August 26 - Volk Field Vigil Against Drones

DRONES KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE

VIGIL AGAINST THE DRONES

OUTSIDE THE GATES OF CAMP WILLIAMS/VOLK FIELD

TUESDAY AUGUST 26, 2014      3:30-4:30 pm

Dear Friends,

We have been vigiling monthly at the gates of Volk Field for more than 2 ½ years now.  The military recently completed a state-of-the-art training facility for drone pilots at Volk Field, and we must remain continue to be there.    

Brian Terrell has been active in working to stop drones for many years.  Last year he was in prison for six months after protesting against drones at Whiteman AFB in Missouri.  In the newsletter The Sower, which he publishes with his wife Betsy, he writes about drones:

Over the years since April 2009, the promises of a new era of better war through drone technology have been steadily unraveling, each of them proving false.  It is increasingly clear that rather than limiting the scope of war, drones are expanding and proliferating it, killing more civilians both on battlefields and far from them, endangering our soldiers and the safety of our communities.  Instead of keeping the horrors of war at a safe distance, drones bring the war home in unprecedented ways.

We have the opportunity to stand up against killer drones every month in Wisconsin.  The vigil at Volk Field is a legal vigil where we will be on public property.  As always, it will be a solemn vigil, remembering the victims of US government drone attacks

WORD ABOUT THE WEATHER – We have had some pretty bad storms this summer and so if there is a question about whether we will hold the vigil, please check with Joy (608 239-4327) or Bonnie (608 256-5088) to see if the vigil will be canceled because of weather.

DIRECTIONS - To get to the vigil, take the Camp Douglas exit off Interstate 90/94 between Mauston and Tomah.  When you exit take County Rd. C to the northeast.  You will see the base straight ahead, but follow County Rd. C to the right and within a few blocks is a picnic wayside where you can park.  

THE VIGIL - We will gather at the wayside between 3:00-3:15 for introductions and to review the plan for the vigil, and then process together to the gates of the base where we will hold a solemn vigil for one hour to remember those killed by drones.  Participants can stand in silence or read poems and stories about the effects of drone warfare.  It is important that the voices of the victims be brought to the gates of Volk Field.

Bring posters if you can. 

CARPOOLING -  If you are interested in carpooling to Volk Field from Madison, please contact Bonnie at 608 256-5088 or Kathy at or 608 278-0483.

We hope to see you at the vigil on Tuesday August 26.  If you can’t come this time, mark your calendar for the 4^th Tuesday of every month and join us when you can.  If you have any questions please call or email Joy at 608 239-4327 or joyfirst5@gmail.com or Bonnie at 608-256-5088 or bblock@charter.net .

Peace,

Joy and Bonnie

More background on the main Volk Field Vigil page

Other related posts

Now a bill is pending in Congress -- the The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act (HR 4372) -- also known as the "Come Clean on Drone Killing" Act. At this writing, quite a few of Rep. Pocan and Rep. Moore's fellow progressive caucus members have become co-sponsors for the bill. So where are Rep. Pocan and Rep. Moore?

(See Reps. Pocan and Moore: Support the "Come Clean on Drones Killing" Bill! )

Wisconsin has been a hotbed of in-the-streets vigils, marchs, die-ins, and other protests against drone killings -- as can clearly be seen in the posts on this blog.

Today, people protesting drones are contacting their representatives to encourage support for H.R.4372: the Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act. If passed, the bill will require the Obama administration to come clean about the killings it has carried out using drones -- killings that, up until now, the administration has been able to pretend don't exist.

So now's the time: write or call your member of Congress today.

(See Write or Call Your Member of Congress Today: Make the U.S. Come Clean on Drone Killings)

WE, THE PEOPLE, CHARGE THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA AND THE FULL MILITARY CHAIN OF COMMAND TO COMMANDER COLONEL DAVE ROMUALD, EVERY DRONE CREW, AND SERVICE MEMBERS AT VOLK FIELD, WITH CRIMES AGAINST PEACE & CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS, VIOLATION OF DUE PROCESS, WARS OF AGGRESSION, VIOLATIONS OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY, AND KILLING OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS.

(See DRONES CRIMES INDICTMENT: May 28 at Volk Field )