- 9 * ee POM CIE ZB -/AL? ” VIETNAM ERA VETERANS AGAINS® THE WAR/WINTER S welER ORGANEZATION NEW YORK-NORTHERN NEW JERSEY REGIONAL OFFICE SENTS® ¢/o Ray Winters “P,0.Box 902 Ellicott ; Station _ Buffalo, NY .th205. . fae re - ieess. ST ihutes, ‘sf “thle ‘Regional meeting” - adbany;: NY june 9 & 10; “4973 i Ghasters in attendance: ‘New York. City, Buffalo, Oneonta, Sydney, Delhi, Albany. j ae Do. Chapter reports Agendas i, 2. Regional report Free setemens a neenete + _ 3« Gainesville Conspiracy, Trial nee ~~, Watergate * . * So PCPS Demonstration, Wash. DC, June 16th - " 6. “NYS “Junior ROTC Bill i 7, ‘Amnesty - -- 8. Continuation of war in SE Asia 9. Winter Soldier implementation 10. New Business. . et . . bet. . 12. Next Regional. “meeting Be Tg Criticism SOEVES LBS rk eee “Ot re. DRMAMION CONTAINED - Pago ors . . ALL L INFO UNCLASSI oH 1, CHAPTER REPORTS: OT HEReMe -; New York. City. --The chapter held a-.series. of workshops.on the weekend vs OF June:.2 &.3-to- discuss VVAW/WSO ang the: Lecal- chapter. : Saturday's sessions dealt with future and direction-and: ‘Sunday's- with. structure. :.. he; Fol Lowing active committees participated: SE-Asia; Political “Education, Veterans Affairs, Defense and Amnesty, Third World Caucus, and-Rap Groups. It was. decided to concentrate efforts in the follow- ‘ing three areas: -for the immediate - future:;Gainesville- defense, Amnesty, and preparation’ for a possible’ postal strike’ in July..- cur: Buffalo - The. chapter:is in the precess of :.restructuring and changing .. -its -meeting sehedule to give committees-more autonomy, in both work _ and: recruitment,- This-will hopefully.aid in the implementation of WS0.:-The rap group program successfully started the-last week of pap Mays Both women's and men's groups meet once a week’in the: storefront. _ A €ommunity Action Committee was recently formed and was leafletting a. street..art festival in Buffalo with, 'Winter Soldier',; Gainesville fact sheets. and street sheets the weekend of the Regional meeting The-Vets. Affairs Committee, with the UB Vets Club, organized a picnic for Vietnm-era vets at the Buffalo VA Hospital. Unfortunately. it “rainéd heavily, and attendance was nil. The chapter protested. a Marine Corps Reserve display and recruitment effort on May 19 (Armed Forces Week), ‘The protest received good community. support and kept the Marines from glorifying their role in American Imperialism, Oneonta - The chapter has been relatively inactive -due $0" “the” tran- Sient nature of the student/veteran make-up and a media blackout concerning their participa tion in local activities. There are no formal programs underway as of this meeting, but it ig expected tha there will be more interest as SO. _aiplemented. ~ oso % SAGES Sy aE fhe sos a Delhi ~-There have been some amnesty. actions in this chapter. Its most’ active member will be moving ‘to Oneonta shortly and will _HwW 550Parbacimatessshere@age Asmew local coordinator's name will be fur- x
. +, Bentatively, the movement will start from both NYC and. Western NY on - the morning .of Sat Jaxdep= >, and will meet somewhere between, Wash DC - coby of its Gainesville fact sheet (enc#1) as a possible’ basis. of a fund raising letter. Each chapter will contact’ its own mailing list; ' RO will. contact the state fund raising list and those chapters not . at the-meeting. Funds should be sent directly to the RO via the wh be split 50/50 between the RO and. the Gainesville. DC. “issue demo and that NSC and Gainesville DC will have final say vt. ae page 2 nished to chapter @... 