Our veterans will continue being mauled physically and mentally until we make a serious effort to serve and build a more peaceful, smarter world. That safer world won't appear until we have a helluva lot more yanks peacefully and productively serving to build that saner world. Mauled vets know this. People's Lobby's American World Service Corps Congressional Proposals provides the teams that benefit our vets and the world.

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John Kennedy often said he preferred sending the Peace Corps rather than the Marine Corps.  Had the Kennedys lived we probably would have quickly grown the Peace Corps to 1 million, as Kennedy wanted.  Consequently, we would have had smarter public policies for generations.  He, his brothers, and those millions who were interested in serving in New Frontiers would have by now erased a lot of today’s ignorance, poverty, and terrorism.

In recent years, our public policies have been anything but smart.  Consequently, we pour more into our military machine than all the other nations of the world combined.  As People’s Lobby points out,  in 2007 we spent $760,000 per active military personnel versus about $35,000 per Peace Corps volunteer.   And because of these kind of resource allocations, our military is almost broken and our economy IS broken.

But on a more personal level what does the lack of smart public policy do to our men and women who serve? What does it do to our national character when we are locked into sending the Marine Corps rather than rehabbing the infested terrorists’ battlefield by wisely using an overwhelmingly sized Peace Corps?

Let a soldier’s mom writing to a Gold Star mom tell you what it does.  And let the soldier tell his story.  And consider helping build a better way.

This is the story of Pfc. JOSEPH EDWARD KYLE VANTASSEL, born 1979/11/18.  He served 2YRS /03 MONTHS/24 DAYS and was honorably discharged 2005/10/22.  He did Foreign Service for 10MONTHS / 13DAYS.  He received the National Defense Service Medal//Army Service Ribbon//Global War on Terrorism Service Medal//Iraq Campaign Medal.

Dear Nadia, (Gold Star Mom Nadia McCaffrey) www.veteransvillages.org 

I am so grateful to Peter and Sally, and of course, dear Lane, for introducing us.Tonight was the first time I realized I have never told any of the media what really happened, so please read the brief summary of the event that I have written before my son's letter  ... Thank you for giving me the courage to speak out for my son  

Sincerely,

Patria Fuentes Van Tassel

On November 3, 2008 my son held up traffic on a very busy Santa Barbara overpass bridge above Highway 101 for 3 hours during Monday Morning rush hour traffic.  He was dressed in Army fatigues, an army mask, waving an American Flag upside down.  I learned later from other Veterans that holding the flag upside down is a sign that a soldier is in distress. 

Unfortunately, he also had an unloaded gun. It should be explained here that I called 911 that morning reporting him missing.  My daughter Ginnie Myers had just dropped off Elijah, my 2 year old grandson, as I take him to Little Angels Pre School each morning.  Normally I take my son to work first but that morning was different.  As soon as my daughter had driven away, I realized our car was gone and my son was missing.  I called 211 to find out who I should call and I was told to call 911.  Panicked and confused, I called my daughter and she immediately came back and was here when the detective arrived, almost immediately after getting the call.  While we were explaining what happened, Ginnie's mother in law, called and said not to take "101" because there was a man on the La Cumbre Bridge in fatigues holding up traffic.  We immediately turned on our local television station and saw him. 

After we realized what was going on, Ginnie asked the detective if she could go and talk to him, but we were told that in cases like this, the police on the scene do not allow family to intervene, so like the rest of Santa Barbara we watched the whole thing on TV.  It was like a movie, the police were all around my son, the swat team was called out, and a computer robot  and even helicopters were flying ..  After 3 hours, he was arrested and told he would be arraigned, brought before a judge, after 48 hours. On November 5, when he was to be in court, we, his family, friends and Lane Anderson the Veteran who offered to help and has since been my connection to so many wonderful veterans that have helped us, were in court but my son was forgotten and not transported from the jail.  He wrote the following letter that day in jail: 

Dear America (Land that I love) WAKE UP!  PLEASE!

Imagine this if you can.  Your locked in a 6' by 12' foot room, it is completely empty save for a 1/2 foot grate in the floor with bars 1/2 inch wide.  In the grate and on it is human feces.  Your feet are bare, your tee shirt has been taken away.  Two vents blow an endless stream of cold air that chills you to the bone!  When you stand you shiver uncontrollably.  After 48 hours all you've been given to eat is 2 pieces of cold bologna and a glass of water.

Am I describing a cell for an Iraqui detainee, perhaps a POW?  No, I am describing the cell I have been housed in.

Who am I to deserve such treatment?  Who am I?

I am EDWARD KYLE JOSE FUENTES '"ROMAN'" VAN TASSEL

I am a Patriot, a Veteran, and "The American Soldier" (T. A. S. for short)

I have been jailed and punished for crimes I have not even been charged or convicted of, I am now a first hand witness to a judicial system gone horribly wrong.

What is my crime? I don't know yet.  No one has told me anything.  What did I do?  That I can answer.

I tried to hang a flag as a symbol for freedom & change.  I wanted to hang a flag and a sign; a sign in support of my candidate of choice Senator Barack Obama!

America, I seek your assistance!  I need your help!

