People Rights Organization of America

February 2012


	Freedom to Speak
	MILITARY FAMILIES SPEAK OUT
	VETERANS SPEAK OUT
	We Got STUFF to Say!
	In The News
	IN THE NEWS II - KATRINA
	Photo Gallery
	Mail Call
	The Flip Side
	Resources

Click Here for Full Calendar

LINKS:


	911 TRUTH
	AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
	AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
	ANTIWAR.COM
	BOOKS FOR SOLDIERS
	BRING THEM HOME NOW
	CITIES FOR PEACE
	COMMON DREAMS
	COBB FOR PEACE
	CYNTHIA FOR CONGRESS
	END THE WAR
	FAITHFUL AMERICA
	GEORGIA PEACE AND JUSTICE COALITION
	GI RIGHTS HOTLINE
	GI SPECIAL
	GLOBAL POLICY
	GRASS ROOTS
	INTERVENTION MAGAZINE
	IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR
	JAMAAL ADDISON MOTIVATIONAL FOUNDATION
	JIB-JAB/NEED A GOOD LAUGH?
	MICHAEL MOORE
	MILITARY FAMILIES SPEAK OUT
	MOVE ON
	MOVING DONKEY
	NOT IN OUR NAME
	PEACE ACTION
	PET LOSS SUPPORT PAGE
	SMEDLEY BUTLER SOCIETY
	SPIRITUAL ATLANTA
	TRAPROCK PEACE CENTER
	TRUTH OUT
	UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
	VET CENTER (READJUSTMENT COUNSELING)
	VETERANS AGAINST THE IRAQ WAR
	VETERANS FOR PEACE
	VIET NAM VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR
	VOTE FOR CHANGE
	WAR TIMES
	WOMEN'S ACTION FOR NEW DIRECTIONS
	WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

People Rights Organization of America

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If you wish to submit your story to this site, please feel free to do so. You do not have to be a soldier or in a minority, however, soldiers are our main focus at this time. If you feel that your rights have been trampled, you can contact us below. Your name will not be used if you request. Please note, any email that uses profane or vulgar language will be ignored!

SGT TONY LAMPIN

Hello, my name is Brandie Lampin and I am the wife of Sgt. Tony Lampin, a mechanic for the 115th Field Hospital, stationed at Fort Polk, La. I have sent every media company that I could find or know and the President, this letter because my husband and other soldiers, that are medically unfit for service, were forced to go back to Iraq for a second tour. One soldier that I have been given permission to name is Sgt. Jacqueline Stinnett. All left on the 25th of July bound for Abu Ghraib Prison. Last month, on the 9th of June, my husband had a follow up appointment with his orthopedic surgeon, Maj. Granger, for his knee that was operated on for a second time due to damage. After several follow ups, the doctor said that my husband's knee has not gotten any better, and that his knee is permanently damaged, and that he recommends that he be medically discharged out of service, and that he is NON DEPLOYABLE. He gave my husband a permanent medical profile stating this, and is also marked that he CANNOT RUN, should only walk at own pace and distance, that he is unable to move with a fighting load at least 2 miles (48 lbs., includes helmet, boots, uniform, LBE, WEAPON, protective mask, pack, etc.), unable to do 3 - 5 second rushes under direct and indirect fire, and that he is UNHEALTHY by medical condition that prevents him from deploying. It also says that he is not to lift or carry a max weight of 30lbs., no prolonged standing for a maximum of 20 minutes, no marching with field gear and no impact activities such as jumping.

