Roberto Martinez Medina, Presente!!

The plight of immigrants in the United States is an issue too often disregarded by the mainstream.
March 11, 2009 marks an important moment in the history of immigrants' rights. This is the date of the death of Roberto Martinez Medina. He was a man who had committed no crime, other than living and working in the United States without proper documentation. He died while under the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and while being detained at the Stewart Detention Center, owned an operated by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).
This is a detention facility in Lumpkin, GA, a rural town in one of Georgia's poorest counties. Proper medical facilities are located in Columbus, an hour-long drive away. This can pose a challenge when the need arises to provide detainees with proper medical attention. Mr. Medina's cause of death was a heart infection, which is an ailment that with proper medical attention does not have to be fatal. The ultimate cause of death of Mr. Medina may be attributable to neglect.
On Friday, November 20, 2009, protesters gathered in the small town square of Lumpkin, GA, in front of city hall for a mock funerary procession and vigil in memory of Roberto Martinez Medina. Close to 100 people from throughout North America marched together from the town square to Stewart Detention Center, where Mr. Medina had been detained.
It was a solemn procession. Members of the Lumpkin community observed silently from their porch decks and their cars. They had likely never seen anything similar, as the procession contained several large, tall puppetistas.
The media was present and a young woman named Pam Torres gave her account of her experience as part of an immigrant family. Her father had been living in the United States for about 20 years, yet he lacked the proper documentation to live in the United States legally. Unfortunately, one day he was caught by ICE and was sent to a detention facility in Louisiana before being sent back to his home country of Honduras.
The mistreatment is immigrants is an atrocity we should all be aware of, and we must acknowledge that the status quo is anything but acceptable.

Jesus Pulido
American Friends Service Committee

School of The Americas Watch 2009

This year AFSC/Atlanta worked with the Progressive Student Alliance of Georgia State University to organize and subsidize transportation for 40 students and youth from every corner of Georgia to attend the School of the Americus (www.soaw.org).
AFSC outreached to college campuses around the state, held fundraisers, and School of the Americas Watch educational events leading up to this year’s landmark vigil at the gates of Fort Benning.
AFSC/Atlanta also facilitated a workshop that was an official part of this year’s SOAW program entitled, “How to take back you school from the military.” Each attendee received an organizing packet that included a step by step guide on how to build a counter recruitment movement on their campus. Over sixty people attended. Attendees hailed from campuses and communities all over the country.
We also participated in the Georgia Activist meet-up Saturday night along with many other Georgia based organizations. The one thing everyone noted at the meet-up was that the average age of folks at this year’s meet-up, which happens every year during SOAW, was dramatically lower.
We also tabled all weekend at the gates of Fort Benning. AFSC volunteers and Interns took turns staffing the table, educating folks about our counter recruitment efforts, passing out information about the “One Minute for Peace” campaign, and selling our fair trade Palestinian olive oil.
We all got to hear John Meyer from AFSC announce from the stage that AFSC had nominated Father Roy Bourgeois, founder of SOAW, for the Nobel Peace Prize. Many in the crowd didn’t know that AFSC was a former recipient of the award. It was an exciting weekend for AFSC/Atlanta!


Tim Franzen
Peace Building Program
American Friends Service Committee

Anthony

Anthony served in the Army from 1979 to 1983, then he served till 1986 in the reserves. Anthony stated, "I got caught up in the economic draft, didn't see any other opportunities". He still remembers catching the bus on Thanksgiving day to head to boot camp.
Anthony plans to attend next years Huntsville stand down as a volunteer stating, "I have a passion for helping people." Anthony spent most of the weekend being of service to others, helping cook meals, arrange beds, make sure everyone had what they needed.

Darrell Williams

Darrell served in the Army from 1979-1981. He enlisted because he got his girlfriend pregnant and felt that the army would provide him with the job skills training he would need in order to support a family.
In 1980 Darrell volunteered to participate in an experiment involving a black pill that was designed to counter act the effects of chemical warfare. Darrell claimed that he and others became very ill and that most of the guys that went through the experiment with him with him were given a dishonorable discharge. Darrell says his nerves have been messed up every since and that he still has nose bleeds to this day.
Darrell used the weekend to relax, enjoy fresh air, and file social security papers.

James Brown

James Brown

James served in the Army from 1968 to 1971. He joined because he wanted to find adventure and see the world. After experiencing racism in the Army first hand James went AWOL and was eventually given a undesirable discharge. When asked if he thought that joining the Army had been helpful to him he stated, “If I could do it again I wouldn’t go.”
James has been homeless for over a decade and hopes to use the stand down to get legal advice, research employment opportunities, and relax in a safe environment where he’s treated like a human being.