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IVAW Calls on the MD National Guard to Stand Down in Baltimore

published by IVAW National on 04/29/15 2:54pm

Photo Credit- Ryan Harvey

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), a national group of Post 9/11 veterans, calls on the Maryland National Guard to stand down from their mobilization to Baltimore. As 1,000 soldiers currently deploy to put down an uprising of exploited people who have been terrorized by a consistently racist police department, we stand in solidarity with the people of Baltimore and encourage service members and veterans to listen to their fellow community members and to stand on the right side of history. 

We know that the death of yet another black person at the hands of police is not unique or new in our country. We also know that the rage we are seeing in the streets is the direct result of a legacy of police departments and a prison system that dehumanizes and targets black people and people of color and the result of a morally bankrupt economy that continues to profit off of the backs of poor people across the country. We stand with those people who have lifted up the banner of #BlackLivesMatter to ensure that fundamental change takes place in our country.

The irony of the National Guard deployment to quell protests due to the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of police is not lost on us as we approach the 45th anniversaries of both the Jackson State and Kent State shootings, where the National Guard and police were deployed to silence protestors with deadly consequences.

As veterans who have deployed to and served in support of occupations abroad, we see some of the same tactics and military equipment being used by police against the people of Baltimore, just as it was used against the people of Ferguson and Oakland. The increased militarization of our foreign policy and our domestic policing, coupled with racist violence perpetuated by our government, has to stop. The people of Baltimore demanding systemic change should be responded to with dialogue not an escalation of force. We encourage National Guard members across the country, many of whom we have served with, to begin a conversation on how they will respond when it becomes their turn to be mobilized against their own communities. 

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For those looking to support Baltimoreans on the ground consider contributing to this fundraising campaign to provide legal support organized by Baltimore United For Change.

DISPATCHES FROM UNDER THE HOOD Part One by CivSol Member Rushelle Frazier

This is a repost from a July 2012 Civilian-Soldier Alliance blog post from Rushelle Frazier. At the time Rushelle was a CivSol Resident Organizer in Killeen, TX.   July 3 - July 12, 2012 Greetings from sunny Killeen, Texas!...

For disabled veterans awaiting benefits decisions, location matters

The Center for Investigative Reporting wants to hear from you and your story with veterans disablities claims. Click here to share your wait for help. IVAW board member Dottie Guy featured in powerful investigative article...

Remembering Joshua Casteel

IVAW mourns the loss of our brother Joshua Casteel, 32, of Cedar Rapids, IA. Joshua was diagnosed in early November 2011 with stage IV lung cancer (adenocarcinoma), that was also present in his liver, spine and adrenals. He...

The Invisible Wounds of War: Number of Soldiers Committing Suicide Reaches Record High

Democrecy Now features Iraq Veterans Against the War in exclusive on the military suicide epidemic.

Suicide Is Anything but Painless

Great In These Times article by Rebecca Burns featuring IVAW field Organizer Maggie Martin. Before 21 year-old Army infantryman Derrick Kirkland hanged himself in his barracks in March 2010, he had attempted to take his...
Carli Richards's picture

First blog. Just wanted to share these cool links and see how these things work.

http://secularwoman.org/Aurora_Shooting_Survivor_Carli_Counsels_Fellow_Atheist_Women http://secularwoman.org/carli_interview These people were so amazingly compassionate and gave me an outlet to speak the truth about what...

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