My husband has gone through two surgeries on his knee, gone through physical therapy, water therapy, and has taken numerous medications all to no prevail. The current medications he is on right now are Celebrex, Ultracet, and Percocet. Just a little information on the meds: Celebrex, is for his arthritis, and one of the warning labels on it is “avoid prolonged or excessive exposure to direct sunlight”. I ask you this, what does Iraq have plenty of? Ultracet, and Percocet are taken for pain, and both have a warning label that says: may cause drowsiness/dizziness, and SHOULD NOT operate machinery. He has not gotten any better after the second surgery, and in fact, it is starting to get worse once again. His doctor even told him that his knee is permanently damaged, and that being sent back to Iraq would only make it worse. In my husband’s medical records, the last entry that was entered by his doctor reads this: At this point we will begin a permanent profile. I'd like to switch him over to Arthrotec to see if that treats his osteoarthritic symptoms better. I'd additionally like him to consider having a steroid injection at the lateral portal site if he is not better in another three to six weeks at the lateral portal site. If he continues to persist and we are unable to find a non- steroidal that can control his osterarthritic symptoms, I would consider offering a Viscus supplementation, Hyalgan injections. He is reticent to have that many injections in his knee and I can understand that but his may help him significantly with his pain. We discussed that at today's visit. Permanent profile was written today recommending him for a medical board as he has attempted to take a walk and bicycle PT test and had been unable to pass either of them and this has now been two years from his initial injury to the knee that he's not a record PT test. This was entered on June 9, 2004 by doctor Shawn P. Granger, MAJ. U.S. Army, Bayne Jones ACH Fort Polk, La.

Now here is where the being forced back to Iraq comes in. After showing this profile to his Battalion Commander, Colonel Richards, he stated that he would override the medical board, and force him to go back to Iraq for a second time with the company. The Colonel promised that he would take care of him and the other soldier and see that nothing will happen to them. Here is the thing, how can the Colonel do this if he himself is not going to Iraq. That he has been reassigned to another duty station sitting behind a nice desk, safe and sound in a hospital in Milwaukee. He said that my husband and the other soldier were badly needed and that there was nothing they could do. I ask this, if, God forbid, something was to happen to them, what would the company do, pack up and go home? Get this, before he was relieved by a Colonel Short, Colonel Richards changed his mind and decided to not take my husband and the other soldier and have their deployable status changed back to non deployable status. After doing this, the new Colonel said that why bother because he would just change it back and still force them to go. That he wants to hear from their doctor himself saying that they would only get worse if deployed to Iraq. My husband's doctor had been saying this for over a month. If he was told this, he would not take them. This is where Colonel Short lied to his soldiers. They were forced to go anyway. He also, like Colonel Richards, promises to keep them safe. What is he going to do, keep them by his side at all times? How can he do this if my husband will be on a convoy from Kuwait to Abu Ghraib Prison where they are being sent to set up a hospital for the prisoners/soldiers? A convoy is one of the most dangerous places to be for a soldier, and the prison alone isn't really all that safe. It has been attacked 6 times in the past 3 months. Which includes a mortar attack that hit the quarters that my husband's company was to be placed in. There also, they have to wear their protective gear at all times. Which means my husband will be forced to go against his medical profile of not to carry or lift anything over 30lbs.

During all this, we then began to write our State Senator of Texas, Mrs. Kay Hutchison. We sent all the information that was needed for an investigation into why was my husband not allowed his medical board and forced to go to war. All this was done last month, but yesterday, Aug. 3, I was informed that my husbands’ Congressional has come back, and was read to me by phone. It basically said that my husband's commander, Colonel Richards, has the say if my husband can be deployed or not. I find it unacceptable. No one should be able to tell a soldier that he can no longer receive treatment and not be able to be medical boarded out of service and then force him to go to war where his life would be at greater risk.

The stories of older soldiers in their 50's and 60's, I hear, are being told to America that they have been called back for duty. Some of these soldiers died in Iraq due to heart failure, heat stroke, and various other medical conditions. If I am not mistaken, did or did not the Army ordered retired personal without medical problems back for duty; hence the word “without”. Why doesn't this apply to soldiers who are active? How do you think Americans would react to medically unfit soldiers being sent back to war? How would they react to the fact that they are unable to fend for/ protect themselves and others properly? Do they know that many of our soldiers are on medications that make them sleepy or dizzy? How do you think they would feel if they knew that their tax dollars are being used to send unfit soldiers to war?

When I took my husband to Fort Polk for departure on July 25th, I noticed that a female soldier, whose name I do not know, was on crutches. What was wrong with her? She had a broken foot. Was she going? Yes. I have a question for you, how is she going to protect herself if an attack was to occur? Was she to shoot the enemy with her crutches?

