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November 5, 2007: This website is an archive of the former website, traprockpeace.org, which was created 10 years ago by Charles Jenks. It became one of the most populace sites in the US, and an important resource on the antiwar movement, student activism, 'depleted' uranium and other topics. Jenks authored virtually all of its web pages and multimedia content (photographs, audio, video, and pdf files. As the author and registered owner of that site, his purpose here is to preserve an important slice of the history of the grassroots peace movement in the US over the past decade. He is maintaining this historical archive as a service to the greater peace movement, and to the many friends of Traprock Peace Center. Blogs have been consolidated and the calendar has been archived for security reasons; all other links remain the same, and virtually all blog content remains intact. THIS SITE NO LONGER REFLECTS THE CURRENT AND ONGOING WORK OF TRAPROCK PEACE CENTER, which has reorganized its board and moved to Greenfield, Mass. To contact Traprock Peace Center, call 413-773-7427 or visit its site. Charles Jenks is posting new material to PeaceJournal.org, a multimedia blog and resource center.
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See more on 'depleted uranium'
See history and resources from 3 state, 9 stop summer DU tour and
upcoming Oct 16-19 World Uranium Weapons Conference
Fall, 2003 Tour with Doug Rokke on 'Depleted' Uranium Weapons
See Itinerary (tentative)
Oct 9 - Coverage of Seattle stop on KING 5 News
Oct 8 - Press Release - Portland, Oregon
Oct 6 - Greater Dakota News Service story (played on approximately 45 local radio stations on Oct. 6)
Oct 2 - Press Release on Bloomington, Indiana program and Oct. 1 demonstration
at Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.
Oct 1 - Tele-press conference with Doug Rokke; press release
Itinerary for Fall, 2003 Speaking Tour on Uranium Munitions
[Please Note: This itinerary is tentative and is contantly being revised and updated as the tour develops. Programs are confirmed in Indiana, South Dakota, Washington, Oregon, California and New Mexico. We are workly closely with groups in Texas, Missouri and elsewhere on the fall tour. More groups are asking for dates on the next tour. We will update the itinary frequently with new dates and revisions. Please contact local contacts for information on specific events.]
Thursday, October 2, Bloomington, Indiana
"The Scourge of Depleted Uranium Weapons: Health Effects of Uranium Weapons on U.S. Troops and Civilians in Iraq and Contamination at Jefferson Proving Ground" will be held from 7 to 8:50 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium.
Joining Rokke will be Joseph Farah, a U.S. Army veteran, and Richard Hill, community co-chair of the Jefferson Proving Ground Restoration Advisory Board and president of Save The Valley.
The program is sponsored by Bloomington Peace Action Coalition and Traprock Peace Center, and co-sponsored by: Monroe County Libertarian Party, Student Environ-mental Action Coalition, IU College Libertarians, Franklin College of Indiana (Office of the Dean of the Chapel), Congregations For Peace, and the Hoosier Environmental Council.
Saturday, Oct. 4, Rapid City, South Dakota
details coming.
Monday, Oct. 6, Seattle, Washington
Trinity United Methodist Church 6512 23rd Ave nw, Seattle 98117
Contacts: Mark Wilson, work (360) 779-4656 markbwilson04@hotmail.com
Tuesday, Oct. 7 Port Townsend, Washington
Press Conference --------- Park on Indian Island 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Indian Island is minutes away from the small communities of Port Townsend, Port Hadlock, and Chimacum, and is the location of the Indian Island Naval Munitions Depot. The press conference will be located in the park across from the entrance to the base and will last for approximately one hour.
Port Townsend Speaking Engagement
Port Townsend Community Center
7 p.m. Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Corner of Lawrence and Tyler, Uptown
Dr. Rokke will discuss the consequences of DU use in munitions. Following his speech a panel consisting of representatives from Veterans for Peace, Port Townsend Peace Movement, Ground Zero, a city council representative, and an aide from Representative Norm Dicks office, will ask questions. Next the meeting will be opened to questions from the audience.
Sponsored by the Port Townsend Depleted Uranium Study Team (PT DUST) of the Port Townsend Peace Movement and Traprock Peace Center. For more information please call 360- 385-6525 or 360-732-4084.
Wednesday, Oct. 8, Portland, Oregon
"HEALTH EFFECTS OF DEPLETED URANIUM" Natoinal Expert Doug Rokke to Speak in Portland Wednesday October 8, First Unitarian Church, 7 PM
Military veteran Douglas Rokke will be in Portland on Wednesday, October 8, to give a talk on "The Health Effects of Depleted Uranium" at the First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th, Portland, at 7 PM.
