On July 29 I will have the opurtinity to introduce Military Families Speak Out(MFSO)Gold Star member Cindy Sheehan.

I remember the first mother of a soldier that was killed in Iraq that I had met.  She is also a Gold Star member of MFSO, it was with out a doubt one of the most life changing experience that I have had. I met her on the podium in Hiroshima Japan. I was just starting a speaking tour about the corporate greed that was influencing the United States foreign policy, and the effects of war on soldiers and the civilians involved. We were both speaking at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on the anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. We had the chance to speak side by side, and answer questions together after we spoke. Speaking with Gold Star mother Celeste Zappala mother of Sgt. Sherwood Baker was like speaking with any mother of any fallen soldier. Celeste could have been my mother, and I could have been Sgt. Baker.  This connection between Gold Star mothers and veterans is irreplaceable, the depths of which are inconceivable to a civilian.

Cindy Sheehan is a strong example of leadership, she has spotted the problem and aims to do everything in her power to eradicate it. I have immense respect for her and the work that she has undertaken after the loss of her son. I hope that we all soon realize the greed that influences the corporations our government.

“The belligerency of state will not be recognized.” is a line from the pacifist constitution of Japan, the same constitution that has kept Japan out of war since WW2, and the same constitution that the United States is trying to dis-assemble so Japan can fight in our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We need to learn from Japan, and promote a pacifist constitution here in the United States, so that we do not relive Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan,  and Nicaragua etc. etc. etc. ever again.

Filed under: Article 9 on July 20th, 2009