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Middle East Eye
16-06-2025
- Health
- Middle East Eye
Meet the American military veterans fasting for Gaza
Joy Metzler was a second lieutenant in the US Air Force when Aaron Bushnell self-immolated in protest against the US's role in Israel's war on Gaza. The 23-year-old Metzler was so moved by Bushnell's sacrifice in February 2024 that she began researching Palestine. Horrified by Israel's occupation and US backing for what international human rights groups, experts and several countries now qualify as an act of genocide in Gaza, she became a conscientious objector to the war, choosing to leave the air force in August 2024. Her application to be excused from the air force was approved in April 2025. With death and destruction continuing to envelope Gaza through relentless bombardment and an aid blockade triggering starvation, Metzler continued to organise and look for new ways to advocate for an end to the war. So when Veterans for Peace and Friends of Sabeel North America decided to launch a fast for Gaza outside the US Mission at the United Nations in New York City on 22 May, Metzler immediately got involved. She told Middle East Eye that fasting felt like the "next logical step" but really "a moral obligation to be standing up against the human rights violations tantamount to a genocide, if not actually a genocide happening in Gaza". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Metzler joins 745 people, including three veterans from the Vietnam War, who have been fasting for the past 20 days across the US, in protest against the ongoing war in Gaza, where over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed. Veterans have either restricted their diet to 250 calories per day, less than a can of fava beans, in line with what Oxfam described in April as the abysmal average daily food intake of Palestinians in Gaza due to the military siege on the enclave. Others who have joined the fast have followed the rules of the Islamic month of Ramadan, in which proponents steer clear of both food and water from dawn to dusk. They say they are calling for the resumption of humanitarian aid under the authority of the United Nations, and for the US to halt its arms sales to Israel. Joy Metzler with a poster showing Palestinian children who have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza (Veterans for Peace/Supplied) Advocacy and outreach With a core team of around seven standing outside the US Mission to the UN in New York City for the past 20 days, Veterans for Peace, which was founded in 1985 in response to the global nuclear arms race and US military interventions in Central America, have also been conducting outreach with several governments stationed at the UN. Last week, a team from the group met with the Danish envoy to urge them to exert pressure on Maersk, the Danish shipping and logistics company that ships military cargo to Israel. Protesters at NYC vigil hope Aaron Bushnell's death inspires moral reckoning on Gaza Read More » Though they weren't able to convince the Danes to alter course on Maersk, organisers say that being at the UN has provided an opportunity to make envoys feel at the very least uncomfortable. Phil Tottenham, a Marine Corps veteran and a member of Veterans for Peace, told MEE he regularly sent updates to comrades around the world who were also fasting - in Hong Kong, Ireland and Germany, among other places - about the latest developments in New York as well as their interactions with ambassadors around the UN. It helped build a sense of community and shared responsibility. "I am here fasting because it was a thought that occurred to me about wanting to do something more. "Prior to Aaron Bush self-immolating, I had had the thought of that, but didn't have the courage to go through the pain of what he went through. "And so that's why I'm here fasting in New York City," Tottenham, 47, said. Tottenham added that as the descendant of a colonial settler who participated in the ethnic cleansing of indigenous people in Tejos and Mexico, it was a personal matter to him to stand up for the Palestinian people. "I couldn't stand by and not learn from history and have another genocide of an indigenous people occur on my watch as a descendant of a white settler colonist," he added. Veterans for Peace gather outside the United Nations to pressure the US government to end its role in Israel's war on Gaza (Veterans for Gaza/Supplied) Remembering Palestinians Metzler admits that the last 20 days have not been easy. But it has kept her razor sharp in remembering the plight of the Palestinians. "We've talked a bit about how we've been feeling on 250 calories, but the reality is, we get to choose what fits in that 250 calories. We get to have fresh water, we get to have fresh vegetables, fresh food," Metlzer told MEE. Has Israel manufactured a famine in Gaza? Read More » "And the other thing is that 250 calories is an average, which means that some people aren't even getting that. There are multiple stories of people who haven't been able to eat anything for a couple of days." The veterans' effort to conduct a mass fast is part of a global outpouring of solidarity for Palestinians. 