Rokke's visit is currently being coordinated by the Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group, cosponsored by the Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, Oregon PeaceWorks, Columbia River Fellowship for Peace, American Friends Service Committee, War Resisters League-Portland, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Traprock Peace Center (Deerfield, MA) and the First Unitarian Church.
Admission is suggested $5-10 sliding scale, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
For more information, to get involved, or to become a cosponsoring organization contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065. A downloadable flyer is available at http://www.rdrop.com/~pjw/rokkeposter2.pdf
Thursday, Oct. 9 - Rokke will be a guest on "Thursday Night Talk" on radio station KHSU, 90.5 from Arcata, CA.
Friday, Oct. 10, Arcata, California Arcata Community Center - 7 PM. Hosted by Veterans for Peace. KCTX in Mendicino and KMUD will air Rokke's comment before and after the evnet.
We are grateful to reporters addressing the realities of rad-waste munitions.
The wall of silence is scaled by veterans insisting that the realities of their impaired health be recognized, by doctors who listen, by Iraqis who are seldom heard in the west and by citizens taking initiatives to honor the generations ahead with mindful action. Together we can BAN DU.
Oct 16 - 19 - World Uranium Weapons Conference - Doug Rokke is presenting and Sunny Miller is serviing as a moderator. Follow link for speaker and resources list and for information on conference.
October 27 and 28 - Houston, Texas
Monday Colloquium at University of Houston as guest of the Physics Dept. around 3 PM
7 pm at Rice University as a guest of the Rice for Peace group plus probably the Muslim Student Association, Rice Greens and Young Democrats. They hope to pool resources for the money.
Tues. Noon, brown bag at University of Texas School of Public Health. Tues. Evening, 7 PM, First Unitarian Universalist Church as guests of Fellowship of Reconciliation of Houston, the Community Involvement Committee of the Church and Houston Peace and Justice Center.
Nov. 8 - Dallas, Texas. See Dallas Peace Center description.
Nov. 10 - Austin, Texas. Working with Campus Anti-War Network, University of Texas students, and Veterans for Peace. Details coming.
Details coming on November dates - working with groups in Missouri, Texas (San Antonio) and New Mexico.
Booking requests for next tour have come in from New York, Michigan, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Washington, DC.
"HEALTH EFFECTS OF DEPLETED URANIUM" Natoinal Expert Doug Rokke to Speak in Portland Wednesday October 8, First Unitarian Church, 7 PM
Military veteran Douglas Rokke will be in Portland on Wednesday, October 8, to give a talk on "The Health Effects of Depleted Uranium" at the First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th, Portland, at 7 PM.
Doug Rokke, PhD., a veteran of the "Gulf War" and former director of the US Army's Depleted Uranium Project, plans to participate in the International Conference on Uranium Munitions in Hamburg Germany in mid-October, proposing that the effects of this weapon make its use in warfare and training illegal.
Depleted Uranium (DU) is a waste product from nuclear reactors used to make heavy metal tips on bullets and anti-tank ammunition. The U.S. used over 300 tons of DU in the 1991 war, and lesser but significant amounts in Kosovo/Serbia, Afghanistan and the latest war on Iraq. The heavy metal toxicity and radioactivity can damage lungs, kidneys, bone, skin, nerves, memory, sexual function and cause both genetic damage and birth abnormalities in children. Symptoms of exposure to DU include fibromyalgia, eye cataracts, radiation damage and particulates destroying the lungs.
In March, Rokke told the Sunday Herald: "This war was about Iraq possessing illegal weapons of mass destruction -- yet we are using weapons of mass destruction ourselves... Such double standards are repellent."
Rokke decided to speak out publicly on DU because everybody on his environmental cleanup team was getting sick from contamination. One friend, John Sitton, was dying but the military refused him medical care, and he died.
Rokke's visit is currently being coordinated by the Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group, cosponsored by the Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, Oregon PeaceWorks, Columbia River Fellowship for Peace, American Friends Service Committee, War Resisters League-Portland, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Traprock Peace Center (Deerfield, MA) and the First Unitarian Church.
Admission is suggested $5-10 sliding scale, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
For more information, to get involved, or to become a cosponsoring organization contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065. A downloadable flyer is available at http://www.rdrop.com/~pjw/rokkeposter2.pdf
Doug Rokke interview airs on 45 local radio stations
The recorded Greater Dakota News Service story below plays on approx 45 local radio station today 10/06/03 across South Dakota, normally at least twice on each station (when they do their daily state and local news). GDNS reporter David J. Law is the voiceover (uppercase). Doug Rokke is the reality voice (lower case).
