Iraq Veterans Against the War (6/27)

6 pm 'til midnite on Friday June 27th is the time for the Iraq Veterans Against the War benefit concert featuring local bands and visual artists at the Santa Cruz Vets Hall on Front St. Admission is only $10 and all the money goes to IVAW, which recently added a Santa Cruz area chapter.

Featured artists are Matt Childers, one of the founders of Santa Cruz IVAW, Phil Pflager from Vets for Peace, William Muir, Sam Sweeley and many others. The bands are Ashkon (hip hop), Annie and the Vets (folk with an edge), the Reliques (psychedelic), Cripple Catch and the MIDI Mob (hip hop).

IVAW has 3 objectives- Immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Reparation for the Iraqi peoples, Proper care, treatment and support for Iraqi and Afghani vets. IVAW is the sponsor and producer of Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan, held at Silver Spring, MD in March 2008. Members have planned and participated in hundreds of demonstrations, teach ins, truth in recruitment events, panels and civil disobedience actions in the US, Canada and Europe. In May, several members testified under oath on Capitol Hill on the dehumanization of the Iraqi people, the abuse of detainees, the changing rules of engagement and the killing of innocent civilians at hearings convened by the Congressional Progressive Caucus. See ivaw.org for more information.

Sponsors for the event are IVAW Santa Cruz, the GI Rights Hotline Central Coast (girightshotline.org, 877.447.4487), Veterans for Peace Bay Area/Santa Cruz Chapters and VFW Post 5888. Thanks to VFW for hosting the event.