The last I heard from my husband was this past Saturday. I asked how things were going so far, and he said not great. The soldier that has a broken foot was forced to walk on it without her crutches. Now, I know that depending on the fracture, you can apply force, but this soldier is in a war. She can't just rush into things. As for him, he told me that his knee was giving him problems and is really hurting him. He had to take himself off a shooting range in Kuwait because the drugs mixed with the heat were causing him to almost pass out. What will it be like for him in the convoy? I am afraid to think. The convoy is supposed to take 3 to 4 days because of the heat, and they are only allowed to drive for so long. During that time, will my husband be able to stay alert? I can only pray.

My husband has served in the Army for 12 long years. He has been to the Gulf War, where he initially hurt his knee during training. He went to Kuwait last year for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and after being forced he’s there again despite being medically unfit for duty. I don't know how long he was there for the Gulf War. He was in Kuwait last year for only 3 months, and during this next tour, they told him to be prepared to be there between 6 months to a year. Can you just imagine what further damage his knee will be in?

I will leave this letter at this. The 115th Field Hospital's motto is “Warrior Medic” and they are here to take care of patients. My husband is a patient. How are they taking care of him? By not letting him get the medical attention he needs and sending him back to war? My husband has served proudly for his country, but look how he is getting treated. He deserves better than that. Our country owes him its gratitude. America let my husband, the father of my children, your son, come home.

Brandie Lampin,
Wife of a medically unfit soldier
Brandie is a member of Military Families Speak Out.

SGT LAMPIN IS COMING HOME

OUR MOTHER WON A BATTLE THAT OTHERS SAID SHE COULD NOT WIN SHE PROVED THEM WRONG.

OUR DADA, SGT. TONY LAMPIN, A MEDICALLY UNFIT SOLDIER FORCED INTO IRAQ, IS COMING HOME

From: Brandie Lampin, (USMC retd)
To: GI Special
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 12:55 PM
Subject: Sgt. Lampin is Coming Home

As of Oct. 19th

Tony called me to inform me that the command of the 115th Field Hospital has come to the decision to send my husband, Sgt. Tony Lampin, home.

When he told me this, I broke down in tears of joy and got on my knees to thank God for his gift. I asked Tony if the reason for him to be sent home was because of what I have been doing and he said some of it, but some of it was because of the doctors making a written, and verbal statement that since there is nothing else they can do for him, that he should be sent home.

My reply to that is this: In my heart, a great deal of it was because of my long fight for his return, but the command, and the U.S. Army will not admit to that, so I will more than happy to take 50% of the reason.

I would just like to say thank you to the Senators and Congressmen/women who I have contacted and looked into my husbands case, to the supporters who called, emailed, and snail mailed me giving me their full support.

Thank you to the Soldiers who posted their comments about my husband.

To GI Special, thank you so much for posting my letters. You are part of the reason why Tony is being sent home.

MOST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GOD FOR HIS WONDERFUL GIFT TO MY CHILDREN AND I. WE ARE IN GREAT DEBT TO YOU LORD!

Today, Oct. 27th Tony called me from Germany letting me know that he will be home soon but did not know exactly when.

Look for another post by me with pictures of our reunion. It was a long battle, and like I said before; "Though the Command will never admit to it, I won the battle and it just proves that it can be done."

Now that my mission to bring my husband home was accomplished, I would like to say that I am not going to stop in the aid to bring others like my husband home. I will continue helping with advise, writing letters, and making phones calls. If anyone should need my help, please email me or snail mail me. I will be more than happy to help in any way that I can.

God Bless America,
God Bless you all.