I willfully gave up my freedom once in defense of you.  It took me 1000's of miles from home and cost me greatly.  Everyone I need you help!

Again my freedom is threatened. 

I have not seen the sun now for a week.  Have not walked without shakles on my legs.  Yet I still have not been convicted of any crime?

America, something is TERRIBLY wrong here! NO MORE WAR!

4,189 soldiers have died in Iraq.  How many of these names do we know?

Approx 12,000 returning soldiers, Veterans, are committing SUICIDE! That’s nearly 40 every day!  Lets Bring them HOME!  I NEED ALLIES! And I have been jailed for hanging a flag!  

Help me America! This is HUGE!  WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER!

These are not just numbers these are lives!  Please feel free to reproduce and distribute this message any way you see fit

THE BATTLE FOR CHANGE HAS BEGUN!  

Email me Van805@Yahoo.com
 
"T.A.S." VAN TASSEL

This soldier, his mother, and veterans groups trying to help veterans need your help.   Almost all wars are stupid.  Generally, wars leave the masses in ruins, while a relative handful amasses riches.  General Smedley Butler wasn’t joking – war is a racket.  Service to country, however, is honorable.  Especially when done not only to maintain but to build peace.  That is why America needs People's Lobby's citizen-written American World Service Corps (AWSC) Congressional Proposals enacted into law.  

Our representative, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, has agreed to introduce the AWSC Congressional Proposals in the upcoming 111th Congress.  A couple Senators are considering doing so in the Senate. To implement this robust AWSC,  the AWSC Congressional Proposals needs support from your elected representatives.  We need hard-charging originals sponsors and cosponsors in both Houses. 

Please visit www.WorldServiceCorps.US, learn more, and lobby your representatives to sponsor Peoples Lobby's American World Service Corps Congressional Proposals.  If enacted as written, the AWSC would field 21 million Americans doing voluntary national and international service over the next 27 years.  If national leaders pushed the nontraditional financing mechanisms in the AWSC Congressional Proposals, the AWSC would be funded without taxing Americans while involving the richest Americans and those corporations who pay little or nothing in taxes.  See Financing AWSC.

The easy-to-read AWSC proposed bill is here. 

The world has plenty of frontiers that need taming – frontiers of poverty, malnutrition, resource depletion, ignorance-based hatreds…  Laser guided missiles will not tame those frontiers.  Fielding a robust corps of character-rich Americans with sufficient resources will. 

Authors Website: http://peopleslobby.us/

Authors Bio:

Dwayne served in the Peace Corps in the slums of Mumbai, India, worked several Habitat Projects, and was on the start-up team of the California Conservation Corps. He has a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University, has been a builder, teacher, political organizer, small businessman, affordable housing developer, and a rock-piler at Rubel's Castle. Some pics and stories at http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/rubelia.

Some story tidbits about his recent well-regarded book about Rubel's Castle are available at http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/rubelia.

In 2013 Rubelia was designated a National Historic Monument, right up there with Hearst Castle. CBS clip: Rubel's Castle is on verge of listing on National Registry http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/08/07/rubel-castle-in-glendora-on-the-verge-of-getting-national-historic-recognition/

Dwayne is presently Executive Director of People's Lobby Inc (PLI, 501c4)and People's Lobby's Education Foundation (PLEF, 501c3). You can read PLI's American World Service Corps Congressional Proposal (AWSC) at
http://peopleslobby.us/awsc-congressional-proposal

Rebuilding People'Lobby web site is available at http://peopleslobby.us/

Congresswoman Woolsey (D, CA) offered to introduce it in the 111th Congress, then retracted. Please contact your Congressional reps and ask them to become an original sponsor or cosponsor. The AWSC citizen-initiated congressional proposals could be, with you pushing your representatives, among the most significant legislation passed and implemented in decades. Imagine having 21 million Americans cost effectively doing good at home or abroad over the next 27 years.

In December 2009 Ralph Nader choose People's Lobby's book, "Ordinary People Doing the Extraordinary, The Story of Ed & Joyce Koupal's People's Lobby" as one of the Ten Best Books to Read for 2009. You can purchase the book from PeoplesLobby.us or learn more at http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/books.

"This country runs on laws. If you want to change the country, write its laws," People's Lobby's founders Ed and Joyce Koupal used to say. If you want to enlighten public policy, involve millions of Americans in addressing public needs, prepare for climate weirding, etc., help make it happen. The AWSC addresses with people action many of our most pressing and costly needs. To sign the reopened American World Service Corps petition/letter, which contacts Congress for you: Paste http://www.change.org/petitions/view/field_21_million_american_world_service_corps_volunteers_over_the_next_27_years
Please help make the AWSC happen. To learn more about People's Lobby, visit the web site at www.Peopleslobby.us.

Recent books both available on line and from publishers: Every Town Needs a Castle (Prelude to next book, Every Country Needs a World Service Corps)
http://peopleslobby.us/more-projects/rubelia


Ordinary People Doing the Extraordinary (Nader's 2009 TopTen Books to Read List)
http://peopleslobby.us/archives/736
Library: http://peopleslobby.us/organizations/peoples-lobby/library