Veterans for Peace demonstrate, deliver letter to NGB base
Story and photos by Lori King
SWANTON – Armed with a letter secured in a manila envelope, two dozen members of Veterans for Peace and the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition marched to the front gate of the 180th Fighter Wing on Tuesday to present it to base commander Col. Chad E. Holeski.
The intent was not only to deliver the 11-page letter, but “to get the attention our federal government – to stop it from illegally involving genocide that’s ongoing in Gaza. This is a very serious time,” Terry Lodge said moments before heading to the front gate on Eber Rd.
“The United States is involved indirectly in two major wars, and there are saber-rattlings of nuclear weapons going on. The genocide in Israel is unspeakable. There are anywhere from 50,000 to perhaps 200,000 people dead,” claimed Lodge, who was the letter carrier and a Veterans for Peace member.
“We’re going to deliver a letter to the base commander explaining why we’re here. Since the federal government seems to not be responsive to the majority of the public that is against the genocide and the U.S. involvement in the Middle East to defend Israel, that’s why we’re here … to send a message,” Lodge said.
Lodge, who is not a veteran, was accompanied by 22 other concerned citizens, including Mike Ferner, the national director of Veterans for Peace. The anti-war group is a global organization of military veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace by using their experiences and lifting their voices.
Ferner, a Navy veteran, said they were not only there to give the letter to the commanding officer, but to inform him of several federal laws violated by participating in the genocide that’s currently happening in Gaza. He accused the 180th of being a part of the military establishment, which is helping to supply arms to Israel and repair their engines.
“After we deliver that letter, a few of us are going to sit down in the driveway to prevent operations here and do our best to enforce the law that nobody else is enforcing,” he said.
The demonstration was part of a national September Days of Solidarity with the People of Palestine campaign. One of the actions was to deliver the VFP letter, which lists U.S. laws government employees and weapons makers violate with arms shipment to Israel. Toledo participants joined protestors in 25 other cities to deliver, or attempt to deliver, the letter.
As part of the demonstration, the group blocked the entrance to the national guard base as they chanted and sang songs, which were, at times, drowned out by the thundering engine noise of F-16 jets flying overhead.
They also held signs and banners. A few of the signs read: ‘No defense of Israeli, U.S. genocide; No defense of genocide; Stop US military aid to Israel; and No more $$$$ to Israel for weapons.
Ferner predicted arrests would be made. However, that didn’t happen. One of the four deputy sheriffs on scene told the group they had every right to protest, and that they were more worried about their safety.
After nearly 20 minutes of protesting, Chief Master Sgt. Russell Bacon approached the group. Lodge tried to give him the letter but Bacon refused to accept it. He told Lodge he didn’t have authorization.
Meanwhile, deputies unsuccessfully tried to persuade the protestors from blocking the driveway. Ferner and Nancy Larson ignored them and knelt in front of cars trying to enter the base, forcing them to back up and drive around them on the grass. A few drivers showed signs of frustration by flipping them off and calling them idiots.
After about 90 minutes, Bacon, with the unit’s Security Forces Squadron, accepted it from Lodge and the group dispersed.
“Just at the end, I walked over to him, we shook hands and he said thanks. That was it,” explained Lodge. “But it’s absurd. This is typical. It’s such a symbolic way of saying ‘We don’t want to hear your message. There’s nothing to talk about.’ The military better start listening. They got to.”
When contacted by the Toledo Free Press in response to the demonstration, 180th Public Affairs superintendent Senior Master Sgt. Beth Holliker confirmed that the commander was not on base at the time. She then gave this official statement:
“The Ohio Air National Guard supports state and federal missions as directed by the governor of Ohio and the president of the United States. For operational security purposes, we are not authorized to disclose this mission.”
Holliker offered the phone number to the Air Force Press Desk because, she said, the protestors weren’t specifically targeting the 180th Fighter Wing, but the Department of Defense.
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