Skip to main content

ATTENTION: This site is no longer active but remains as an archive.

Iraq Veterans Against the War has become About Face: Veterans Against the War. About Face can be found at aboutfaceveterans.org

Iraq Veterans Against the War

Join IVAW

Donate to IVAW

  • About
    • Founding of IVAW
    • Mission, Values, and Vision
    • War in Afghanistan
    • Why We Are against the Wars
    • Resolutions
    • IVAW Timeline
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Committee
    • Staff
  • Events
  • Campaigns
    • Operation Recovery
    • Winter Soldier
      • Breakdown of the Military
      • Civilian Testimony
      • Corporate Pillaging
      • Cost of War at Home
      • Crisis in Veterans Healthcare
      • Future of GI Resistance
      • Gender and Sexuality
      • Legacy of GI Resistance
      • Racism and War
      • Response to DoD
      • Rules of Engagement
      • Press Coverage
      • Press Releases
    • Right to Heal
  • Members
  • Resources
    • AWOL
    • Active Duty
    • Conscientious Objector
    • Depleted Uranium
    • History of Resistance
    • IRR Reactivation
    • Lariam
    • PTSD
    • Profiles of Resisters
    • Resources for Veterans
    • Stop Loss
    • Women's Resources
    • Mesothelioma
  • Press
  • Contact
    • Press
    • Speaker Request

Iraq Veterans Against the War Statement on Orlando Massacre

published by IVAW National on 06/16/16 4:55pm
Posted to: 
Staff

We grieve for those who lost their lives Sunday morning in a bigoted, hate-fueled attack in Orlando, Florida. People - mainly Latinx and Black people - were targeted and killed simply because they were members of the LGBTQ+ community celebrating at a gay club in Orlando. It is a terrible tragedy to lose them, and we send our deepest condolences to their families, including chosen families, and the community of Orlando. Our profound grief, however, must not be fuel for more war.

We refuse to let the answer to homophobia be Islamophobia, hate, and further erosion of our civil liberties. To truly honor those lost, we must remember that our country’s recent mechanisms for securing “safety” in times of attack have meant an escalation of state violence and unjust treatment of LGBTQ+ communities and communities of color. To echo the eloquent words of a fellow veteran, Chelsea Manning, "We are not safe and secure when the government uses us as pawns to perpetrate violence against others. Our safety and security will come when we organize, love and resist together."

We see the media’s sleight of hand. Last week, they said Muhammad Ali transcended religion and race, while this week they made the perpetrator of the Orlando attack into the mouthpiece for all of Islam. The responsibility for Sunday’s massacre lies not with a religion practiced by 1.6 billion people but with Omar Mateen and with the politicians, religious leaders and pundits who continue to push an agenda of homophobia, militarism, racism, and hate. We offer our love and support to the Muslim people, including Muslim queers, and to the queer community around the world.

As veterans, we will not allow this tragedy to beget more tragedies, nor allow this attack be an excuse for continuing a never-ending war that escalates into yet more death overseas whether that comes from U.S. arms and armies or U.S. supported nations. We must welcome refugees fleeing violence, often created by U.S. policy makers. We must receive Muslim families into our communities and respect the religious pluralism that is the fabric of our society. We must always be proud of our queer communities, who have lead the way against patriarchy, war, and senseless violence.

We are called upon to meet tragedy with compassion, to meet violence with peace, and to meet hatred with love. As veterans, we call on the best parts of humanity to end the cycle of violence, reject and oppose hate, and work together towards a world in which no parent buries their child killed by senseless violence.

*****

If you are looking for a way to contribute in this painful time there are a number of ways to do so, here are just a couple of suggestions:

  • Donate to the following fundraiser to the victims and families of victims of the Pulse attack organized by Muslim communities nationwide. This fundraiser is meant for Muslims and their allies: https://www.launchgood.com/project/muslims_united_for_victims_of_pulse_s...  
  • Contribute to Southerner on the New Ground (SONG) an powerful queer & trans liberation organization based in the South that has been holding down important work: https://song.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=2
IVAW member mud stenciling

#VeteransDay Social Media Dialogue: Broadening the conversation on the War at Home and Abroad

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and Civilian Soldier Alliance are launching a social media campaign to shift the dialogue around this upcoming Veteran's day, Monday, November 11th this year from one that implicitly...
IVAW National's picture

IVAW's Statement Against Military Force in Syria

On August 23rd, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the suspected use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad, and a proposed military response. In his remarks to the nation, Secretary Kerry condemned the use of...

IVAW's Statement in Support of Chelsea Manning

Since its inception, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) has supported war resisters of all stripes. Our organizing theory from the beginning was based on the concept of withdrawal of consent - consent to participate in...
Matt Howard's picture

Hiring for Development Director Position

Iraq Veterans Against the War is hiring. Director of Development | Job Posting Full-time: 40 hours/week The Director of Development is responsible for all aspects of revenue generation for Iraq Veterans Against the War (...
Amadee Braxton's picture

I bid you farewell

To the Membership of IVAW: Some of you may have heard that I am leaving IVAW after almost nine years. This month, I am starting work as an organizational development consultant with Dragonfly Partners, as well as working...
Matt Howard's picture

Hiring for an Administrative Assistant in NY

Iraq Veterans Against the War is hiring. Administrative Assistant (P/T) | Job Posting Part-time: 20-25 hours/week   JOB DESCRIPTION The Administrative Assistant is responsible for the timely processing of donations,...

Pages

  • « First
  • ‹ Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • …
  • Next ›
  • Last »

Supporter Newsletter!

Donations

Make a single donation or become an IVAW sustainer by making your donation a recurring one. Please consider making your generous gift right now.
Donate Online Today!

Speaker Request

Please be advised that we get many speaker requests, but regret that we are sometimes unable to fill them.
Speaker Request

Joining IVAW

Iraq Veterans Against the War is open to Active Duty, National Guard and Reservists who have served since 09/11/2001.
Join IVAW

Navigation

  • About
  • Events
  • Campaigns
  • Committees
  • Chapters
  • Members
  • Resources
  • Contact