The War is not a Game

Gold Star Families Speak Out Expresses Outrage
at Video Game Based on Deadly Battle in Iraq

Nationwide -- Members of Gold Star Families Speaks Out (GSFSO), family members of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, are expressing outrage at two companies that plan to release a video game that graphically recreates one of the Iraq war's bloodiest battles.

Atomic Games and Konami plan to release "Six Days in Fallujah" next year. The game is based on videos, photographs, and diary entries from veterans of a battle that claimed the lives of 38 U.S. troops and an estimated 1,500 Iraqis between November 7 and December 23, 2004. Discussing the game, Atomic Games President, Peter Tamte recently told a reporter that “For us, the challenge was how to present the horrors of war in a game that is entertaining, but also gives people insight into a historical situation in a way that only a video game can provide”

In a statement released Wednesday, Gold Star Families Speak Out said:

"Gold Star families continue to live with the horrors of war every day as we mourn the loss of our loved ones. We question how anyone can trivialize a war that continues to kill and maim members of the military and Iraqi civilians to this day.

"The war is not a game and neither was the Battle of Fallujah. For Konami and Atomic Games to minimize the reality of an ongoing war and at the same time profit off the deaths of people close to us by making it 'entertaining' is despicable."

"Just as Sony abandoned plans to launch a video game called Shock & Awe in 2003, Konami Atomic games should cancel their plans to release 'Six Days in Fallujah' before they instill more thoughtless pain on anyone"

GSFSO member Joanna Polisena, sister of Army Staff Sergeant Edward Carman, Killed in Action in Iraq on April 17, 2004 added “When our loved one's 'health meter' dropped to '0', they didn't get to 'retry' the mission. When they took a bullet, they didn't just get to pick up a health pack and keep 'playing'...they suffered, they cried, they died. We - their parents, siblings, spouses, children and friends - absolutely find it disgusting and repulsive that those so far detached (and clinging to denial of reality) find it so easy to poke fun at such a thing.”

Joan Maymi, whose nephew, Captain Ernesto Manuel Blanco-Caldas, was Killed in Action in Iraq on December 28, 2003 said, “Unless you have suffered the death of loved one like we have, or are caring for the ones who have returned wounded, either physically or psychologically, our country has removed the immediacy of this war from their daily lives. To trivialize it in a video game and continue to desensitize our society from the scope of violence war entails goes beyond words."

Members of Gold Star Families Speak Out are available for interview.

Gold Star Families Speak Out, a national chapter of Military Families Speak Out, includes families whose loved ones have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military Families Speak Out is an organization of people opposed to the war in Iraq who have relatives or loved ones who are currently in the military or who have served in the military since the buildup to the Iraq war in the fall of 2002. Formed by two families in November of 2002, MFSO now has over 4,000 member families.

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/04/08-16

It's Time for a Filibuster

As a member of the Board of MFSO (Military Families Speak Out), I heartily support this effort. I hope you will do the same.

_______________________________

CALL TO ACTION!

CALL ON SENATOR CLINTON AND SENATOR OBAMA NOW
TO USE THEIR LEADERSHIP
TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ!

"Let me be clear: there is no military solution in Iraq, and there never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year - now."

-- Sen. Barack Obama,September 12, 2007

"Our message to the president is clear. It is time to begin ending this war -- not next year, not next month -- but today."

-- Sen. Hillary Clinton,July 10, 2007

On the campaign trail, Senator Obama and Senator Clinton both say that the war in Iraq needs to end. Military Families Speak Out has one question for them: what are they doing now as sitting United States Senators, to bring our loved ones home from Iraq?

Military Families Speak Out is an organization of almost 4,000 military families with loved ones who are serving in Iraq, ready to deploy or re-deploy, have been wounded physically and/or psychologically, or have died as a result of the war in Iraq. We know first hand the devastation of this war.

We are more than five years into a war that Clinton and Obama say should never have begun. Over 4,000 U.S. troops and, by some estimates, over a million Iraqi children, women, and men have died in this unjustifiable war. Countless more have sustained devastating life long injuries to their bodies, minds, and spirits. More are killed and wounded every day. The suicide rate among active duty and returned Veterans is skyrocketing. We simply can't wait nine more months for a new President to begin a process for ending this war.

And we don't have to: Congress has the power to end the war in Iraq now. The President can't spend a dime on this war without the approval of both houses of Congress.

A single act of bold leadership by Senator Clinton or Senator Obama could be instrumental in ending this war. When the Senate takes up the next war funding bill, either one of them could lead a filibuster, refusing to stand down until their colleagues agree to vote against any bill that provides funding to continue the war rather than funding specifically for the swift and safe return of all our troops from Iraq. They wouldn't even need a majority of their colleagues to back them up -- all they need is 40 Senators prepared to unite behind their leadership and block additional funding to continue the war from making it through the Senate.