----------------------------------------------
Monday October 6, 2003
Military Physicist Outspoken Critic of Modern Warfare and Depleted Uranium Weapons
(Rapid City, SD)-A military physicist and former director of the Army's Depleted Uranium Project has become an outspoken opponent of the use of D-U weapons. Comments from Vietnam and Gulf War combat veteran Major Doug Rokke (ROCKY) who spoke to the South Dakota Peace and Justice Center Convention in Rapid City this weekend.
ALL MAJOR CITIES IN IRAQ POSE A RADIOACTIVE HAZARD TO TROOPS, CIVILIANS, HUMANITARIAN WORKERS AND JOURNALISTS, ACCORDING TO A MILITARY PHYSICIST AND FORMER HEAD OF THE US ARMY'S DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS CLEANUP PROJECT. MAJOR DOUG ROKKE (ROCKY)-A VIETNAM AND GULF WAR COMBAT VETERAN-SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE USE OF SO-CALLED "D-U" WEAPONS AT THE STATE CONVENTION OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER THIS WEEKEND (IN RAPID CITY). THE MAJOR SAID U.S. WEAPONS USED IN THE LAST WAR IN IRAQ DUMPED RADIOACTIVE RESIDUE ACROSS THE NATION.
"We don't have the capability to provide medical care for anybody that's exposed to this stuff and that's been known and documented going back to the Manhattan Project in 1943. And as consequences we have no authority or right to use uranium munitions in combat. It's real simple. When you take tons and tons of solid radioactive waste that we can't effectively dispose of in this country, you turn it into weapons, you throw it into somebody else's backyard, it's flat wrong." (:23)
ROKKE SAYS BOTH THE MILITARY AND NON-COMBATANTS IN IRAQ NOW ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. HE SAYS THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS OF WAR AFFECT EVERYONE OVER TIME.
"You can't send our nation's finest sons and daughters to war, have them get sick, and disregard medical care as we're doing. And you can't contaminate air, water and soil around the world and disregard the health and environmental effects. It's flat wrong. Today the weapons we use, the infrastructure we have-war is obsolete. War is totally obsolete. And we've got to figure out a better war settle our differences." (:22)
MAJOR ROKKE SAYS A BAN ON D-U WEAPONS IS NEEDED BECAUSE AN EFFECTIVE CLEANUP IS IMPOSSIBLE #END#
EDITOR'S NOTE: Major Rokke retired from the military two weeks ago. Rokke can be reached at (413)-773-7427.
~ Thursday, October 2 is Mohandas Gandhi's birthday ~ In honor of a man who devoted his life to seeking and living non-violent solutions to difficult, violent, and sometimes seemingly impossible situations, this evening's program is presented for your edification.
"The Scourge of Depleted Uranium Weapons ~ Health Effects of
Uranium Weapons
on US Troops and Civilians in Iraq and Contamination at Jefferson
Proving
Ground"
Doug Rokke, on depleted uranium (DU) weaponry, "The Army
knows it's a
problem, and they just don't care. They're going to use [DU]. You
have to
understand that. The purpose is to kill. When you go to war, you
kill. And
so when you go to war, you use the best weapon you have, and you
will not
ever give it up."
All the more reason why the "Ban DU Weapons" movement
must grow.
We must be informed, equipped, and empowered. Then, we must take
ACTION !
On Wednesday, October 1, a "Ban DU Weapons"
demonstration will take place
from 5:00 to 6:00 pm at the Monroe County Courthouse Square in
Bloomington,
IN. Bring signs calling for an end to depleted uranium weapons and
the
cleanup of DU in Iraq and Jefferson Proving Ground.
On Thursday, October 2 at 7:00 pm, the Bloomington Peace Action
Coalition
will present an educational, enlightening, and empowering program at the
303 E. Kirkwood Ave. in Bloomington, Indiana.
the former director of the U.S. Army's Depleted Uranium Project.
Mr. Rokke
will explain the consequences of the U.S. military's use of
depleted uranium
munitions. He will also share some of his personal experiences. As
director
of the DU Project, he produced DU cleanup plans for Iraq and
training
material for U.S. personnel to handle DU and avoid harmful
exposures. Mr.
Rokke has himself been contaminated by DU and has suffered the ill
effects
of that exposure. Doug Rokke has come to the conclusion: "I
learned that
real, effective cleanup of this stuff is impossible. We need to
ban DU."
A panel of other DU experts will share information on DU use and
contamination in Iraq and Indiana. Joseph Farah, a U.S. Army veteran, will
provide data on DU cost and usage in the wars in Iraq, as well as
show
examples of armor-penetrating rounds.
Jefferson Proving Ground
Restoration
will talk about
DU
A question and answer forum following the presentations will give
the
audience an opportunity to participate. Information will be shared
so that
the process of banning DU may begin by compelling our
Representatives in
Congress to support the Depleted Uranium Study Act of 2003 (H.R.