'Watching hundreds of people maimed, burned, and killed every day just tears at my insides - too much like when I nursed hundreds of wounded from our war in Vietnam," Mike Ferner, former national director of Veterans For Peace, said when the fast was launched in late May. "Our taxes help Israel provide full health care to all its citizens while millions of Americans go without it, and we spend billions killing people. This madness will only stop when enough Americans demand it stops," Ferner added. Last week, a flotilla filled with activists, including Greta Thunberg, carrying aid to Gaza, was intercepted by Israeli forces. Members of the crew were held for hours in an Israeli prison, and reportedly subjected to abuse before they were deported. This week, thousands of people from around the world have descended on Cairo to embark on the Global March to Gaza. Several reports indicate that the Egyptian authorities have been deporting activists before they could make their way to el-Arish, where the event was scheduled to begin on Thursday. "I really think being outside the UN, and the US mission to the UN has been, has been a great, great choice for this fast and you know, we're not even halfway through yet, so even though we're tired, we're looking forward to seeing what else can come out of this, Meltzer added.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Activists to rally throughout Michigan to protest parade, Trump policies
Throughout Michigan, groups are set to gather Saturday to protest various Trump administration policies and to draw attention from a military parade and festival in Washington, D.C., celebrating the Army's 250th anniversary. Rallies are scheduled throughout metro Detroit and dozens of other cities in the state, from Midland to Muskegon and Milan to Marquette. An estimated 2,000 protests under the No Kings banner are expected nationwide. Protest arrests began Friday in Washington, D.C., with Capitol Police taking dozens of people demonstrating against the parade into custody on the steps of the Capitol, according to news reports and social media posts. That protest, news reports said, was organized by Veterans for Peace. In Michigan, No Kings protest organizers said their largest protests in metro Detroit will be in Detroit, from 1-4 p.m., at 1130 Clark Ave.; Ferndale, 1-3 p.m., at 9 Mile and Woodward; and Troy from noon-4 p.m. at Rochester and Big Beaver. Elsewhere in the state, the big rallies are expected to be in Lansing, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Michigan State Capitol; Grand Rapids, 10-11:30 a.m. at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, and then noon-2 p.m., at Rosa Parks Circle; and Traverse City, noon-3 p.m. at F and M Park. Saturday, on WXYZ-TV (Channel 7), Michigan's political leaders called for peaceful protests. Attorney General Dana Nessel and the head of the Michigan Republican Party, Jim Runestad, a state senator from White Lake, urged groups to avoid violence. Protesting has long been a part of American history, going back to the Boston Tea Party. Saturday's protests — which No Kings organizers have said are intended to be peaceful and have steered clear of the capital — are coming on the heels of violence in Los Angeles and the president's repeated calls for law and order. In some states, officials are preparing for the demonstrations by beefing up law enforcement's presence, and in two states — Texas and Missouri — readying National Guard troops in case violence breaks out. Activists point out that the military parade with thousands of troops and tanks coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, and warn that crackdowns appear to be moving America toward authoritarianism. Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Activists to rally throughout Michigan to protest parade, Trump policies
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local clergy members fast in protest of war in Gaza