Brandie Lampin,
165 Eubanks Rd.
Leesville, La. 71446

FOR MORE ABOUT SGT. LAMPIN CHECK OUT TRAVELING SOLDIER Telling the truth - about the occupation, the cuts to veterans benefits, or the dangers of depleted uranium - is the first reason Traveling Soldier is necessary. But we want to do more than tell the truth; we want to report on the resistance - whether it's in the streets of Baghdad, New York, or inside the armed forces. Our goal is for Traveling Soldier to become the thread that ties working-class people inside the armed services together. We want this newsletter to be a weapon to help you organize resistance within the armed forces. If you like what you've read, we hope that you'll join with us in building a network of active duty organizers. http://www.traveling-soldier.org/ And join with Iraq War vets in the call to end the occupation and bring our troops home now! (www.ivaw.net)

Personal Voices:

Bring Back Our Husbands

by Barbara Facey Carol McDonald

We have not seen our husbands since September 2003. Homeland Security took them away without warning, maybe forever. Even though we are both naturalized US citizens, immigration laws deny our basic right to be with our life partners. We are now single mothers, fighting to keep our children, our jobs and our homes -- and on the verge of losing our minds. Since Congress changed the deportation laws in 1996, over 1 million people have been deported. Since September 11, 2001 the government has launched an initiative to go after everyone with an old deportation order, even when they have families with US citizenship, tearing apart hundreds of thousands of families including ours. My name is Carol MacDonald. My husband Linden Corrica and I are Guyanese New Yorkers. We married ten years ago, and raised our daughter Natasha in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Last year Linden, a Rastafarian, was arrested with a joint. The lawyer told him to plead guilty, without warning that he could get deported. A day after Linden began his two-week sentence at Rikers Island penitentiary, immigration officers came for him. They marked him for deportation, and transferred him to a Louisiana jail. Immigration agents are stationed at Rikers to screen noncitizens -- including greencard-holders like Linden -- and hand them off for deportation. When Immigration detains and deports people after they finish their sentence, even for misdemeanors, that's double jeopardy. Linden has now been in immigration prison for nine months -- eighteen times longer than the sentence he received for his underlying crime. He calls home every week from detention. Once no one heard from him for a month because he was put in solitary. In January, our daughter Natasha picked up a letter from her father, postmarked from Louisiana. She said, "Mommy, where is Louisiana?" I had to lie and say it was in Guyana. Raising a daughter without any help is a struggle. Natasha got sick last week and begged "Mommy, I need you, I need you. Don't leave." She started to throw up. No matter how much it hurt, I had to send her to school and go to work as a home health aid. Our landlord tried to evict us three days before Christmas because he wanted more money. We had to fight to stay in the apartment, and must now pay a higher rent.

**

Bring Back Our Husbands:

** My name is Barbara Facey. I married Howard Facey in 1997. I immediately filed an immigration petition for Howard, but didn't hear anything for six years. Last summer, a lawyer advised Howard to check on his paperwork at Federal Plaza. Immigration officers there told him to return the next Monday for work authorization. When he did, he was detained and shipped to Jamaica based on a 1995 deportation order from Alaska. Howard never saw a judge. Howard called home from JFK airport at 6 a.m. to say that he was being deported. My heart sank, but I did not have the time to break down. I had to get our three kids ready for school, and rush to work at a local drugstore. Letisha, Kristina, and Christopher ask for their dad everyday. Their grades are dropping, and the school counselor says they are depressed. Childcare is really hard. When a family friend who was supposed to get Christopher from school was late a few times, the principal threatened to call Children's Services. With all this pressure, I don't have the time to properly treat my heart condition. Life has turned upside down since our husbands were taken away. Our husbands are not a threat to anyone. They used to help with everything: pick up the kids from school; take them to the library, the park, McDonald's. It is so hard to raise kids as single mothers, but you have to push yourself for them. We're both terrified of people saying we are bad parents and taking our babies away. All our personal ambitions -- to get better jobs, make real careers -- are out the window while we just try to make it. Our husbands cannot help. In detention, you make one dollar a day for full-time work. Back home in the Caribbean, no one will hire a US deportee. When our families were first torn apart, we had no idea what was happening or where to turn for help. Now we know our rights, and protect ourselves from scam attorneys and deceitful immigration officers. We want other families to protect themselves the same way we are learning to, and speak out. Silence is killing us. Faith is helping us get through our situations. Even though our husbands have already been taken, we will not give up. And we refuse to let this happen to other families. We are dedicated to changing the laws that ruined our homes, to overcome the fear controlling every part of our lives. Right before September 11, Republicans and Democrats pledged support for a Fix '96 campaign that would repeal the laws that are tearing apart our families. It's time to revive this effort, and to stop punishing people solely for being immigrants. Our husbands may not be citizens, but they and we remain human beings.

