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Listen to one of our members and get a better idea of what we stand for. Click on the text, below.
Interview with Carole
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Welcome to web site for the
Maine Chapter of Military Families Speak Out
Military Families Speak Out ~ Maine is an organization of people from Maine opposed to the war in Iraq who have
relatives or loved ones in the military. Our national membership currently
includes over 3,000 military families, with new families joining daily.
If you have family members or loved ones in the military and you are
opposed to this war, and live in Maine, (click the blue text) JOIN MFSO~ME by sending an e-mail or contact the National web site mfso@mfso.org to find your local chapter.
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| Don't forget to check the Upcoming Events Page! |
| MFSO~Maine chapter has endorsed a petition to allow the people of Iraq to vote on US occupation of their country: (Click the image below.) |
Write to Congress During the Election!
Let Them Know We are Still Watching!
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| Send Me Photos for our new MFSO Actions Photo Page. Thanks, Lin |
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Rita and Richard Clemens in DC.
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Dog Saved by Marine Gets
Home in US
By CHELSEA J. CARTER,
AP
Posted: 2008-02-22 12:17:29
SAN DIEGO (Feb. 22) - It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war. The dog became so devoted he tracked this Marine when he was 65 miles away.
Read Article>>>
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Grieving Family Fetches Soldier's
Dogs from Iraq
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All Things Considered, February 19, 2008 · On Christmas Day, Sgt. Peter Neesley of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., died in his sleep in his Army barracks in Baghdad. During his tour in Iraq, Neesley had started taking care of two dogs, a stray Labrador mix and her pup.
Read More>> |
Maine MFSO families
represented at DC march.
Rita and Richard Clement, of
Gardiner, represented us in
Washington DC, leaving from Maine
the night before and traveling
on the bus through the night,
for the January 27 march and rally.
In spite of the bitter cold
that night, Dexter Kamilewicz gave
an inspirational send off
speech to all the travelers once
they assembled to leave.
The march was, as always, very
well attended by American patriots
who made this huge effort to wake
up our sleepwalking politicians.
Thank you Rita and Richard.
Gerald Oleson sent this
audio of Mayer Anderson,
who seems to be one of the
few politicians who is not afraid
to speak the plain truth and
unite America again.:
http://homepage.mac.com/
nateg/dc_demo/iMovieTheater127.html
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| Military families still wait on both fronts: When will Congress demonstrate just a fraction of the courage they have demanded of our troops? |
| Congress failed in its duty to have a full discussion on Iraq before allowing our troops to be sacrificed needlessly. Sen. Snowe is now calling for a debate, 4 years too late for thousands of families, but the ones next destined for injuries or death could be spared, and our Nation could begin the healing, if our Congress people will do their duty, as they expect our soldiers to do. The shirking must stop. Their resolutions and oaths must be as binding as the deaths and sacrifice of our military families. |
| Rep. Michaud and Allen, we want you to cosponsor H.R. 746, the binding "Safe and Orderly Withdrawal from Iraq Act" Read more>>> |
"Victory is not an Option"
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General Odom, who served under President Reagan as head of Army intelligence and director of the National Security Agency, doesn't mince words about the need for the US to get out of Iraq. Ask your friends to read it, ask our Congress people what they have to say about it. Read article>>> |
Soldier, After Bipolar Treatment and Suicide Attempts, Sent Back to War Zone |
February 11, 2008
FORT CARSON A Fort Carson soldier who says he was in treatment at Cedar Springs Hospital for bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse was released early and ordered to deploy to the Middle East... Read article>>> |
Making Martial Law Easier
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New York Times: Published: February 19, 2007
A disturbing recent phenomenon in Washington is that laws that strike to the heart of American democracy have been passed in the dead of night. Read article>>>
Read about the Posse Comitatus Act
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_
Comitatus_Act |
| 68040Click picture to "Tear it Down" |
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Maine Military Families
Speaking Out~Articles |
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Sandy at Brunswick NAS Sept 15th
YouTube Link for Video |
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Rita Leads the VFP Float 2007 |
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VFP ME - Memorial day Float - 2007
Join other MFSO~ME members this May 26th in Bruswick!!!
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Kennebunkport Peace rally and march. |
Carole approaches Walker Point barrior for a Moment of Silence (above) |
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Youth with Sign in K-Port, Photo by,Carole |
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Dexter Speaking at K-port Protest (08/07) (above)
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Maine ranks 3rd in Army recruitment
February 16, 2008 - Bangor Daily News |
| More than 400 young men and women from Maine shipped off to active-duty Army boot camp in 2007, a recruitment rate that is the third-highest in the nation per capita. Read more>>> |
PTSD -Denial in the Corp |
Marine Lance Cpl. James Jenkins is buried in the same New Jersey cemetery that he used to run through on his way to high school,
Read Article>>>
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Thank You Rep. Mike Michaud |
Michaud Receives Military Families
Commendation Award
Read Article>>> |
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In This Mission Impossible, Politics Kills Soldiers
Published on Friday, April 6, 2007 by The Bangor Daily News
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The Maine Chapter of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) has been providing DVDs and articles to members of Congress to help them understand our increasing concerns about the safety and mission of our soldiers. Read more>>>
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Military Families Say:
"Don't fund the Killing!" |
| Many Congress members claim to fund the continued occupation of Iraq in order to "Support the Troops". This claim cannot be supported by facts. It adds insult to injury by placing the entire Congressional burden on our soldiers. Congress has been AWOL on the issues of declaring war and of funding, both of which are clearly their responsibility under our Constitution. Read more>>> |
Even as Loved Ones Fight On, War Doubts Arise
New York Times video "Re-thinking the War link at left of page.
