Democracy for New Mexico

Action Alert: Dem Party Protest of Bush's Tuesday Visit to NM

From the DPNM: The Democratic Party of New Mexico will be demonstrating against George W. Bush's visit to Albuquerque to fundraise for Darren White:

• What: Demonstration against George W. Bush's war and his plan to veto the GI Bill! We don't support his war and we don't support anyone who uses him to raise money!
• When: Tuesday May 27th, 2008 from 11AM-12 Noon
• Where: Hartnett Park, Los Ranchos De Albuquerque: 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NE (MAP)

Come down and show Darren White and George Bush what Americans really think of the War! Don't forget to bring your SIGNS! More info.

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Must See: Guild Cinema to Host Phil Donahue and "Body of War"

Tomas Young and family at March on Washington

Albuquerque's Guild Cinema will screen the new documentary, Body of War, on May 25-27, 2008. Legendary talk-show host Phil Donahue and award-winning filmmaker Ellen Spiro, the film's producers/directors, will appear at a live Q & A session at the 6:30 PM showing of the movie on May 27. Call for showtimes: (505)255-1848

The critically acclaimed antiwar film, which was three years in the making, tells the story of Tomas Young, a 26-year-old veteran, who was shot and paralyzed after serving five days in Iraq. Body of War is an intimate human drama wrapped in a political documentary -- full of emotion, humor and hope. As Tomas deals with his disability, he evolves into a new person, finding his own passionate voice against the war. Body of War also captures the historic debate in the Congress in the fall of 2002 authorizing the war and celebrates those that stood up against the rush to invade.

Tomas Young visits Ground Zero

Body of War was voted "Best Documentary of the Year" by the National Board of Review, nominated for "Best Documentary" by the Producers Guild of America, and received multiple audience awards at film festivals from Toronto to Palm Springs. It's been acclaimed in the media and by the public. The film features two original songs by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. A companion double-CD compilation “Body of War: Songs that Inspired an Iraq War Veteran” is available from Sire Records.

Bill Moyers interview with Donahue and Spiro about the movie and the real costs of war.

Phil Donahue's statement about the film:

The first time I saw him will be with me forever - paralyzed from the chest down - he had that morphine look, droopy eyed, sallow, sunken, lifeless. Body of War is a film provoked by my own questions as I stood on my functional legs at his bedside:

Who is this young man? Why him, not me?

I had accompanied my friend Ralph Nader who had been invited by the patient's mother. "She is caring for her son who was seriously wounded in Iraq. Wanna go?" A week later the two of us entered America's most famous military hospital.

The closer you get to Tomas Young, the more reality sets in. T-4 is the spot on the spine that is severed. Anatomists know what this means: Not only can't Tomas walk - he can't cough, his bodily functions are paralyzed, his bladder must be manually drained several times daily.

And no small issue for a male, just married. Twenty-six-year-old Tomas Young can't - in the language of the locker room - get it up.

This film, Body of War, is our effort to spread news that is not good - news that is hidden behind the doors of homes all over this country. Dwellings occupied by the mere five per cent of our population actually sacrificing for this war.

This film's story mirrors the stories of thousands of young soldiers who, like Tomas Young, have sustained life-altering injuries in a war mission that was "unnecessary" as Tomas tells Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes. This foreign policy decision was not only unnecessary, it was ill-considered and misguided from the start- a mission that has never been - and in Tomas' opinion - never will be "accomplished."

Our film also revisits one of the most tragic errors of judgment ever made by a United States Congress. After engaging in a superficial dialogue, robotic Senators and House members are seen voting to approve the Iraq War Resolution in October, 2002. Members take the floor, one by one, reading talking points of the White House Iraq Group, the assembly of advertising agency warriors whose job was to sell the war. It was WHIG who gave the nation a litany of untruths:

Saddam has "unmanned aerial vehicles" to deliver toxins "over wide territories" and scary doomsday scenarios, "The smoking gun could be a mushroom cloud."

As the War Resolution is debated, our cameras watch as Tomas deals with the very personal consequences of this historic and unprecedented vote for pre-emptive war. It was this vote that put him in a wheel chair. Our film watches him coping with his body, his drugs, his anger, his marriage and his future. Who is Tomas Young? He's a young man who enlisted knowing he might be killed. He thought he might come home dead -

He never dreamed of coming home like this.