Barbara Facey and Carol McDonald are members of Families for Freedom, an immigrant defense network of people facing deportation. For more information, call 212-898-4121.

GA_Peace and Justice Calender

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Airwaves:

Air America radio has arrivedin Atlanta! Funny, deep shows featuring commentators like Al Franken, Janeane Garafalo and Chuck D! It’s at 1690 AM, on the far right of the dial. Or you can hear it online at: http://www.airamericaradio.com

Every weekday, Listen to DEMOCRACY NOW with Amy Goodman On Radio Free Georgia - 89.3 FM WRFG, 5pm - 6pm Monday through Thursday 4:30pm - 5:30 PM on Friday.

Every Monday night 8:30 - 9 pm tune in to LET"S TALK: politics, religion, current events, activism. Hosted by Rev. Albert E. Love on WAEC LOVE 86AM, The revolution will not be televised" BUT it will be on radio! Call in at 404-355--8652, 404-355-8659, or 404-355-8600 E-mail: letstalk@love86am.com on line at http://www.streamingfaith.com

Every Monday, 6-7pm, Check out "JustPeace" with on WRFG Atlanta 89.3 fm. Contact: Justpeacewrfg@aol.com http://www.wrfg.org

Every Tuesday, 4:30p.m. Check out Labor Forum on WRFG 89.3 fm. http://www.wrfg.org

Every Tuesday, 6:30-7pm, Tune into "Current's of Resistance" on WREK Atlanta 91.1 FM. Questions or comments: currentsofresistance@wrek.org "Currents of Resistance" is produced by Atlanta Indymedia http://www.atlanta.indymedia.org

Every Tuesday, 6-7pm, "Community Forum with Billy Mitchell" on WCLK, 91.9FM. The show is a topic show, dealing with local issues, and in weeks to come other guests include Mayor Shirley Franklin, the newly elected officials of Clayton County, former mayor Bill Campbell and others... Previous guests have included, Tavis Smiley, Maynard Jackson, Rev Joseph Lowery and many others. Contact: billymitchell@bellsouth.net

On the Tube:

(ECAPC-TV).Every Church A Peace Church TV, 2 times a week: Tuesday at 10:00 AM and Saturday at 9:00AM on the AIB cable channel Comcast Ch 5; Charter Roswell Ch 22; Charter Smyrna Ch 14. Check your local listings (or your cable search feature) for airings every week on the AIB Cable network. Contact Don Edwards dedwards@altlaw.com

Another Media IS Possible on People TV, every Tuesday on People TV at 1:00 PM Channel 12 or 24, and on WCAU Clark Atlanta University TV channel 23 on Thursday at 8:30 P.M.. Both shows are airing coverage of the King Day march and speakers as well as the Anti-Inuaguration March and Ball here in Atlanta plus other topics covered by Atlanta IMC. Future shows planned for this season is coverage of the recent anti Iraq war rally in Decatur, the rally to support hotel workers union in Dunwoody, the seminar at Columbia Seminary School with Palistianian Christians and their views of recent events in the West Bank and Gaza, the film "The End of the Nightstick" about police brutality in Chicago, "U.S. Off The Planet: a talk with Ward Churchill" and a film about the Chiapas Indigenous Movement in Mexico plus our usual non corporate coverage of events around Atlanta and the South. http://www.atlanta.indymedia.org

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On the Tube:

ECAPC-TV).Every Church A Peace Church TV, 2 times a week: Tuesday at 10:00 AM and Saturday at 9:00AM on the AIB cable channel Comcast Ch 5; Charter Roswell Ch 22; Charter Smyrna Ch 14. Check your local listings (or your cable search feature) for airings every week on the AIB Cable network.
Contact Don Edwards dedwards@altlaw.com

Another Media IS Possible on People TV, every Tuesday on People TV at 1:00 PM Channel 12 or 24, and on WCAU Clark Atlanta University TV channel 23 on Thursday at 8:30 P.M.. Both shows are airing coverage of the King Day march and speakers as well as the Anti-Inuaguration March and Ball here in Atlanta plus other topics covered by Atlanta IMC.