by Ian Urbina, New York Times
July 15th, 2007
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FORT EUSTIS, Va., July 11 — Cpl. April Ponce De Leon describes herself and her husband as “gung-ho marines,” and in two weeks she deploys to Iraq, where her husband has been fighting since March.
But she says she stopped believing in the war last month after a telephone conversation with him. Read More>>> |
'Supporting the troops' means withdrawing them'
COMMENTARY | July 05, 2007
Gen. William Odom writes that opponents of the war should focus public attention on the fact that Bush’s obstinate refusal to admit defeat is causing the troops enormous psychological as well as physical harm.
By William E. Odom |
Read More of this article>>
Read more about General William Odom |
Statement of Congressman Michael Michaud
On H.R. 1591 – Iraq Supplemental
March 23, 2007 |
| Today, I find my conscience torn between a vote to fund the further occupation of Iraq, which I oppose, and the establishment of a firm deadline to bring our men and women home, which I strongly support. This is the hardest vote that I have ever cast in Congress.Read More>> |
Shortages Threaten Guard's Capability
88 Percent of Units Rated 'Not Ready' |
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 2, 2007; Page A01
Nearly 90 percent of Army National Guard units in the United States are rated "not ready" -- largely as a result of shortfalls in billions of dollars' worth of equipment -- Read More>>> |
Victory Is Not an Option
The Mission Can't Be Accomplished -- It's Time for a New Strategy
By William E. Odom
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Sunday, February 11, 2007
The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq starkly delineates the gulf that separates President Bush's illusions from the realities of the war. Read More (Odem Articles) >>> |
Lt. General William Odom and the march back to Realism
Written by Henry Midgley |
Monday, 12 February 2007
Yesterday's Washington Post carried a stinging rebuke to President Bush concerning the latter's policy in Iraq. Lieutenant General William Odom though cannot be dismissed as a simple minded anti-war protestor- Read More>>> |
My turn: Surge or denial: Contradictions between president's war strategy and follow-through
By RICH MONIAK |
Juneau Empire, February 1, 2007
President Bush calls it a surge. Some in Congress and the majority of Americans oppose this new strategy, seen as an escalation of the war. Left out of the debate of names is the critique of the effort to train Iraqis to take over the duty of protecting their nation so our troops can come home.Read More>>> |
WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO HONOR DEMOCRACY
by Dexter J. Kamilewicz |
This is the text of Dexter's speech for those who were going to Washington.
We are gathered here in Portland, Maine on this very cold night to participate in the most sacred rights that America once honored and protected: namely, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of speech and the freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances, all without fear of reprisal as guarantied by our Constitution.
Read More>>> |
Listen to member of that group, William Perry, here LISTEN>>>
William Perry not only has an impressive knowledge of past and current events, he
has a Marine son serving in Fallujah and
offers his sobering perspective.
Iraq troop training was never planned! The Iraq Study Group reported that even though the stated goal of the administration was, "as Iraqi troops stand up, we will stand down", this report reveals that this endeavor was never funded. The amount budgeted in fiscal year 2006 was spent in Iraq every 2 weeks. An informative article on this here by MFSO member Rich Moniak of Alaska. His son was in the Striker brigade that was called back to Iraq while they were on there way home. Please read what he has to say about the Iraq Study Group's revelation about the lack of funding for Iraqi troops, ensuring that they will be unable to take over so our troops can come home.
if you need to, you can download real player for free to listen |
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If you would like to print out post cards urging Congress to support our troops by defunding the war, go here POSTCARD
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The Ground Truth
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The Ground Truth is a film that exposes the human cost of the Iraq War. It features
members of Iraq Veterans Against the War and MFSO members Kevin and
Joyce Lucey, whose son, Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey, committed suicide as
a result of his experiences in Iraq. For more information go to: www.thegroundtruth.net
Click to order a DVD.
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'Iraq for Sale' and
'The Ground Truth' DVDs
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Maine MFSO has copies of these films and will lend them to anyone who wishes to have a showing. Email us, click
e-mail link below
Borrow DVDs
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Download graphics and order bumper stickers. |
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Tax Exempt Status Law
This is from Maine law:
a 501(c)(4) non-profit cannot engage directly in political campaign activities for candidates without losing their tax exempt status, it may be able to participate in
some political activity for or against candidates if can submit proof to the IRS that the organization is organized exclusively to promote social welfare. (c)(3) organizations cannot participate directly in political campaigns of any kind without losing their tax exempt status, with the exception of referenda campaigns and ballot initiatives |
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