Dear Friends at United for Peace and Justice,
As you may know, Ari Fleischer, former press secretary to President George W. Bush, together with an advocacy group he helped create called Freedom's Watch, has launched a $15 million national ad campaign with the goal of convincing the American public that continuing the war in Iraq is the right thing to do. Wounded veterans and Gold Star families are featured in these ads, stating that if Congress were to end the war in Iraq, war Veterans' and Gold Star families' sacrifices will mean nothing.
Last night, Military Families Speak Out and Gold Star Families Speak Out members Celeste and Dante Zappala picked up a video camera and made a one and one-half minute piece to counter the message of this ad campaign.
After making their video last night, Celeste and Dante sent us a message "We don't have $15 million, but we have the truth." (See text of their message below, in italics.)
We are now sending this email to all of you, in hopes that you will watch the video and send it out to all you know, and we can keep this heartfelt and vital message going:
Linked at youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSWzoGGmpqQ
and Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/29/231715/192
Celeste's son and Dante's brother, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, was killed in Iraq on April 26, 2004, while guarding the Iraq Survey Group who were searching for the non-existent weapons of mass destruction -- those same 'weapons' that Ari Fleischer helped the White House lie to the American people about. Sgt. Baker was the first Pennyslvania National Guard soldier to die in combat since World War II. He was 30 years old.
Below is the message we received from Celeste and Dante Zappala:
Dear Friends,
We have been so enraged by Ari Fleischer's propaganda
campaign to prop up support for more death and
destruction in Iraq.
Dante and I made this video tonight and we would be
very grateful if you would send it around. We believe
that people need to hear the truth.
Many thanks.
Peace be with you,
Celeste Zappala
In their video, Celeste says, "Ari Fleisher has created a new campaign of fear and more deception.This war is a betrayal of our military and the democracy they've been charged to protect. Bring the troops home now, take care of them when they get here. Funding the war means killing the troops." Thank you, Celeste and Dante, for continuing to speak out.
In Peace and Solidarity,
Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson
Military Families Speak Out
mfso@...
www.mfso.org <http://www.mfso.org>