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Some local clergy members are joining in a national movement among faith leaders to go without food in protest to the ongoing war in Gaza. Broome County Peace Action and Veterans for Peace organized a protest today outside the MetroCenter office of Congressman Josh Riley to call for an end to the War in Gaza. The activists renewed their accusation that Israel is engaging in genocide in its efforts to root out Hamas terrorists in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks. Across the country, clergy from various religions are engaging in fasting for a 40 day period lasting through the month of June. Different faith leaders are abstaining from food in various forms as a sign of opposition to the war. Gary Doupe, a retired Methodist pastor, says he plans to go without eating during daylight hours every Thursday. 'I'm planning to do that through the remainder of June at least. I think I will continue with it until we really see a cessation of hostility in Gaza. The least I can do is refrain from food for a few hours a day,' Doupe said. Local Catholic, Presbyterian and Congregational clergy members are also participating. Following their rally, the protestors walked to the offices of Riley and US Senator Chuck Schumer in the federal building to deliver letters outlining their opposition to the war. They say they plan to rally every Thursday midday outside the MetroCenter through the month of June. Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: The EV Revolutionizer Guthrie Lourdes Health and Fitness turns three with free wellness event 52nd annual Greek Fest kicks off in Vestal Ribbon cutting held for $15 million project at Good Shepherd Village at Endwell New York Times agrees to license its material for Amazon's AI Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Local San Diego group concerned about VA cuts
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Veterans Affairs layoffs have started with congressional members reporting at least 2,400 VA employees out of work as of Monday. Now, VA employees are bracing for another round of cuts, with 80,000 VA workers expected to be given their walking papers. 'A recent report that VA is going to either privatize or going to eliminate and replace the call centers,' said Mike Levin, a congressman from the 49th District. Levin fears older vets, without the ability to navigate automated systems, might fall through the cracks. 'It will be a lot more difficult if there are not actual human beings on the other end of the line at the VA,' Levin said. The Trump administration through Elon Musk and the Doge team says they are trying to find waste fraud and abuse all over the government and the VA has not been an exception. The local San Diego group Veterans for Peace are not taking the proposed cuts lightly. 'This is going to affect people who have been suffering from agent orange in the Vietnam era. This is also going to affect people from my own post 9/11 era who have been exposed to toxic burn pits like there were on the base where I was at Bagram,' said Ian Mooney, an Afghanistan Army Vet and President of Veterans for Peace. U.S. Army Vet Ian Mooney spent 14 months in Afghanistan and says the VA has been a wonderful resource after the war and vets fear expected VA cuts. 'Anger mobilizes people and we have seen an upsurge in recruitment and we are marching with it,' Mooney said. 'The promise is that when you are done serving the country you're going to get great healthcare and we are going to all we can to serve you as just as well you served us and we are never going to live up to altogether, but we are going to do our best to try,' Levin said. Veterans for Peace is planning a rally at waterfront park in downtown San Diego Saturday at noon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vietnam veteran remembered as advocate for peace
In the approximately 15 years Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff knew each other, the two veterans struck a good balance: hot and cold. Kauff is fiery and emotional; Mayers was intelligent, thoughtful and calm. "But we were both standing for the same thing," Kauff said. The pair, both members of anti-war nonprofit Veterans for Peace, traveled the world together, visiting Japan to South Korea to Palestine — and often performing a little civil disobedience along the way. Mayers, a Vietnam War veteran, who went on to found the Santa Fe chapter of Veterans for Peace, died Jan. 27. He was 88. Over the years, Mayers advocated for action against sexual assault in the military, a freeze on nuclear weapons development and against Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. His activism and civil disobedience stretched well into Mayers' 80s. The octogenarian was arrested in 2019 for trespassing on an Irish airfield in protest. Mayers and Kauff were arrested after they entered Shannon Airport's airfield to inspect and protest U.S. military aircraft that had stopped at the base while on the way to the Middle East — a layover Kauff said violated Ireland's longstanding policy of military neutrality. Mayers and Kauff were jailed for 13 days, then prevented from leaving the country for several months. Ultimately, two of the three charges leveled against them were rejected. But they were found guilty of obstructing airport operations, receiving a fine of 5,000 euros — $5,225 — each. In the months the two men were stuck in Ireland, they were met with goodwill. They never had to pay for a hotel, Kauff said, but were instead housed "like family" by like-minded Irish citizens and asked to speak and