Democrats and Republicans alike have routinely used filibusters and the threat of filibusters around important issues. What could be more important that ending the war in Iraq?

If Senator Clinton and Senator Obama aren't willing to use the power they have now as U.S. Senators to end the war, what makes anyone think they will exercise bold leadership on January 20, 2009? If they fail to take action to stop funding the war that is killing our troops and the Iraqi people, we can only conclude that when their campaigns talk about ending the war, they are just using the memory of the fallen, the sacrifices of our troops, and the grief and pain of our families, for political gain.

As military families, we appeal to the American people: Call Senator Clinton, Senator, Obama, and your own two Senators and urge them to use the power of the filibuster to block any bill that continues to fund the war in Iraq rather than funding the swift and safe return of our troops. We also call on Congress to appropriate the funds needed for our troops to get the care they need when they return.

Senator Hillary Clinton -- (202) 224-4451
Senator Barack Obama -- (202) 224-2854
Senate Switchboard -- (800) 828-0498

Click here to find out who your Senators are.

Click here to sign our online petition.

MILITARY FAMILIES SPEAK OUT

Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan

These are the times that try men's souls. The summertime soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
Thomas Paine

If you did not listen to or watch the Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan, Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations over the weekend you missed some compelling testimony on what has and is going on in our names in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Gold Star Families Speak Out attended the panels at Winter Soldier. As I listened to these young men and women, many of whom I have met along the way, I was proud to know them and proud that they stood up and told their truth. As difficult as it was for us to hear their stories, it was difficult for them to tell them and we owe them much gratitude. We must listen to their stories and not just gloss over their service as one of a hero, although surely many of these members of the military were indeed heroic. In her closing statement, Kelly Dougherty, co-founder nd Executive Director of Iraq Veterans Against the War said "It's not about the individual, it's about the occupation." The testimony of all of these veterans and active duty military should be required listening for every member of Congress and every American.

My friends Kevin & Joyce Lucey, fellow members of Gold Star Families Speak Out provided remarkable testimony about the suicide of their son, Jeffrey who had fought PTSD with no support from the VA. The Lucey's are suing the Department of Veterans affairs arguing the VA was negligent in caring for their son. A VA Inspector General’s Report notes VA officials turned Jeffrey Lucey a few days before he took his own life. The Lucey's are a class act and hearing their story makes me cry every time.

My friend Jeff Key spoke during the "Divide To Conquer: Gender and Sexuality in the Military" Panel. Jeff wears one of Ken's dog tags that I gave him a few years back when we first met.

I know how hard it is to get up in front of a crowd and tell your story. It is part of our healing, or at least moving forward. If we don't say something, if we don't tell people our story, then other families, other soldiers, will suffer as we do. If our voice can help one family, one soldier, then our own grief is benefiting others.

It was fitting that these hearings were held during the week of the fifth anniversary of Shock & Awe, or the invasion of Iraq. The corporate media gave little attention to this powerful testimony; they apparently do not find this newsworthy. The Stars & Stripes, a daily newspaper published for the U.S. military wrote briefly about the weekend. On the first night of the hearings in Washington DC, Nightline featured segments on the Girls-Gone-Wild guy, Joe Francis and singer Meatloaf; that's infotainment for you.

And a final note to Ronn Cantu, an active duty member of IVAW, Happy 30th Birthday to you. Because of your testimony, other soldiers will come home and celebrate their 3oth birthdays, unlike my son, who did not. We celebrated my son, Lt Ken Ballard's 30th birthday in memoriam last year because he was killed in Iraq nearly 4 years ago when he was 26.

Audio clips are available at The War Comes Home, a project of KPFA radio.
Complete Broadcast Archive, from KPFA.org: Mar. 14, 2008 Part 1, Part 2 | Mar. 15, 2008 Part 1, Part 2 | Mar. 16, 2008 Part 1, Part 2.

Support funding for Vets, our troops & their families

As one of the Board of Directors of Military Family Speaks Out, we are diligent in our efforts to make sure the voices of military families are heard. Although this letter was sent to members of MFSO, there is no reason you can't or shouldn't take a few minutes to contact your legislators to make sure they hear your voice and that you support H.R. 3043 and veterans and their families.
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The Board of Directors of MFSO has just voted to endorse H.R. 3043, an appropriation bill currently before Congress, which includes funding for critical services for our veterans, our soldiers and their families.

