WINTER SOLDIER: Why testify? To confront the truth.

[bpeale]

“The original Winter Soldier was a heavy burden that brought our nightmares to the public. It was tedious, heart wrenching and liberating. We were brought up to be John Wayne and GI Joes. We were going to liberate people; instead we brought massacre and pain and chemical weapons (yes, the defoliant Agent Orange, which causes birth defects as well as cancer, was a chemical weapon). We rejected the cultural definition of what a “man” was. We pulled ourselves out of the debate. We decided that we could choose humanity or narrow nationalism. We chose humanity.

When young soldiers in the Japanese Imperial army committed the rape of Nanking and other atrocities, they either denied the incidents happened or just didn’t speak about it. But they still had the nightmares to confront. Now we see that as these men grow old they want to make amends. Unfortunately, while it is good that the truth comes out today, how much better would it have been if it had come out fifty years ago, to help ease the nightmares of the victims? A certain number of people have to testify to make this new Winter Soldier as successful as possible. This means Iraq vets have to step up, come forward, and testify. I won’t lie and say that it’s easy. But I’ll also tell you that it can help ease the nightmares and fine other comrades who will be your new brothers and sisters.”

–The above was written by Barry Romo, LT, “A” Co., 2/1, 196 L.I.B.., “C” Co., 3/4 11th Inf. Bde., Americal Division, July 1967 - July 1968. He moderated the Americal Panel and testified on the Third World Panel on Racism.
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You can contribute online at www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier, or send a check or money order made out of “IVAW” to PO Box 8296, Philadelphia, PA 19101.

OK, Duers. Time to really support our troops! If you can contribute to this event, this is a good one. If you have said you will never send another dime to a candidate, perhaps you would be willing to send it to IVAW in support of WINTER SOLDIER. I have donated & encourage all of you to donate to make it possible to feed & house these soldiers.