War, Inc. Six Years On

Asheville's Veterans for Peace have been holding the ground at Pack Place near Vance monument for over five years speaking out against the war machine and honoring their vow to defend the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic.

March 19, 2009, will mark the sixth year of the illegal and immoral war in Iraq. And now, even with the hopeful possibilities of a new administration, the US government continues its war on Afganistan. The time for public dissent has not passed with the inaugaration of a new administration. In fact, more visible demonstrations are called for so we will be ever mindful of the human and environmental costs of these ongoing wars. It is our civic responsibility to continue to make our dissent clear and unmistakable.

Korean War veteran James Latimore wears his red, white and blue top hat to catch the eyes of passers by. When he's not on the street corner demonstrating, you can find James at our local community radio station, WPVM, where he is one of the hosts of Veterans Voices, heard every Wednesday at 5 p.m. and streaming online.

War Resisters League Asheville member and local organizer Coleman Smith added his "War, Inc." puppet to the feisty mix Tuesday. The street corner vigil happens every Tuesday 5 to 6 p.m. and is open to all who wish to make a public stand against the wars.

On March 19, veterans and allies will meet at Earth Fare parking lot at 10 a.m. for a rolling demonstration against the wars. We will also be distributing the second edition of the publication War Crimes Times, published in Asheville. Asheville VFP president Kim Carlyle and yours truly are on the editorial board.