Audio mp3: Tim, John and Aaron of Iraq Veterans Against the War (9:47 minutes / 4.5 MB)

Audio mp3: David (4:40 minutes / 2.1 MB)

Audio mp3: Sue and Rachel (10:55 minutes / 5.0 MB)


George Bush Visits the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California

On October 21, I made my way over to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Well, actually, I did not make it all the way the library because the road was blocked off by the Simi Valley Police Department. It turned out that George W. Bush was at the library attending the official unveiling of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library's Air Force One Pavilion. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. every day of the week, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, but today (October 21, 2005) signs on the road stated, "Library Closed Invited Guests Only." The closing of the library was a major inconvenience to all the people that wanted to take some time to tribute Ronald Reagan.

I figured that something was going on when I realized that a couple of police officers on motorcycles had blocked cars from exiting the 23 freeway at Olsen Road. Then I saw about 30 police officers speeding down the street on motorcycles. Shortly after the police on motorcycles went down the street, the freeway exit was opened and I noticed about 40 people standing on the corner of Madera Road and Country Club Drive. Most of the people were holding signs calling for peace or denouncing Bush and his administration in one way or another.

Simi Valley is an incorporated city located in the extreme southeast corner of Ventura County, bordering the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Simi Valley is one of the communities that has been contaminated by the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory Contamination, a disputed and controversial issue involving the contamination of the groundwater, air, workers, and nearby residents near Boeing's (Rocketdyne's) rocket and nuclear test facility known as the Santa Susana Field Labs (or SSFL) in Southern California between 1954-1989.

Simi Valley is recognized as a very conservative area. There is a community college in Moorpark, which neighbors Simi Valley, but from what i can tell, there is not too much social justice organizing going on there either. It was a pleasant surprise to see that so many people had come together to call for peace, an end to the occupation of Iraq, and denounce Bush's frivolous trip to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Among the people gathered to protest Bush, was Tim, John and Aaron, three members of Iraq Veterans Against the War. I had the chance to speak with Tim, John and Aaron as well as David, Sue and Rachel. Listen to the interviews to hear all of them call for an end to the War in Iraq, and much more.


The IVAW Mission Statement

"Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) is a group of veterans who have served since September 11th, 2001 including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. We are committed to saving lives and ending the violence in Iraq by an immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces. We also believe that the governments that sponsored these wars are indebted to the men and women who were forced to fight them and must give their Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen the benefits that are owed to them upon their return home.

We welcome all active duty, national guard, reservists, and recent veterans into our ranks. Confidentiality can be assured. What does this mean? To join IVAW please send an email to ivaqvet -AT- mail.com, or fill out this membership form."

Contact Information

IVAW
P.O. Box 8296
Philadelphia, PA 19101

Phone: 215-241-7123

West Coast Contact Information

Tim
email: ivaw_west -AT- ivaw.net

You can learn more about Iraq Veterans Against the War by visiting their website at:

www.ivaw.net

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What a huge crowd! You could all go out to Denny's for lunch after your protest and fill up a couple of booths!

Simi Valley is where the jury that acquitted the cops that beat Rodney King was from. It is one of the most right wing, racist parts of So. Cal.

That anyone showed up to protest at all speaks volumes. And look who’s protesting: Vets from Iraq and locals with home made signs. The Anti-war, Anti-Bush movement is broad based and growing. Steve: you are a jerk.

The library isn't exactly in the center of town either. Nobody goes there. The one time I went, there were maybe four people there. So these hardy protesters are to be commended for going out of their way to protest the president at a location that nobody cares about. Thanks to Bradley for recording the event.

And thanks to Rocketdyne for raising the cancer rate, and adding the appropriate "pall of death" to the event.

The truth is NO ONE cares! You insist that the public is against "whatever",but no one is! Maybe you should just deal with the reality that Bush is popular. And that his ideas are worthy? And that he acutally won the last election, giving a rest (finally) to the nonsense that he is "outside the mainstream"). Guys, we ARE the mainstream. We ARE the middle. And we OUTNUMBER you 10-1 in elections.

I thought it was satire.

"Bush is popular"?!?!

Your innocence is so cute.

But I will say that Republicans look great in handcuffs.

The truth is ... a value that Steve clearly doesn't give one iota about ...

BTW, on this (west) end of the blockade surrounding the Reagan Library, the number of protestors: about forty (40), flag-wavers: six (6) ... And the observation made by "Steve is a dumb ass" about the characteristics of the protestors is so very very critical--as in CRITICAL MASS.

Thank you for the great photos, Bradley!

