ivaw

"You don't go to war without being changed by it," says Geoff Millard, former Chair of the Board of Iraq Veterans Against the War. From sky-high suicide rates for veterans at home to horrific stories of "kill teams" in Afghanistan, we're hearing stories every day of the traumas that going to war inflicts on our young men and women. Millard and IVAW, though, have been working both at home and back in Iraq to bring about some sort of reconciliation, both for soldiers and for Iraqi civilians. Millard joins Laura in studio to discuss IVAW's Operation Recovery campaign to stop redeploying traumatized soldiers, the ongoing news from the wars, and his upcoming trip back to Iraq on a humanitarian mission. "Standing up and speaking out against a supervisor is harder than what I do every day," says Mary Kay Henry, new president of the Service Employees International Union. Yet becoming the first woman--and the first out lesbian--to lead the country's largest labor union means she's faced some pretty tough battles, and she's gearing up for another one: an election in which corporations are outspending progressives 26 to 1 for anti-worker candidates. Henry joins Laura in studio for a talk about the future of SEIU, her past as an organizer, and why it's important to keep the fight going long after November's elections. Finally, the Obama administration seems to be taking out its frustrations on the so-called "professional left," setting up blame for anticipated losses in November. But maybe they could take a lesson from Bill Clinton, of all people...

Last week, the war in Afghanistan hit a sad milestone: the 1000th American casualty. This Monday will be Memorial Day, when we stop to remember the soldiers who have given their lives in battle in the U.S.'s many wars. But there are many veterans from the wars still alive and struggling with the consequences of active duty every day, both physically and mentally. Jose Vasquez, executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War, joins us in studio to talk about the ongoing struggles on behalf of veterans, whether they be discharged and fighting for benefits or still on active duty and fighting repeated deployments. GRITtv with Laura Flanders brings participatory democracy onto your computer screen and into your living room, bridging the gap between audience and advocates.

Iraq Veterans Against the War has been working with filmmaker David Zeiger on a series entitled "This Is Where We Take Our Stand," documenting military resistance. Zeiger's the guy behind "Sir! No Sir!" - the hit documentary about resistance during the Vietnam war. Here's a clip from their new project, "Why We Fight.""