4 tie RO gets ite YY oe, et Sydney - - No ‘activities or programs to report at ‘this tieeting, ) Albany - The chapter coordinator is Bob Oeser, recently moved from the Suffolk County chapter. At this point he is trying to rebuilt an otherwise inactive chapter. His address will be furnished shortly. Rochester ~ The chapter remains active, but at the last: minute” ‘Was > unable to send a representative, 2, REGIONAL REPORT: , The RO has been suffering from a lack. of communication, funds, and active assistance, At this point, its main efforts involve these areas. Feedback is needed from local chapters - especially those unable to attend the regional meetings - in’ order to accomplish a greater sense of unity and direction, — 3a GAINESVILLE CONSPIRACY TRIAL: oe LF frag The National Steering Committee and the Gainesville Defense Committee have called for a week of demonstrations and activities in Gainesvill starting on #as"=P™ the first day of the trial. -Fund raising and movement to Gainesville were discussed, mo Foe **Proposed ~. The RO 1) initiate. plans within the region for a move to Gainesville caravan style, 2) contact the National,-office about tying into national plans, if any, and 3) contact regions enroute to Florida about plans and logistics. - passed unanimously and the: Virginia/NC border for. a one-night break. *“Propes od - Each chapter start a fund raising ‘effort for the caravan ‘and defense costs. Buffalo chapter will supply -each chapter with a _address on the letterhead, After caravan expenses, funds raised “passed unanimously =*Proposed - Groups contacting VVAW WSO about participation in the demo within this region be told that this is essentially a single- about the display of banners and signs. passed unanimously 4, WATERGATE: — an oe The issues surrounding Watergate and government. espionage were discussed, NYC chapter recommended an article on the economic background of 3 vatergate called 'The World Behind Watergate’: by Kirkpatrick Sale in "New York Review of Books" May 3, 1973. It was suggested that Watergate and Gainesville always be discussed in the context of one another, Efforts by some groups to launch Docld:32989534 Page 85
. eae an impeach Nixon campaign were disoussaal a8 **Proposed + We’. ‘don't ‘Suppor’ dnipeaChineht: but: support’ class aetion | suits dyitiated: in each community: declaring .“the ‘nani piila ti oft and ~ subversion of “the*présidential’ slection-of 1972" illegal and’ S Poasoviclis and therefore “that: the etection, | be AuLLified,, one passed unaninously NYC Chapter will check on the details of, auch a suit.and also on the. possibi of _getting’De-elect the’ Président’ bumper stickers, “Pers Denowsnna2 2ToW WASH Di ior sun 16 wee eek . * fae | POR Wid ftarch’to Congrés’s vid: ‘the! tlectereat complex, the ‘phheat Of Indian Affairs, the IRS, the White House. and the _pepts. of, Labor and. Justice}: The demonstration: has.-been: endorsed by ‘the’ NYC chapter. Interésted, members should: contact theri: for, “informations : up! 3h Discussion centered around the “contradictions between large multi- issué ‘demonstrations: ‘and: local organizing, efforts.:. A consénsus was that POPS. ‘was, not" “cognizant. of” ;gotual- political: needs” ‘in. its. policies, a 6. IWS IRs RoR BIL, oe nie he It was decided that no proposals could be passed concerning the bill + because of a lack of concrete knowledge’ as,to.its specifics. : HoweveRy it- “WAS: recognized: ‘as a major” ‘Desue? “confronting. us and every! - chapter ‘is -urged*to-take steps against’: ite OneS - regional ‘and: “Chapter level, VVAWAISO should contact Teacher's” Unions; *PTA's, “try for. speaking gigs in schools, media exposure, leafletting . aimed at students; “etés* Alliances ; with, soncerned ' communi ty: groups ° could. gbe Lo. formiéd“around this issue.’ The ity “is- HAS99" in the Senate and — #1839 in “thé: ‘Essémbly'.” It ‘has “been” "passed," but’ apparently not . signed ‘yete- Purther info ‘Will “be Goming- ‘ELON ° “the* -ROe * are) 9s it Shree . ec) “ ao) ~ ts AMNESTY « See Nait# ora’ VR ASO, ndislebter 67 Gide: 5) For latest detaiis: ‘on participation in. amnesty efforts. in, “thi eountry,, And | with: exile” , Br OUP ST 7 ne rs “Proposed: - - We! ‘adopt ‘National posttion paper” ‘gh amiesty with ‘changed! as listed on. dase, page. of National newsletter aoe passed unanimously, +. wate ‘Tf any chaptei. needs. ‘a Copy of this papery’ ‘contact’ the RO: “Proposed each chapter -and.ROQ: send Letter of support .to. each of the... eight enlisted ex-POW's charged by‘ a’ “POW coitiander with. misconduct; Also a Vetter (Of: support, for: ‘them bo ‘Local’ peRens. (address’ enc#e dea | Passed unanimously Sai 8, CONTINUATTOW OF dan “In Sa nSta . , Va! recnremerrmnamamaaeai teen antrmarnyrerne tern tenn Ps . ioe, ii yf me CaP . tet “he . . 7 aw Poesy ote, ‘ “0 . Wht It is suggested that each chapter continue its: -edueational. work with-, «: in their areas as best they can on this subject EE Shouta“pe tear into such subjects as Watergate and. the ‘misuse of. Presidential power, - inflation and: energy ‘crigis'; Gainesville, Thigul: S political -... ho mn EPI Testa SbSao see wae lggM effect.” ‘Because ~people ° ‘don't..gee At. ina
OE — ee ‘Proposed - - "Design from: Buffalo chapter for new Wiw/¥s0 button — ‘40, NEW BUSINESS: _ State. Chapters will be notified, HW 55077 Docld:3296895354 Page oF - 9. WINTER SOLDIER TMPLEMENTAT ION: The discussion centered on lotal implementation @& VAN Atso, the - relationship of vet's rights issues to larger VVAWAYSO structure, possible meanings of identifying with revolutionary war symbols, and relationship of individuals attracted to single VVAW/NSO activities or areas: with the ‘10 ational objectives, showing rifle w/ helmet as in current button superimposed on pine tree be endorsed by region “and sent to National office and all regions for approval, feedback ‘and/or competition, and that, in addition, ‘Winter Soldier' publish it in an upcoming issue, passed unanimously Chapters in this region will also receive copies when the mailing is- made. In addition, the quote from which the phrase Winter Soldier comes: * Follows. this may help in recruitment, efforts by chapters. ., "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer ‘soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis shrink from the . service of his countryy but he that stands it NOW». ‘deserves whe: dove. and thanks: of mah. and woman . ; a ~" * Tom Paine, “'fhe American Crisis! ° The Fellowship of Reconciliation/Catholic Peace Fellowship is possi-~ bly planning state and national speaking tours on the subjects of amnesty and counter-military Works. **Proposed ~ 1) They be urged “to contact local VVANAYSO wherever they speak to inélude a veteran as’ speaker, 2) a list of NY/NNI local chapters and National regional’ coordinators be furnished them to facilitate contact, and 3.) informatian be sent to National Office for possible assistanoe. “theres a passed unanimously The continuation . of the ‘military draft was discussed, All ‘chapters and memebers should be advised that the Selective Service System is still functioning as always, even if it is not drafting at--this-. time, The contradictions between opposing the draft and the inherent dangers of an all volunteer military were discussed. This might be a useful PE topic for chapters ‘to deal-“wfth, Feedback appreciated, The effect of hosting a Regional meeting on the local chapter was Giscussed, Ways to help” out. ohapters wi th the additional people there were considered, ~° “*Proposed -~ At each ‘Regional meeting, amount of business and weather permitting, delegates will sell, *Winter Soldier't for 1 to 2 hours |. on Saturday afternoon, Loeal chapters will preselect likely areas to sell papers in and :RO will supply papers,’ - Money collected will, after postage. costs to-RO, be split 50/50 between RO and. host chapter, — - passed unanimously tt, NEXT saCTONAL MERTING: - oem eee utente Next meeting will be August 3 and 4, It may be in Gainesville if the demos last that long, but will probably be in the central part of, the . whe