Brian
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Post by Brian on Apr 5, 2019 23:00:40 GMT -8
Since January 2006, we've stood for peace every Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the northwest corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue in Montrose, CA 91020, U.S.A. Thirteen vigil regulars held signs this week. We have printed and posted every Defense Department news release announcing the deaths of soldiers, sailors and airmen in our unconstitutional wars during our vigils since October 2011. The Pentagon reported no uniformed casualties in the previous seven days.
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Post by Jeanne on Apr 9, 2019 16:54:08 GMT -8
Trying to add a photo of Simon last Friday. Hope it works. If not, Ill beg anni for help. Looking forward to more opportunities to train Simon up as a groovy peacenik.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Apr 12, 2019 23:00:07 GMT -8
I love Jeanne's photo above. Simon is soon to be 4 years old, I heard, which means that he'll start reading if he hasn't already. Maybe next time he'll hold the sign right side up.
Spring always brings more people of all ages to the sidewalks on a Friday evening. As the weather warms, so do the conversations with passersby. When I left the corner a few minutes after 7, a Trump supporter was still talking amiably with Jim, who holds a big American flag in one hand and a bright red IMPEACH sign in the other.
Ten regulars populated this week's Montrose Peace Vigil.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that three Marines were killed when their convoy was bombed near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. A printout of this Pentagon news release was displayed on the utility pole throughout the vigil:
dod.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1810150/dod-identifies-marine-casualties/
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anni
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Post by anni on Apr 13, 2019 10:55:44 GMT -8
Here's a "candid" photo and a gorgeous "posed" photo from last night's vigil:
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Apr 19, 2019 23:00:23 GMT -8
Before this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil, our friend Katherine Terrien moved her guitar, ukulele, microphone, P.A. system and beautiful voice back to the shade of the frozen yogurt shop. She had been playing on the opposite side of the big patch of grass, next to us sign holders but facing the sidewalk -- and the sun over the Verdugo Hills, which is brutally bright this time of the year between 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Only eight regulars could come this week, the lowest turnout since it rained throughout the February 15 vigil. Before that, the fewest number of demonstrators on the corner was eight on July 13, 2018. Two of our greatest stalwarts were at the Greek Theatre for Trey Anastasio, and two others are in England, presumably for all six Mott the Hoople '74 reunion concerts, the first of which was Friday night in Manchester.
In the previous seven days, the Department of Defense reported no military deaths in Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan, Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria or in any of the other U.S. operations underway around the world.
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Post by Sharon W on Apr 20, 2019 9:47:32 GMT -8
Thanks to those who vigiled Friday - we feel a bit guilty but Trey's Ghosts of the Forest show was just amazing! It was cold and damp but the crowd spirits were high. There were some oldsters like us but mostly 30 and 40 something male Phish-heads, seemingly in need of some soul mending camaraderie. We chatted with a few including one named Dylan who was impressed I was wearing an old Grateful Dead tshirt exactly like one he had, he'd never run into anyone else with it. I didn't tell him I see it at shows every once in a while - guess we travel in different circles - lol There was a very peaceful atmosphere too - lots of old friends meeting up and "Strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hand," - our first Greek show of the year bodes well for the season! We highly recommend the album, liveforlivemusic.com/news/trey-anastasio-ghosts-of-the-forest-listen/
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Apr 26, 2019 23:00:23 GMT -8
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Post by Jeanne on Apr 27, 2019 13:37:54 GMT -8
Thank you for these links to the announcements about the deaths. I couldn't focus on them last night, as I was watching Simon. i notice that all three were non combat related deaths, and that two were from towns named Richmond from different states. Odd coincidence. They always say that an investigation is under way, but I don't remember every hearing about the outcomes of the investigations.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Apr 27, 2019 23:00:37 GMT -8
They always say that an investigation is under way, but I don't remember ever hearing about the outcomes of the investigations. I've never seen the results of a death investigation announced among the releases on the Department of Defense website. I just checked news articles about all three non-combat related deaths announced last week looking for clues, and most explicitly said that no further details about their deaths were available, even the hometown newspaper of Spc. Michael T. Osorio from Horseshoe Bend, Idaho:
www.eastidahonews.com/2019/04/family-of-fallen-idaho-soldier-says-he-lived-honorable-life/
In my experience, sometimes the families of the dead soldiers will tell their local newspapers or TV stations what happened when the Pentagon doesn't. Often, various publications for service members such as Military Times dig deeper. Last month, for instance, Stars and Stripes provided the cause of the deaths of two soldiers in Kuwait, a truck accident. But when I searched for further details of the previous non-combat related death in December, I found nothing new four months later.
And you're right, Jeanne. The non-combat casualty releases always say that "the incident is under investigation." They also provide a phone number that members of the media can call for more information.
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anni
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Post by anni on Apr 28, 2019 13:47:19 GMT -8
A single pic from the April 26th vigil showing some of the vigilers and the lampost where we post the soldiers' deaths from the previous week. Last week there were three dead soldiers to report.
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