteran for Peace (Smedley) currently living in Costa Rica.

The veterans for Peace parade behind the sanctioned Armistice Day parade drew many 'Occupiers' and many cheers. The lefty Marching band was great too.

Our annual Stone Soup Supper was pleasant.

At the end of the anti war conference at Suffolk University, with Noam Chomsky, Kathy Kelly, Ann Wright and other speakers, the 200 attendees visited Sen. Kerry's home. They delivered post cards to urge him to use his position on the super committee to briing the war dollars home to fund such things as education, infrastructure, and social justice.

Some were at the Washington DC observance of the 10th anniversary of the Afghanistan invasion, October 7.

Pat was among the 100 arrested at Occupy Boston October 10.

September 2011

At the Bread and Roses Festival resistance communities and people from Lawrence mingled.

September 9, Kathy Kelly and David Smith-Ferri inspired about fifty people, reporting from Afghanistan and reading poetry.

To commemorate the bombing 66 years ago, we held a vigil at Andover's Old Town Hall. Jim rang a bell and Julie read her poem, inspired by her two years in the city of Hiroshima.

click the picture to read the signs.   Julie's poem is in the newsletter. 

Lowell Folk Festival

Perfect weather and the same location brought many visitors to our tent.

Global Network Conference and vigil at Raytheon

Annual Meeting

Veterans for Peace Memorial Day The solemn ceremony was more like the original "Decoration Day," not a glorification of war. see excerpts

Many from MVPP spoke up at hearings at Lawrence High School about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program, and the "Secure Communities Act." This national program required local police to make availabe to ICE, those fingerprints routinely submitted to the FBI. States could opt out (theoretically), which later, Governor Patrick tried.

Walk for a Nuclear Free Future: Some from MVPP joined the monks in this year's walks.

We moved the vigil to the Andover Town Meeting 4/27, to promote bringing the money home from the war. Boryana took the picture.

San Patrick's parade in South Boston, 3/20. After many years of being denied permision to march in Southie's parade, the Veterans for Peace got their own permit. Peace groups and the Gay groups (who had also been denied) strolled behind the vets, and behind a Duck Tours boat (WWII landing craft). The whole parade was at least 300 people. Only a very few taunted us. Many cheered. In an effort to keep space between marchers and the crowds, motorcycle cops almost ran over Pat.

The Leftist Marching band led the vets whos black and white flags flew high. Brian piped for the peace segment, mostly Irish anti-war tunes. The gays chanted, and the electricians played New Orleans tunes, and tunes from the Irish band the Chieftan's, San Patricio (about Irish Soldiers who deserted in 1847 and helped the Mexicans against the US).

My favorite sign had pictures of presidents Bush and Obama and asked, "Where is the change?" Eleven from MVPP marched.
See youtubes

Cairo came to Madison Wisconsin and all over the country we came out despite the cold to defend Labor's right to collective bargaining.

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