On Thursday evening, September 21, a spirited crowd gathered to hear Marine Cloy Richards (Iraq Veterans Against the War [1]) and his mother Tina Richards (Military Families Speak Out (Missouri/Midwest) [2]). You can hear Cloy’s moving reflections on his two tours of combat duty in Iraq and the damage which the war is inflicting on the Iraqi and American people by clicking here for video [3], or clicking here for audio only [4]. (8 minutes, missing the very end). Also see this video of MFSO’s vigil in SE Missouri [5].

MC Michael McPhearson (Veterans for Peace), who is a veteran of the first Gulf War and whose son served in this Iraq war, provided context. Instead of War presented copies of more than 3,000 signatures on the Declaration of Peace petition [6], to George Weber, candidate for Congress in Missouri District 2, and Steven Engelhardt representing Congressman Lacey Clay (Missouri District 1), who also spoke strongly against the Iraq war. (All St. Louis-area Missouri candidates for U.S. Congress were invited to attend.) These signatures, gathered after work in just a few weeks, reflect the growing public outrage at the destruction, corruption, and incompetence of the Iraq war and occupation.

By St. Louis Instead of War Coalition [7]