The above photo was taken yesterday following the Korea issues workshop at the VFP convention in Portland. The banner we are holding was given to me last year by the Korean VFP organization and it finally made its way to a national VFP event here in the U.S.
Korean war veteran, and Maine VFP member, Tom Sturtevant has been the keeper of the banner since I brought it back from Korea.
Most of the VFP members in the workshop yesterday had served in Korea during the war or since then. They all feel a strong sense of duty to help bring true peace and reunification to Korea. But as one of the guys said yesterday, "It's hard to convince people today that Korea is still an important issue after 60 years."
I tried to address this problem in my words during the workshop as I put Korea into the larger context of U.S. military strategy in the Asian-Pacific region. I talked about NATO expansion into the region and U.S. military moves to surround China.
The U.S. pretense about concern over North Korea is only a justification for the Pentagon to dramatically escalate its operations throughout the Asian-Pacific. U.S. bases are being expanded in Guam, Okinawa, Japan, and South Korea - including major deployments of "missile offense" systems.
The banquet is tonight and a packed house is expected for it. In the morning, at 9:00 am, we hold the concluding march and rally in downtown Portland.
People are saying they feel it is a great convention. The ferry boat trip to nearby Peaks Island last night for the lobster fest was a big hit.
Ben Cohen, from Ben & Jerry's ice cream fame, is here and I heard that he is going to personally serve ice cream to us after the business meeting today. He is also providing dessert to the banquet this evening.
2 comments:
Thanks very much for the photo. As a Korean, I am very moved by solidarity, will, and spirit of the members of the Veterans for Peace, United States.
I want to express my special thanks to all the members of the Veterans for Peace who have joined in the workshop on the Korean War.
I put the photo with some summary and translation here. Some Koreans see my blog so I guess they, including the members of the Veterans for Peace, Corea will be very impressed and encouraged, too, by all of you. I so love and respect all of you!
http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/08/photo-fwd-banner-for-friendship-between.html
Even though my knowledge is very short, I felt that I should write something.
The Korean War had to be intentionally thoroughly forgotten for 6o years so that it would not bring the idea for most people that another war would be another repetition of its precedence.
That could be one of the reasons why the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and other numerous wars happened again and again after the 1st forgotten war …
I remember an activist reminding people that there are only two countries in the world that do not own their own (wartime) military operational control rights… those are Iraq and South Korea. That is the fact that clearly shows South Korea is an occupied country, she reminded.
The cause and legacy of all the wars have been an artificial division by imperialism. Korea lives the very example as you see… When Korea is peacefully unified with the strong will of people from North and South Korea, then it would finally break the legacy of the imperialism. The imperialism would never want the peaceful unification of Korea in which the North and South would acknowledge, understand and respect each other’s uniqueness. Only by Korea’s peaceful unification, the key for the peace in the northeast Asia will be finally solved. And Koreans will be liberated from their immoral fates of their lands being used for the United States capitalists and military's attacking another countries under the name of strategic flexibility.
For Koreans, to end the war alliance, to make the U.S. bases withdraw to their home, and to conclude peace treaty and accomplish peaceful unification should be some of their biggest historical responsibilities for themselves and world.
And you seem to understand it and are truly with us!
Thanks for your great spirit!
No Base Stories of Korea
Thanks very much for the photo. As a Korean, I am very moved by solidarity, will, and spirit of the members of the Veterans for Peace, United States.
I put the photo with some summary and translation here. Some Koreans see my blog so I guess they, including the members of the Veterans for Peace, Corea will be very impressed and encouraged, too, by all of you.
http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/08/photo-fwd-banner-for-friendship-between.html
The Korean War had to be intentionally thoroughly forgotten for 6o years so that it would not bring the idea for most people that another war would be another repetition of its precedence. That could be one of the reasons why the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and other numerous wars happened again and again after so called 1st forgotten war …
I remember an activist reminding people that there are only two countries in the world that do not own their own (wartime) military operational control rights… those are Iraq and South Korea. That is the fact that clearly shows South Korea is an occupied country, she reminded.
Only by Korea’s peaceful and reconciled unification, the key for the peace in the northeast Asia will be finally solved. And Koreans will be liberated from their immoral fates of their lands being used for the United States capitalists and military's attacking another countries under the name of strategic flexibility.
For Koreans, to end the war alliance, to make the U.S. bases withdraw to their home, and to conclude peace treaty and accomplish peaceful unification should be some of their biggest historical responsibilities for themselves and world.
And you seem to understand it and are truly with us!
Thanks for your great spirit!
No Base Stories of Korea
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