We have joined with IVAW, Gold Star Families Speak Out, the National Coalition for the Homeless and other organizations, representing thousands of veterans and soldiers, in signing a letter which was sent on Tuesday, November 6, to every member of Congress, urging passage of this bill. Today, we are asking MFSO members to individually contact their Congressional representatives and Senators. Ask them to not only support this bill but also to pledge to override a threatened presidential veto.

In asking you to take this action, we do not intend in any way to let Congress off the hook for their continued funding of the Iraq war. This bill is a totally separate issue from war funding votes and our support for it shows commitment to our mission to "take care of them when they get home". While most veteran-related programs are funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services also provide vital services to help our veterans, especially for the two-thirds of recently returning veterans who have not enrolled in the federal veterans' health care program.

Specifically, H.R. 3043 would provide:

• $231 million for Veterans' Employment and Training programs to assist returning veterans to find and train for good paying jobs.
• $23.6 million for the Homeless Veterans' Program. Currently 23% ofAmerica's homeless are military veterans.
• $10 million for those veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI), for their rehabilitation, hospital care and long-term support. Thousands of returning National Guard soldiers rely on community-based systems of care that are not funded by the VA.
• $3.4 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. With Army suicides recently reaching a 26 year high, our returning veterans suffering from PTSD and depression have an urgent need to rely on this funding. This bill is currently being debated on the House floor.

Bush has said he will veto the bill because it does not conform to his request for $3.6 billion in cuts below last year's total funding levels. As military family members, we are outraged that this administration and Congress can continue to spend $5 billion dollars a week in Iraq and yet not care if our soldiers and veterans are denied these critical funds for practical help in finding jobs, providing shelter for homeless vets, and for medical and mental health care.

Please take a simple action today. Call, send a postcard to or write a letter to your representative and senator and ask them to approve H.R. 3043. Ask them not to back down from overriding a Bush veto. Tell them, as a military family member, what this bill's provisions will mean to your child, spouse, or loved one returning from Iraq. And tell them that passing the provisions in this bill demonstrate the kind of authentic support for our troops that every soldier and every American understands.

In peace and solidarity,

The Board of Directors of MFSO

==========

NOTE:

The Senate passed the bill 75-19. Here is the the list of members of the Senate Hall of Shame for voting NO on this bill. If you are in the district for any of this Senators; please ask them why they do not support the troops and their families. And don't ever let them tell you they do. If they say that this country cannot afford to spend more money, tell them they are wrong; we cannot afford to NOT support veterans and their families. And remind them of the $2 billion dollars a week we are spending on the occupation in Iraq.

• Allard, Wayne [R] CO
  Barrasso, John [R] WY
  Brownback, Samuel [R] KS
  Bunning, Jim [R] KY
  Burr, Richard [R] NC
  Coburn, Thomas [R] OK
  Corker, Bob [R] TN
  Cornyn, John [R] TX
  DeMint, Jim [R] SC
  Ensign, John [R] NV
  Enzi, Michael [R] WY
  Graham, Lindsey [R] SC
  Gregg, Judd [R] NH
  Inhofe, James [R] OK
  Kyl, Jon [R] AZ
  Martinez, Mel [R] FL
  Sessions, Jefferson [R] AL
  Thune, John [R] SD
  Vitter, David [R] LA

And here is the Hall of Shame for the members of the House who voted NO. 274 Representatives saw fit to vote yes and pass this bill 274-141

