[Grovenet] Sad and disgraceful episode

[Walt Wentz]

As a veteran, I was infuriated to read this. Haven't we learned 
anything since the 1960s?
Walt

>
>From Matthis Chiroux, IVAW
>  Wednesday, Oct. 15th, 2008, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War and
>  supporters gathered near the Hempstead, N.Y., train station to march on the
>  final presidential debate at Hofstra University.
>
>  Our intent was made clear in a letter to Bob Schieffer, the debate
>  moderator, one week prior. We wanted two members of our organization inside
>  the debate where they would ask one question of Obama and one of McCain. If
>  CBS and the candidates failed to meet our demands, we would march on
>  Hofstra at 7 p.m. in a peaceful attempt to enter the debate to have our
>  voices heard.
>
>  I planned on asking Barack Obama if he would back up his assessment of the
>  occupation of Iraq as illegal by supporting servicemembers who would thus
>  be required to refuse service there. Kris Goldsmith planned on asking
>  McCain about his history of failing to vote in favor of V.A. funding,
>  especially since the beginning of the occupation of Iraq.
>
>  Non-violence was stressed in every stage leading up to this action. It was
>  stressed by me and Kris to Det. Thomas J. Calvert and Det. Robert Annese of
>  the Nassau County Police Department the day before the action. Calvert and
>  Annese were in charge of security for the debate, and they assured us they
>  would instruct their officers to respect the non-violent spirit of the
>  action by using restraint towards peaceful veterans and demonstrators.
>
>  In every stage of planning, IVAW made every effort to keep all planned
>  tactics and actions above the table so that the candidates, the media,
>  the police and the country would know exactly what would happen if our
>  demands were not met.
>
>  We were at Hofstra to force the issue that veterans and servicemembers are
>  not being cared for or heard from by our government, and the candidates,
>  CBS and the Nassau County Police Department couldnt have proved us more
>  correct.
>
>  We, the veterans and our supporters, stood together in solidarity, knowing
>  the stakes were high. But a resolve echoed deep from with us to stand our
>  ground and be heard. Twice these candidates had brushed us off, and thrice
>  just wasnt going to happen.
>
>  So at seven p.m. when wed heard nothing from the moderators, IVAW made
>  good on its promise to the candidates and Det. Calvert. We marched to the
>  front gate of Hofstra, read our questions and peacefully proceeded into
>  police lines.
>
>  Because these candidates cared more to hear from Joe the Plumber than
>  veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, ten veterans went to jail and five
>  civilian supporters joined us.
>
>  This upsets me, but I knew the risk, and if I must fall in defense of
>  democracy, peace and justice, I offer my sacrifice willingly.
>
>  What infuriates me is the GROSS MISCONDUCT of the police in the process,
>  much of which I believe to be illegal.
>
>  After my arrest, the police charged their horses onto a sidewalk and
>  unprovokedly knocked my friend Nick Morgan, a veteran of Iraq, to the
>  ground and trampled his face. They then arrested him, put a piece of gauze
>  on his facewound and loaded him onto a bus headed for jail with the rest of
>  the Hempstead 15.
>
>  After they brought Nick onto the bus and we the veterans identified him as
>  exhibiting signs of a concussion and as needing immediate medical
>  attention, our arresting officers laughed at us and told us Nick would
>  receive no help unless he himself asked to go to the hospital, though Nick
>  was barely conscious and completely disoriented at the time AND THE COPS
>  KNEW IT!
>
>  We pointed out that as a result of a serious head injury, Nick wasnt aware
>  enough to speak for himself. The police responded with, too bad.
>
>  After Nick stirred enough for us to instruct him to ask for medical
>  attention, he was taken to a hospital, diagnosed with a fractured
>  cheekbone, given nothing more than Motrin for the pain and brought to the
>  Police Station where he sat chained to a bench for 5 hours with no further
>  medical attention at all.
>
>  Additionally, police pulled other members and supporters of ours from the
>  sidewalk and arrested them while horses spun in circles causing injury to
>  most who couldnt escape their paths.
>
>  All of this, I observed after arrest through the large windows of a bus we
>  were detained in which was parked parallel to the demonstration and
>  subsequent atrocities.
>
>  While on the bus, the officers mocked us, calling us idiots and whiners.
>  When we arrived at the Nassau County Detention Center, the hazing did not
>  cease.
>
>  One officer, when I brought up the prospect of speaking to a lawyer,
>  threatened to, put me in the back (jail), where, the big boys will pop
>  your cherry! When I asked this officer if he had just threatened an
>  honorably discharged veteran of Afghanistan with prison rape and told him I