1483).
Free literature will be available so that further education and
involvement
may occur.
Join us this Thursday for this powerful event ! The program will
begin
promptly at 7:00 pm.
at 303 E. Kirkwood
Ave. in Bloomington, IN for this multi-media presentation.
"The Scourge of Depleted Uranium Weapons" program is
sponsored by:
Bloomington Peace Action Coalition http://www.BPAC.info
Traprock Peace Center
http://www.grassrootspeace.org
Brown County Green Party
http://www.browncountygreenparty.org
Veterans For Peace, Inc. (Indiana Chapter #49) indyvetsforpeace@aol.com
Co-sponsored by:
Students for Justice in Palestine, Franklin College of Indiana
(Office of the Dean of the Chapel), Monroe County
Libertarian Party,
Student Environmental Action Coalition, IU College Libertarians,
Congregations For Peace, (IU) Progressive Faculty Coalition,
Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom (Monroe County branch)
and the
Hoosier Environmental Council.
for more information,
contact timothybaer2003@hotmail.com (812) 988-1917
Oct 1 - Traprock Peace Center hosted a press tele-conference with Doug Rokke, conducted via conference call. Rokke called in from Illinois. The following radio and print media people participated:
Beth Champaign, St. Johnsbury, VT.
Eileen McGee, KHDU radio, Arcata, California
Andrew Seltzer, KBOO radio, Portland, Oregon
Charles Ray, South Dakota Public Radio
Eric Eckhart, Springfiled New Leader, Missouri
Sunny Miller, Traprock Peace Center, served as moderator.
This is the second tele-press conference that Traprock has organized with Doug Rokke.
Press Press Advisory Monday, Sept. 29, 2003
Contact: Sunny Miller, 4132 773-7427
http://www.grassrootspeace.org
Gulf War Veteran Doug Rokke, PhD. available, Oct 1.
"Contamination
& Exposures will cause Delayed Casualties"
Depleted Uranium
Project is available to local, national and international
press through a
conference call on October 1, 4:30 PM EDT.
This summer Doug Rokke returned from national speaking tour in
Australia
that sparked debate in the Australian Senate. Rokke completed
3-state summer
speaking tour, with stops in Buffalo Rochester, Syracuse, Orange
County, and
Chattam, New York, St. Johnsbury ,Vermont, Arlington, and Springfield,
Massachusetts. organized by Traprock Peace Center in Deerfield,
Massachusetts. He embarks Oct. 2 on a fall speaking tour that
could include
up to ten states: California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan,
Indiana,
Missouri, Texas, Florida, New York, and New Mexico.
He will address the International Conference on Uranium Munitions
in Hamburg
Germany in mid-October, proposing that the effects of this weapon
make its
use in warfare and training illegal. Rokke predicts extensive
health effects
among soldiers, embedded reporters and Iraqi civilians inhaling or
ingesting
Uranium smoke or dust, saying that the heavy metal toxicity and
radioactivity can damage lungs, kidneys, bone, skin, nerves,
memory, vision,
sexual function and cause both genetic damage and birth
abnormalities in
children.
On October 1, Traprock Peace Center's director Sunny Miller will
coordinate
calls from regional, national and any international press, as with
Scott
Ritter on July 9.
Press can call 413 773-7427 to express interest in
participating. Press will be given the conference-call number and
an access
code by 3:00 PM on October 1, 2003.
Excerpts follow from a report by Major Doug Rokke, in Rantoul,
Illinois
"... Between 1990 and 1991 the United States military
incurred 467
individuals wounded in action, 148 killed in battle, 145 killed in
other
than battle (i.e. accidents). Therefore the total number of US Gulf War
casualties was 760 at the time of redeployment.
"... As of May, 2002, 206,861 veterans had filed claims for
benefits based
on service-connected injuries and illnesses caused by Gulf War
combat
related duties. Department of Veterans Affairs officials have
processed
183,249 claims for medical care, compensation, and pension
determining that
for 159,238 veterans their injuries and illnesses are service
connected,
caused by Gulf War exposures and injuries during combat. Over
221,000 have
veterans engaged in the Gulf War theater have been awarded
disabilities.
Consequently they have been awarded lifetime medical care,
compensation, and
pensions based on the extent of their medical problems.
"... Since the cessation of Gulf War hostilities in 1991, an
additional 8013
veterans have died from service connected injuries and exposures
incurred
during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm."
See http://www.grassrootspeace.org for related information. For commentary and the full VA report
released Sept. 10, 2002, see
http://www.grassrootspeace.org/gulfwarcasualties.html