School of the Americas Vigil
 

Has anyone on GC attended the annual School of the Americas vigil held each November in Georgia? The SOA, now known as WHINSEC, is a combat training center in the US for Latin American soldiers. The problem is that the graduates have an appalling human rights record. They've been linked to massacres, torture, and "disappearing" people.
So every year, there's a demonstration calling for the closing of SOA. Some activists, including nuns and priests, have "crossed the line" onto government property and ended up in prison, but most don't get arrested. Last year, over 16000 showed up. The organization's website is at http://www.soaw.org .

This gets less and less media coverage in Atlanta every year, but the "nuns and priests" are getting more excited trying to get media attention.

I predict Cindy Sheehan will show up, say something anti-American, and be applauded by the same bunch of "vegans" who protest here at Honey Baked Ham.

Hmmm... I have no idea whether Cindy Sheehan plans to attend or not. But last year, Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon, and Sr. Helen Prejean showed up. Sr. Helen was really cool - she's the author of the "Dead Man Walking" book that the movie was based on. Her website is at http://www.prejean.org/

I won't be making the trip to the protest, but I am going to aprayer/information meeting this Wednesday in Brook Park,OH. A nun who's very involved with our Newman Campus Ministry here (she makes us brownies, serves as a spiritual director at some retreats, sometimes makes our weekly dinners, etc.) invited any of the students to attend to learn more about the School of the Americas and what they will be doing down there. It should be really interesting, I'm looking forward to learning something, especially since I hadn't heard of the School of the Americas previously.

I know of a couple people that are going. I look forward to hearing their stories. I guess it's something that personally hit my priest hard during a trip to El Salvador. He did a homily on it.

I don't know much about it... I'll just pray for the safe return of my fellow cohorts.

What does the Schools of America have to do with Sheehan? hoosier, do you even know who the school of america are training?

I'm sure they will also pass out tshirts to free Mumia and protest the WTO if they can squeeze that in as well.

-Rudey

I suppose the leftist groups that fund this "protest" will give Cindy a travel grant to insure her attendance - all of the professional protestors and vegan radicals will be there, seeking face time on the news. Unfortunately everyone is so bored with them, that they are now forced to step up their radicalism to get coverage.

I wish them well, and hope that it rains hard on them all day.

The School of the Americas (now renamed, incidently) trains military and civilian law enforcement people from our allies. A few of the trainees - years ago - did some bad stuff - years ago - after returning home - years ago - and I'm sorry their actions reflect poorly on the good stuff the SOA did - years ago - and continues to do.

Do you think those protestors did a little protesting against a guy like Castro or maybe Che? Those 2 sure like(d) violence.

-Rudey

Some famous SOA graduates:

Manuel Noriega
Omar Torrijos
Leopoldo Galtieri
Roberto Viola
Juan Velasco Alvarado
Guillermo Rodriguez
Hugo Banzer Suarez

Should we shut down schools and military units all over the world that are tied to people who killed others?

-Rudey

My least favorite Congress-person, the lovely Cynthia McKinney, went to Cuba to help Fidel with the sugar cane harvest. She's also got "proof" that Bush and his buddies were responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and 3,000 deaths. She's also my Congress-person.

She'll also be at the SOA confrontation if they give her a "travel grant" and speakers fee.

Just informing people who the school trained. Accepted it or not will be up to the people who read it.

Still trying to figure out what Sheehan and vegans have to do with School of America.

1 - Sheehan: wacko likely to be seen at SOA event

2 - vegans: wackos likely to be seen at SOA event

So, in another word, there is no connection right now and you're just making shit up.