join events. After the trial, they were about to be met with another gesture of goodwill. In an hour, Veterans for Peace Ireland founder Ed Horgan and other allies had gathered the funds to cover both men's fines. "We all felt it was a victory, because the judge didn't expect that we would be able to pay that fine so quickly, and we did," Kauff said. "When we walked out of there, there was TV and press waiting for us ... it was kind of a victory to see that kind of community support and local support ... and people just loved Ken." Ireland wasn't Mayer's only sojourn outside of the City Different for activism, and it wasn't the only time the activist had been arrested. More than a decade ago, Mayers and other activists handcuffed themselves together at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza in New York City to protest the 13th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. In 2013, Mayers visited the Palestinian West Bank village of Bil'in to protest repeated tear-gas bombings by the Israeli Defense Forces. Mayers was never daunted, his companion said, and "always stood up for what was right," even in the face of tear gas and rubber bullets. "Ken was basically fearless in his own quiet way," Kauff said. "I never saw him afraid of anything." That year, Mayers was selected as one of The Santa Fe New Mexican's 10 Who Made a Difference recipients. The next year, he was declared a Santa Fe Living Treasure. 'I am honored,' he told The New Mexican over the phone in 2013. Mayers was in the Palestinian territories at the time. 'It doesn't seem to me that what I am doing makes a difference. I hope it makes a difference.' For Santa Feans, Mayers may be more recognizable for appearing at a weekly protest against nuclear weapons. 'We get a lot of honks for peace," Mayers said in a 2014 New Mexican article. "And some drivers give us a one-finger peace sign instead of a two-finger peace sign, but generally speaking, the response is favorable. People thank me all the time for what I'm doing.' Born in New York, Mayers was exposed to the military from a young age. Both his father and brother served, the former as a Marine and the latter in the Army. At 17, he was awarded a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship to Princeton, and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. In 1958 — just a few years before the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War — he began serving in the Marine Corps. He remained in active duty until 1966, and earned the rank of major. But Mayers ended up radically changing course and resigning his commission. In a 2007 New Mexican article, Mayers pointed to the Gulf of Tonkin incident as a disillusioning experience that led him to his life of activism. But at other times, he looked back even further. More than a dozen of his family members had perished in the Holocaust, he said in a 2013 New Mexican article. 'The lesson I took from that is, no one should ever be oppressed,' he said at the time. Jay Coghlan, executive director of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, said he met Mayers in the small world of anti-nuclear activism. The veteran was always modest, Coghlan said. "What impressed me so much was that he came back and resigned his commission, out of out of conscience," Coghlan said. "That, of course, destroyed his career. It was over. But, therefore, I feel that Ken was just a person of high integrity." Mayers moved to Northern New Mexico more than 25 years ago. His wife, Elizabeth Mayers, died of cancer several years after the couple moved to Santa Fe. He is survived by his partner, Pam Gilchrist; children, Bill Mayers and Catherine Fenner; a brother and sister-in-law; and several nieces, nephews and grandchildren, according to his obituary. After his military career, Mayers taught political science and economics at Bennington College. He later moved into the private sector; in 2017, he was honored as the "longest tenured team member" of TAG Alliances. "We are indebted personally to Ken for his unfailing support, loyalty, mentorship and wise counsel, particularly during the transition of the organization to us," a 2017 post said. "His passion and enthusiasm is contagious, and he continues to inspire us on a daily basis." Change, Mayers once told The New Mexican, could only happen over time — and isn't guaranteed. Nevertheless, Mayers stalwartly continued his regular protests. That's where his celebration of his life will be held — at the weekly haunt at Sandoval and West Alameda streets. 'There's a chance — and I grant it's a slim chance — that over time we will effect change,' Mayers said in 2013. 'I've been at this 45, 46, 47 years. I can't say I've seen a helluva lot of progress. But I feel like I have to keep doing it." The vigil in Mayers' memory will be held at noon April 4. A lunch and hybrid service will be held afterward at Unitarian Universalist, 107 W. Barcelona St.