Yeah, when the cars come by to honk, it's usually like 30-40 supporting honks for every "thumbs down" or "middle finger" or racist taunt or violent act. 30 to 1 suckas. Wake the hell up. If it weren't for the house-organ echo chamber of Fox news helping you all wank off to the war, you'd have to face reality. This war ain't popular because we know it's bogus. Bad reasons, bad motivations, bad starts, bad followthrough, and bad history tells us it's a bad war. Even the closed-minded pro-war jackoff friends of mine are turning against their position.

I like it when the motorcycle cops smile.
Wish they'd honk.

911_10-21-05.jpg, image/jpeg, 450x600
In the background of the photo of the guy holding the "YOUR NEGLIGENCE IS CRIMINAL" sign, how come the lady in the background (talking on her cell phone) is holding a Mercedes Benz sign?

Not true. #1, Your voting statistics are wrong. #2, Your polls regarding what the American people think of George Bush are wrong. The truth is that you need to pick up a newspaper and educate yourself.

Response to: "the truth is...
by Steve Saturday, Oct. 22, 2005 at 12:24 PM:
The truth is NO ONE cares! You insist that the public is against "whatever",but no one is! Maybe you should just deal with the reality that Bush is popular. And that his ideas are worthy? And that he acutally won the last election, giving a rest (finally) to the nonsense that he is "outside the mainstream"). Guys, we ARE the mainstream. We ARE the middle. And we OUTNUMBER you 10-1 in elections. "

I would like to know where Cindy Sheehan was during this HUGE big bad monster protest? Maybe she has decided to finally stop stalking Bush and movedon.org to better things, like buying a new tie dye tee shirt with a peace sign (so original) or a new hat with that "I'm on the hunt for tigers" fashion statement.

Didn't even know Cindy was in this event. Now she's supposd to be everywhere?
But let's blame her anyway. For things she doesn't do.
Pathetic.

Why, yes! Last I heard, she was on tour. I don't understand your "blame" comment. The only thing she can be blamed for is digging in her closet and coming up with those old tee shirts and hats left over from the viet nam war.

Fact is, the liberals are afraid of losing, once again, in 2008. Hey, it's gonna happen. Face it. There is not a TRUE AMERICAN in this country who wants a pacifist tree hugger to rule the roost. Unless you all come up with something better than a jackass (yeehawww Dean) or Swiftboat wannabee (Kerry Catchup) who, btw has fallen behind, you are gonna have to find something better to do with your time than diggin up some old war protest clothes and standing on the corner of the Reagan Library.
Now THAT..is pathetic.

who wouldn' be?
I hate these new phobias. Losing. Now you scare me.

Take a real close look at the photos. Not a one "old war protest" piece of clothing to be seen. And the woman with the Mercedes Benz peace sign can't have been an "old peacenik" ... It's quite evident that what we have here are the makings of CRITICAL MASS. Your lame attempts at spinning the story otherwise is what's really and truly pathetic ... as is Congress, too--Dems and Reps--with the exception of Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland.

Steve ... Unfortunately you're partly right that "The truth is NO ONE cares!" But that's changing. And those of us who do care are tired of those of you who don't. We're sick of people calling the shots who think it's OK to be uninformed, unqualified and unapologetic. Move over, sit down, read and think. You may surprise yourself. Bush is popular because he makes people who don't like to think feel good about that. His ideas are not his. AND he won the last election because he STOLE the last election. And the first one too. That doesn't make him mainstream. It makes him powerful. But the truth is catching up and it's getting pretty ugly out there.

Justice means jail for BuSh & Co.

Simi Valley is a beautiful place. At one end, we have the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and at the other end the Charles Manson Property. What other city in the entire world could you find such diversity within an 8 mile radius?

In Response to: ""the truth is...
by Steve Saturday, Oct. 22, 2005 at 12:24 PM:
The truth is NO ONE cares! You insist that the public is against "whatever",but no one is! Maybe you should just deal with the reality that Bush is popular. And that his ideas are worthy? And that he acutally won the last election, giving a rest (finally) to the nonsense that he is "outside the mainstream"). Guys, we ARE the mainstream. We ARE the middle. And we OUTNUMBER you 10-1 in elections. ""

Steve, Time proved you wrong. Check the polls yourself:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Bush_Job_Approval.htm
However, if we define your word "we" as "Ignorant Amerikans", then I agree with that opinion of yours that Ignorant Amerikans probably do outnumber me 10-1.

Maybe you should bone-up on the facts and photos (proof) that the 2nd GW Bush election was rigged. Even Jimmy Carter admits it. And photos were published in major magazines during the election, while your 10-1 Amerikans were sniveling about how your big corporate god wants to kill homosexuals.

By the way, did you ever dig up any of those "Bush's worthy ideas" you bragged about? No? I didn't think so.