His is a true story of war; here is the un-sanitized harm in "harm's way." It is a story of a heartland kid who suddenly went from a social life of single bars and courtship to a daily routine of catheters, puke pans and erectile dysfunction.

I discovered a great American in Tomas Young, a warrior turned anti-warrior, a voice of courage rising above the war drums, a voice to "be heard behind the White House gate" in the words of the song Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder wrote for this film.

To all the main-streamers in the press who supported the invasion of Iraq, to the pundits who continue to talk tough while other people's kids die, to all the merry warriors who recruited Jesus to assist them in this massive foreign policy blunder -

I have a soldier for you.

Before the next President swaggers to the cameras challenging the enemy to "Bring it on," before the next Congress votes another War Resolution, my hope is that all these heavy breathing, lap top bombers take a moment to meet the First Cavalry's Honorably Discharged United States Army Specialist - Tomas Young.

Phil Donahue
New York City, May 2007

Vedder, Young, Spiro, Donahue

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Guest Blog: Open Letter to Bill McCamley & Harry Teague

This is a guest blog by Col. Donald E. Jonker, USAF Ret., of Las Cruces in the form of an open letter to Bill McCamley and Harry Teague, Democratic candidates for Congress in NM-02.

The President is going to ask the Legislature to approve these additions for fiscal year 2009. An additional $1.3 billion to meet health care needs for the 350,000 military men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. $3.9 billion for mental health services and $1.5 billion for prosthetic and sensory aids. This does not include the fact that some men and women will be in pain the rest of their lives. I believe all New Mexicans are interested in these tragic numbers and those of us in Democratic District Two have a right to know where our candidates stand on these issues.

Open Letter to Bill McCamley & Harry Teague
Most of us New Mexicans believe that the economy, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and health care are the three biggest areas of concern in the next election. Since I am not an expert on the economy or health care, I will stick to the wars. Almost all of the active duty, National Guard, Reserve, veterans and widows are deeply concerned about many aspects of the wars; however, I would like to concentrate on three areas: 1) Should we or should we not withdraw from the wars, and if so, when? 2) What health benefits should our military receive? And, 3) How should the VA be funded to ensure our brave young men and women returning from the wars after three, four and even five combat tours be treated for life long injuries?

If the wars go on, the cost of benefits could reach as high as $75 to $150 billion. During the wars, despite improved equipment, for every person killed there are 16 wounded and injured, an unprecedented number. (In Vietnam the ratio was 2.6 for every death and in Korea it was 2.8 for every death.) For 2009, the President has asked for $1.3 billion for health care needs, $3.9 billion for mental health services, and $1.5 billion for prosthetic and sensory aids. That's only $6.7 billion -- nowhere near what is necessary.

On behalf of all military and veterans, I would like to challenge both Mr. McCamley and Mr. Teague to debate these issues and these issues only. I believe these concerns are so important that the outcome of this debate should be a strong determining factor in choosing whom put forth as the Democratic nominee from District Two.

Military, veterans, widows and concerned citizens, send your comments to: www.billmccamley.com and www.harryteagueforcongress08.com.

This is a guest blog by Col. Donald E. Jonker, USAF Ret., of Las Cruces. Col. Jonker commanded a Fighter Squadron in Vietnam and flew 120 combat missions. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, eight Air Medals and others. In addition to running a consulting firm with his wife, Dr. Pat Jonker Ph.D of NMSU, Don is currently Chairman of the Dona Ana County Labor/Management Board; Chairman of the Dona Ana County Airport Advisory Board; Director of the Picacho Hills Country Club and Director of the Special Deputy Sheriff's Commission.

Guest blogs provide our readers a chance to express themselves on topics of interest to the political discourse here, and may or may not express the views of the DFNM blog. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

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Community Launches GI Rights Hotline to Serve NM

From the GI Rights Hotline: Veterans, military family members, and other concerned individuals are launching a New Mexico “node” of the national GI Rights Hotline network. The Mission of the New Mexico GI Rights Hotline is to provide information, referrals and support to members of the military and their families regarding discharges, grievances, and other civil rights issues. The Hotline will provide information about military life and war to individuals and families affected by military service, conscription, and recruitment. The target date to open the hotline in NM is February 15, 2008.

