End Wars and Occupations IOT Monthly Conference Call - Progressive Democrats of America

Conversation began with jokes about “Hey, we're all being recorded anyway...” and went on to the state of veteran care today. Rob Hansen introduced Zack LaPorte, who told us all about his entry into the Army after 9-11 and how he was all gung-ho for a long time. Raiding houses full of innocent people and other brutalities radicalized him. He came back home and testified as to what he experienced in the 2008 Obama presidential campaign. He joined IVAW and Peace Action after that. He was concerned about his 14-year old brother who wants to join the military, but really doesn't know what it is that he'd be getting into. He warns him and us that “Playing video games is not the same thing.”

Rita Aview (sp?) from Colorado Springs commented on Kimberly Rivera, an Iraq War vet who was deported from Canada for going AWOL rather than return to the war.