• Aderholt, Robert [R] AL-4
  Akin, W. [R] MO-2
  Alexander, Rodney [R] LA-5
  Bachmann, Michele [R] MN-6
  Bachus, Spencer [R] AL-6
  Baker, Richard [R] LA-6
  Barrett, James [R] SC-3
  Bartlett, Roscoe [R] MD-6
  Barton, Joe [R] TX-6
  Bilbray, Brian [R] CA-50
  Bishop, Rob [R] UT-1
  Blackburn, Marsha [R] TN-7
  Blunt, Roy [R] MO-7
  Boehner, John [R] OH-8
  Bonner, Jo [R] AL-1
  Bono, Mary [R] CA-45
  Boozman, John [R] AR-3
  Boustany, Charles [R] LA-7
  Brady, Kevin [R] TX-8
  Broun, Paul [R] GA-10
  Brown, Henry [R] SC-1
  Burgess, Michael [R] TX-26
  Burton, Dan [R] IN-5
  Calvert, Ken [R] CA-44
  Camp, David [R] MI-4
  Campbell, John [R] CA-48
  Cannon, Christopher [R] UT-3
  Cantor, Eric [R] VA-7
  Carter, John [R] TX-31
  Chabot, Steven [R] OH-1
  Coble, Howard [R] NC-6
  Cole, Tom [R] OK-4
  Conaway, K. [R] TX-11
  Crenshaw, Ander [R] FL-4
  Culberson, John [R] TX-7
  Davis, David [R] N-1
  Davis, Geoff [R] KY-4
  Davis, Thomas [R] VA-11
  Deal, Nathan [R] GA-9
  Diaz-Balart, Lincoln [R] FL-21
  Diaz-Balart, Mario [R] FL-25
  Doolittle, John [R] CA-4
  Drake, Thelma [R] VA-2
  Dreier, David [R] CA-26
  Duncan, John [R] TN-2
  Fallin, Mary [R] OK-5
  Feeney, Tom [R] L-24
  Flake, Jeff [R] AZ-6
  Forbes, James [R] VA-4
  Foxx, Virginia [R] NC-5
  Franks, Trent [R] AZ-2
  Gallegly, Elton [R] CA-24
  Garrett, E. [R] NJ-5
  Gingrey, John [R] GA-11
  Gohmert, Louis [R] X-1
  Goode, Virgil [R] VA-5
  Goodlatte, Robert [R] VA-6
  Granger, Kay [R] TX-12
  Hall, Ralph [R] TX-4
  Hastert, J. [R] IL-14
  Hastings, Doc [R] WA-4
  Heller, Dean [R] NV-2
  Hensarling, Jeb [R] TX-5
  Herger, Walter [R] CA-2
  Hobson, David [R] OH-7
  Hoekstra, Peter [R] MI-2
  Hunter, Duncan [R] CA-52
  Inglis, Bob [R] SC-4
  Issa, Darrell [R] CA-49
  Johnson, Samuel [R] TX-3
  Jordan, Jim [R] OH-4
  Keller, Ric [R] FL-8
  King, Steve [R] IA-5
  Kingston, Jack [R] GA-1
  Kline, John [R] MN-2
  Knollenberg, Joseph [R] MI-9
  Lamborn, Doug [R] CO-5
  Latham, Thomas [R] IA-4
  LaTourette, Steven [R] OH-14
  Lewis, Jerry [R] CA-41
  Lewis, Ron [R] KY-2
  Linder, John [R] GA-7
  Lucas, Frank [R] OK-3
  Lungren, Daniel [R] CA-3
  Mack, Connie [R] FL-14
  Manzullo, Donald [R] IL-16
  Marchant, Kenny [R] TX-24
  McCarthy, Kevin [R] CA-22
  McCaul, Michael [R] TX-10
  McCotter, Thaddeus [R] MI-11
  McCrery, James [R] LA-4
  Mchenry, Patrick [R] NC-10
  McKeon, Howard [R] CA-25
  McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R] WA-5
  Mica, John [R] FL-7
  Miller, Gary [R] CA-42
  Miller, Jeff [R] FL-1
  Moran, Jerry [R] KS-1
  Musgrave, Marilyn [R] CO-4
  Myrick, Sue [R] NC-9
  Neugebauer, Randy [R] TX-19
  Nunes, Devin [R] CA-21
  Pearce, Steven [R] NM-2
  Pence, Mike [R] IN-6
  Petri, Thomas [R] WI-6
  Pickering, Charles [R] S-3
  Pitts, Joseph [R] PA-16
  Poe, Ted [R] TX-2
  Price, Tom [R] GA-6
  Putnam, Adam [R] FL-12
  Radanovich, George [R] CA-19
  Rehberg, Dennis [R] MT-0
  Renzi, Rick [R] AZ-1
  Rogers, Harold [R] KY-5
  Rogers, Michael [R] AL-3
  Rohrabacher, Dana [R] CA-46
  Roskam, Peter [R] IL-6
  Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [R] FL-18
  Royce, Edward [R] CA-40
  Ryan, Paul [R] WI-1
  Sali, Bill [R] ID-1
  Schmidt, Jean [R] OH-2
  Sensenbrenner, F. [R] WI-5
  Sessions, Peter [R] TX-32
  Shadegg, John [R] AZ-3
  Shimkus, John [R] IL-19
  Shuster, William [R] PA-9
  Smith, Adrian [R] NE-3
  Smith, Lamar [R] TX-21
  Souder, Mark [R] IN-3
  Sullivan, John [R] OK-1
  Terry, Lee [R] NE-2
  Thornberry, William [R] TX-13
  Tiahrt, Todd [R] KS-4
  Tiberi, Patrick [R] OH-12
  Walberg, Timothy [R] MI-7
  Wamp, Zach [R] TN-3
  Weldon, David [R] FL-15
  Weller, Gerald [R] IL-11
  Whitfield, Edward [R] KY-1
  Wicker, Roger [R] MS-1
  Wilson, Addison [R] SC-2

Notice all the "R"'s? Where are the "D"'s? Oh yeah, the Democrats do support the troops.