Events to raise funds and celebrate the launching of the statewide Hotline will be held in Santa Fe and Albuquerque:

• Santa Fe: Saturday, January 26, from 6:30-9:30 PM at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church Common Room, 1601 S Saint Francis Drive;
• Albuquerque: Sunday, January 27, from 1:00-4:00 PM at the Guild Cinema, 3405 Central NE.

Both events will include a screening of clips from the film Arlington West and speakers Jorge Arroyo, Conscientious Objector to the Iraq War; Tony Garcia, Native New Mexican and veteran of both the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; and Dahlia Wasfi, MD, Iraqi-American.

“With an average of 17 suicides a day in 2005, and more than 120 of our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans having committed a murder since their return, it is clear that our service members have needs the Government can not or will not address. The GI Rights Hotline will provide a desperately needed service to our troops, veterans, and their families,” said Bill Bradley, an organizer of the Hotline.

Guest Blog: Democrats, Walking the Walk, Supporting the Troops

Delivering the packages

This is a guest blog from Terry Riley and George Boersig, who worked hard on this project along with many other Democrats in Albuquerque: We so often hear politicians talk about supporting our troops. That is usually used to encourage us to not ask to bring our troops home and to encourage the next war. It would seem that truly supporting the troops would be doing something that reduces their risk of getting killed or injured. It also should mean providing all of the health and other care that they may need after they have served for us.

This Saturday, December 22, 2007, the Bernalillo County Democratic Party delivered clothes, toiletries, and food to the New Mexico Veterans Integration Center. The NMVIC is a housing, counseling, and job placement center for homeless veterans. This is not a government institution, though they do receive some government money. There are presently 69 male residents and three female residents. Members of the party gathered the items and brought them to the Bernalillo County Democratic Party third Thursday regular business meeting and then sorted items and boxed them so that we could wrap a variety of items in one box per individual. We collected more than enough for the residents so we were able to give the extra items such as underwear and towels for the NMVIC “general store” for later use.

Members of the US military branches believe in not leaving a soldier behind on the battlefield. The NMVIC believes in “Beyond the Battlefield”. Their hope is to provide needed help to any veteran. Our country needs to adapt the policy of leaving no soldier behind, active or veteran, no matter what his or her ailment or problem may be. We must act to fully fund our Veterans Administration so that the best care is available to everyone who served, no exceptions! This is Supporting Our Troops!

Sorting and filling the packages

Walk the walk. Vote for candidates who pledge to REALLY support our troops AND our veterans. Follow through, check on the people you voted for and make sure that they do vote to provide the needed services and care for ALL of our veterans. Help your elected officials keep their promises and replace ANY elected officials who do not do everything possible to Support Our Troops!

Now, after all of this we have an important request to make of everybody. The NMVIC has a serious budget shortfall and has asked for emergency appropriations from the state legislature. If you consider that New Mexico provided approximately $275,000 this last year for operations at the NMVIC and that New Mexico spent approximately $9,000,000 for monuments and memorials for those who served and for the campaigns they served in, it would seem a better choice to spend a lot of money on people who served – AND ARE IN NEED AND STILL ALIVE, than to spend on commemorations on those who have passed.

George with wrapped packages

Please contact your state legislators and ask them to commit to always spending more money on veterans who are alive than they spend on memorials. Just imagine how many veterans could be helped and how much care could be provided if we had multi-million dollar appropriations.

This is a guest blog by Terry Riley and George Boersig of Albuquerque. Guest blogs provide readers with an opportunity to express their views on relevant issues and may or many not reflect our views. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Bernalillo Dems Give to Vets in Need

Lynn Jacobs helps pack the gifts at last night's potluck

‘Twas the weekend before Christmas
and all through the land
Democrats were working to give vets a hand

Packages were wrapped with paper and care
Filled with jackets and blankets to spare

Money collected was donated too
Since veterans need things like razors and shoes

The Veterans Integration Center was where they chose
To help this season in honor of our heroes

We live in a country beautiful and free
This Holiday Season it’s up to you and me

To remember our brothers and sisters in arms
In hope they return soon and safe from all harms

The gifts will be delivered Saturday at Two
To veterans who served for me and you

The Democrats will exclaim with happiness and glee
“Best wishes this season in the land of the free!”