>  wanted his name and rank, he refused and told me to look it up on the
>  police report which the Nassau County Police Department has refused to
>  provide us a copy of.
>
>  While detained, the three females who were arrested with us, including
>  Marine Reserve Capt. Marlisa Grogan, were sexually harassed by the police
>  who went so far as to hold Ids next to the chained womens faces and make
>  comments like, you look like you came out of a Barbie magazine.
>
>  All night, they didnt stop. Youre cowards, youre idiots, they said.
>  The hostility was thick and unwarranted.
>
>  This non-violent protest stuff is retarded, they said (as if theyd
>  prefer the alternative). See how it got your friends face f---ed up?
>
>  Literally, they said this when they brought Nick in and chained him to the
>  bench. The harassment only increased from there.
>
>  Look at you friends face, said one officer. Youre responsible for
>  that. As if I gave to order to charge horses onto a crowded sidewalk.
>
>  I saw this same officer in the Colony diner where we went to eat after we
>  were charged with disorderly conduct and released. He was with the one who
>  threatened me with prison rape, and when I approached them respectfully and
>  again asked for their names, he leapt to his feet, threw his finger in my
>  face and began threatening to beat my a-- if I didnt drop it.
>
>  Afterward, one of his friends, also a police officer, approached me,
>  accused me of being drunk and said I was about to get arrested again. I
>  retorted that his accusations were false (considering Id only gotten out
>  of jail 30 minutes prior) and that I was only interested in learning the
>  names of the officers who arrested and harassed us as I have the legal
>  right to do. He responded with only his name, which he said was Peter
>  Sikinger, but refused to reveal the names of his partners, though to his
>  credit, he did back down from threatening me with arrest.
>
>  I am outraged at the egregious conduct of the Nassau Country Police
>  Department and the failure of Det. Calvert to make good on his promise to
>  make things go as smoothly as possible.
>
>  But mostly, I must put this on the candidates.
>
>  Barack Obama and John McCain, you have failed to properly address the
>  occupation of Iraq and veteran and servicemember issues in this campaign.
>  You failed to hear from us, the veterans and servicemembers, at the
>  conventions. Your overwhelming concern for Joe the Plumber at the final
>  debate while veterans are killing themselves at a rate of 18 per month is
>  inhumane to say the least.
>
>  The fact that you allowed your veterans to be arrested, brutalized and
>  harassed for simply trying to be heard by you is inexcusable. Forever
>  should your consciences be scarred for what you allowed to take place to
>  veterans on American soil.
>
>  But our questions still stand, and we still demand answers.
>
>  Obama, are you ready to support members of the military refusing to
>  participate in the occupation of Iraq which you have termed illegal?
>
>  McCain, as a veteran, how can you account for your abysmal failure to vote
>  in favor of post-2003 legislation to fund the V.A. which provides life
>  saving services to men and women who gave all to serve this nation?
>
>  Besides which, you both owe the Hempstead 15 an apology. You owe Nick
>  Morgan an apology for the reconstructive surgery hell be receiving and the
>  permanent, violent altering of his face that is a result of your failure to
>  hear from us.
>
>  You owe every veteran in history a public statement condemning the sidewalk
>  trampling of Nick and Carlos Harris, an Iraq veteran, who also had his foot
>  broken by a horse. As well Geoff Millard, a disabled veteran of Iraq with
>  degenerative spine disease who was knocked to the ground, dragged from the
>  sidewalk and arrested, and Nadine Lubka, one of our supporters, who was
>  kicked in the face by a horse.
>
>  And we the people are not done forcing this issue.
>
>  I encourage every person who reads this to contact both the Obama and
>  McCain campaigns and demand they answer our questions and condemn the
>  actions of the police Wednesday night.
>
>  They dont own this election, the media doesnt own this election, we the
>  people own this election, and we deserve to have our voices heard. Any
>  candidate who disagrees with that statement is unworthy the Presidency of
>  the United States of America.
>
>  Peace and Solidarity,
>
>  Matthis Chiroux
>
>
>  The Hempstead 15:
>  Matthis Chiroux (Army Sergeant)
>  Kristofer Goldsmith (Army Sergeant)
>  Adam Kokesh (Marine Sergeant)
>  Mike Spinato (Marine Corporal)
>  Geoff Millard (Army Sergeant)
>  Marlisa Grogan (Marine Captain)
>  Nathan Peld (Navy, 1998-2004)
>  Nick Morgan (Army Sergeant)
>  James Gilligan (Marine Corps, 6 years)
>  Jose Vasquez (Army & Army Reserves, 1992-2007)
>  Ryan Olander
>  Paul Blasenheim
>  David M. Disimino
>  Lianne Gillouly
>  Megan Day
>  Contact Info
>  Website:<http://ivaw.org/>http://ivaw.org
>  Location:99 Main Street
>  Hempstead, NY
>