Future shows planned for this season is coverage of the recent anti Iraq war rally in Decatur, the rally to support hotel workers union in Dunwoody, the seminar at Columbia Seminary School with Palistianian Christians and their views of recent events in the West Bank and Gaza, the film "The End of the Nightstick" about police brutality in Chicago, "U.S. Off The Planet: a talk with Ward Churchill" and a film about the Chiapas Indigenous Movement in Mexico plus our usual non corporate coverage of events around Atlanta and the South.
http://www.atlanta.indymedia.org

Ongoing Events:

Every Monday evening, Open House at Atlanta Independent Media Center featuring our extensive video lending library. Stop by and say Hello! We're located at 165 mayson ave, which is in the Edgewood neighborhood 2 blocks from the Candler Park MARTA station. Contact us at IMC-Atlanta@Indymedia.org or visit our website
http://www.atlanta.indymedia.org

Every Monday, 4:30-6 pm, weekly protest at Israeli Consulate, 1100 Spring St. End the Occupation! End the Violence! Sponsored by Atlanta Palestine Solidarity. For more information, go to
http://www.atlanta4palestine.org

Every Tuesday, Noon, Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda at the Atlanta Life Building, 100 Auburn Ave. STAND UP! SPEAK OUT! BE HEARD! Contact: GCPAgenda@aol.com

EVERY Wednesday, 12- 1:30pm, Circle of Scribes- Letter Writing Lunches,@ Dakota Blue (454 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30312.) Circle Of Scribes is the Women's Action for New Direction (WAND) program in which We gather for conversation about current events and take action by writing letters. Contact:
wandatlanta@mindspring.com

Third Thursday CINEMA meets every month, 7pm, at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Atlanta in Room 209-210 with a lively discussion group and refreshments following the film. 1911 Cliff Valley Way * http://www.uuca.org (I-85 N Access road between N Druid Hills & Clairmont) For directions and information, call Michael Burke at 770-491-6817.

Thursday, April, 5-6 pm, weekly anti-war protest, North Ave MARTA Station, (North Ave and West. Peachtree.) Please note the change of location End the Occupation! Bring the Troops Home Now! Bring signs! Help distribute flyers! Get petitions signed! Organized by GPJC and IAC/Atlanta. For more information, contact Azi at azitamarcus@earthlink.net

Every Friday, 6-7pm, Counter-recruitment rallies (for the month of April and May), will be on the sidewalk across from City Hall East on Ponce de Leon Ave. There is an Army recruitment office in the shopping center at this site. For more information, contact Ted at maubro@aol.com Please join us. Bring your signs and banners.
http://www.georgiapeace.org

Every FRIDAY, Colony Square Peace Vigil from Noon-1pm NEEDED- MORE PEOPLE! Occupation is not Liberation- the war isn't over. Vigils for Peace and Justice continue. Join us! For more info contact
or WAND 404-524-5999.

Every Friday, noon-1pm, weekly peace vigil, Marietta Square. Sponsored by Cobb County Citizens for Peace. For more information, e-mail cobbpeace@comcast.net

Every Sunday, Vigils for peace, outside Central Presbyterian Church (downtown at corner of Washington and MLK) after the service. It usually begins around 12 noon or 12:15.

Legislative Contact Information: Call early and often! To find your representative: http://www.fcnl.org click on Legislative Action Center, then click on

Elected Officials. Sen. Saxby Chambliss: 202-224-5321/FAX: 224-0103
Rep. John Lewis: 404-659-0116/FAX 404-331-0947
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121or toll free
1-800-839-5276

White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111

PEOPLE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA
Stone Mountain, GA

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