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2007
WHO:  DEMOCRATIC PARTY
WHAT: DELIVERS GIFTS TO VETERANS
WHEN: 2PM
WHERE: VETERANS INTEGRATION CENTER
6101 CENTRAL AVENUE NE, ABQ
Join Us

From the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County
Verse by Angela Chavez


DPBC Vice Chair Jim Buhaug (C) and volunteers
Organizing the donations

Click to see more photos from last night's DPBC potluck at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall in Albuquerque, where Dems shared a meal and worked together to prepare the donations for Saturday's delivery to the New Mexico Veterans Reintegration Center. (Democracy for New Mexico and the DPNM kicking donkey float helped collect donations at our Meetup earlier this month.)

See our previous post on this project. Click on images for larger versions. Photos by M.E. Broderick.

Reminder: DPBC Holiday Potluck & Vet Center Benefit Set for Tonight

You're all invited to the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County's Third Thursday Meeting tonight, December 20, 2007, at 6:00 PM at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall at 510 San Pedro SE in Albuquerque. There'll be a festive Holiday Potluck and you're encouraged to bring donations of food, money, personal items and clothes to benefit the New Mexico Veterans Reintegration Center in Albuquerque. Your contributions will help the Center during the holiday season and beyond.

Our DPBC Chair, Ana Canales, is also encouraging folks to donate holiday wrapping paper and tape so the presents to the Vet Center can be wrapped. You can read more about the Party's Vet Center donation project here. See below for a list of other items you can donate to the cause.

DONATION ITEMS NEEDED FOR VET REINTEGRATION CENTER

• Personal toiletries: deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, lotions, toothbrushes, combs, shaving lotion, razors, etc.
• Towels: new or gently used please!! We would like one bath towel, one hand towel, and 2 wash clothes per person in each box.
• Socks, slipper socks, and underwear- various sizes and types will be fine.
• Gloves and caps- one size fits all will be best.
• Sweatshirts, sweaters, and/or flannel shirts, various sizes.
• Stationery, first-class stamps, envelopes, and long-distance phone cards.
• Home-made cookies, brownies, etc. No store bought!!
• Copier-paper boxes to pack gifts in. (This will make all gifts uniform size)

DONATED CASH WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE COATS FOR THE MOST NEEDY RESIDENTS.

Three Ways to Donate to Expanded DPBC Holiday Vets Project

In a November post we announced a project organized by the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County to benefit the New Mexico Veteran's Reintegration Center in Albuquerque. The project has now been expanded in scope, and donations of food, clothing and other needed items -- as well as cash donations -- are being collected for presentation to the Center and its 75+ residents on the evening of Thursday, December 20, 2007.

See below the fold for a list of items being sought.

You can make a donation in three ways:

• At the DPBC office located at 1301 San Pedro NE, weekdays before 12/20 from 9AM - 5PM
• At the DPBC Third Thursday Meeting and potluck at 6:00 PM on December 20 at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall at 510 San Pedro SE
• At the DFA-DFNM Meetup at 7:00 PM on Thursday, December 6 at the First Unitarian Church Social Hall on the SW corner of Carlisle and Comanche

The Democratic Party of New Mexico's kicking donkey float -- festooned with holiday lights -- will be driven by Terry Riley to both the December 6th Meetup and the December 20th DPBC Third Thursday Meeting to collect donations (see panel above). After the Third Thursday Meeting, well-wishers will accompany the float to the Veteran's Reintegration Center to make the presentation.

More Info from DPBC:

Welcome to the First Annual Democratic Party of Bernalillo County Holiday Season Service Project

In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, and the DNC “7 in 2007” activities (which are suggested to include a Democratic sponsored service project) the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County has selected the Veterans Reintegration Center at 6101 Central Ave NE as the recipient of our service project efforts. The Veterans Reintegration Center provides housing, food, and job training for returning vets, especially those who are homeless. There are approximately 75 men and 5 women housed at the center.

The plan: All of us collect money and needed items between now and December 20.

Bring these items, and cash, to the 3rd Thursday potluck dinner on December 20, 6 PM, at the Plumbers and Steamfitters Hall, 510 San Pedro Blvd. S.E. (or bring to party headquarters at 1301 San Pedro NE if you are unable to attend the dinner or to the DFA-DFNM Meetup on December 6 at the First Unitarian Church).

Following a wonderful shared potluck dinner and visiting with each other, we will then spend an hour or two putting together our gift boxes and wrapping them. The State Party kicking donkeys float will be used to deliver the gifts that evening.

Items needed:

· Personal toiletries: deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, lotions, toothbrushes, combs, shaving lotion, razors, etc.

· Towels: new or gently used please!! We would like one bath towel, one hand towel, and 2 wash clothes per person in each box.

· Socks, slipper socks, and underwear- various sizes and types will be fine.

· Gloves and caps- one size fits all will be best.

· Sweatshirts, sweaters, and/or flannel shirts, various sizes.

· Stationery, first-class stamps, envelopes, and long-distance phone cards.

· Home-made cookies, brownies, etc. No store bought!!

· Copier-paper boxes to pack gifts in. (This will make all gifts uniform size)

DONATED CASH WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE COATS FOR THE MOST NEEDY RESIDENTS!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SPIRITS AND WARM HEARTS!

CLICK FOR FLYER

Help Out With Wreaths & Cookies for Vets

From the DPBC E-News:
The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County is going to have a service project in keeping with our belief that Democrats should work for things that benefit the people. This service project will be a special Holiday Season effort to give a token gift and some cookies to the residents of the New Mexico Veterans Integration Center in Albuquerque. People staying in the center are homeless veterans who are trying to put their lives together. 

We are asking for cash donations to pay for small wreaths to be given to each veteran staying at the center to symbolize the unity, peace and hope typical of the season. We hope that this effort is not religiously insensitive; the hope is to say that we care. The cookies are a small food item that we hope can show caring without risking dietary issues.

We need everybody possible to participate in this. There are over 70 guests at the Albuquerque Veterans Integration Center. The Holiday Season is a very lonely time for people with limited family access and certainly for people who are working to rebuild their lives. We hope that you agree that this is a worthwhile project to participate in. We are asking that only homemade cookies be donated. We want the project to appear as personal as we can make it.

The Third Thursday DPBC meeting on December 20th at 6:00 PM in Room 2401 at the UNM Law School is the deadline for donations of both money and cookies. The wreaths and cookies have to be delivered as soon as possible after that. We also need a couple of people to help with the distribution.

Terry Riley: Terryactivist@aol.com, 899-6275
Ana Canales
Nili Lang

Editor's Note: Also read the recent Daily Lobo article, Center Lends a Hand to Homeless Veterans, for more info on the Veterans Integration Center.

NM-02: McCamley to Meet With Las Cruces Area Vets

From Don Jonker, Col. USAF Ret.
Dear Fellow Veterans: Roger Miller, VFW Post 6917, cordially invites veterans and their significant others to meet Bill McCamley (running for Congressman, New Mexico, District 2) on Friday, November 16, 2007, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 7325 N. Main Street in Las Cruces. Join your friends and find out where Bill stands on issues of great importance to veterans and their loved ones.

Personal Background and Commitment: Bill was born in South Korea where his dad, now a retired Lieutenant Colonel, was stationed at that time. It was from Bill's dad that he first learned to have a great deal of respect and admiration for all soldiers and for the sacrifices they make to keep our nation secure. It was also because of his dad's service that he first came to understand how important it is for our dedicated leaders to provide the best care and support for veterans.

A Question of Priorities: Today, there are many young men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who have horrific physical and mental wounds that will take years of specialized treatment to heal, but the Veterans' Administration (VA) has many men and women who are still waiting for proper treatment from previous armed conflicts. Bill understands that veterans are not receiving the level of services and support that they need and have earned.

Promises Not Kept: The truth is that the United States is failing those who have served America. It is utterly shameful, and we must demand that the federal government take action. It has taken the government too long to ensure that VA clinicians are screening all returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, the VA has promised to add 23 Vet Centers to the current 209 and to increase the number of polytrauma centers (treating brain and spinal cord injuries) from 4 to 21. Unfortunately, promises made to veterans are too often broken. Bill will be a representative in Congress who will dedicate himself to ensuring that those promises are kept.

Immediate Policy Agenda: There are so many veterans' issues that need attention now and in the future. In addition to the issues Bill already knows to be important, he would like to hear about the issues that are most important to you and your loved ones. To ensure he answers as many questions as possible, please e-mail your concerns to Don Jonker, Bill McCamley's Veterans' Liaison, at dojkr@aol.com as soon as possible. Veterans can count on Bill to listen and to fight for them.

Paid for and authorized by Bill McCamley for Congress.

Editor's Notes: You can visit Bill McCamley's campaign website, which is currently being revamped, at https://www.billmccamley.com. To read our previous coverage of the 2008 Congressional race in NM-02, visit our archive.