Remembering Markus who died June 1, 2004

A tribute to Markus J. Johnson of Springfield, Massachusetts

He was an Army Pfc and on June 1, 2004 he died while serving in the

Al Anbar Province of Iraq when an Avenger rolled over.

He was 20 years old

He was awarded seven medals, including the Bronze Star

and the Purple Heart

Brig. Gen. Bo Temple presents Sandra L. Thomas, the mother of Army Pvt. Markus J. Johnson, a flag and her son's medals during Markus Johnson's funeral at the Massachusetts Veterans Cemetery in Agawam, June 12 2004. Beside Thomas are Markus Johnson's stepfather Lawrence Thomas, Jr., and aunt Katherine Johnson

Siblings Laura Thomas, left, Craig L. Johnson, Nathan L. Johnson

and Dwayne A. Johnson share a laugh as they remember their

brother, Army
Pfc Markus J. Johnson, during his funeral.

Military pallbearers carry the casket of Army Pvt. Markus J. Johnson

from Symphony Hall after the funeral

Tribute to a fallen warrior

Markus' parents and brother Nathan at a memorial event

on the first anniversary of his death.

*****

I would like to introduce you to Markus J. Johnson.

I was living in Massachusetts when I first met Markus. He was a young child and his aunt Kathy was a good friend of mine. She usually had Markus and his brothers with her when we would meet. His mother was in poor health and was confined to a wheelchair so he spent a lot of time with his aunt.

He was full of energy, asked a thousand questions and had a great sense of humor.
When he got older he made the decision to join the Army so that he could help his mother financially and like many of our young citizens Markus dreamed of pursuing a college education when he was discharged from the military.

Markus holds the distinction of being Springfield's first resident to sacrifice his life in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and in the country's War on Terrorism. He was assigned to the 3rd Air Defense Artillery, 1st Infantry Division of the Army, based in Kitzingen, Germany and was 20 when he was deployed to Iraq.

Markus’ death was a shock to his family and friends and to the entire community. He was well known at the local Martin Luther King Community Center which he attended during his childhood and teen years. Hundreds attended his funeral.

I wanted to introduce you to Markus because his story is so typical of many of the young men and women who have died in the Iraq War. They wanted to help their families financially, pursue a higher education and to be of service to their country.

Markus’ mother and father have both died since the time of his death. His siblings have undergone the pain of losing their parents and their brother in the past eight years.

I remember Markus with fond affection and we all miss him very much.

We are proud of him and will never forget him.

*****

peacesojourner

Memorial Day - 2012

Korean War Veterans Memorial Washington DC

From 1950 to 1953, the United States joined with United Nations forces in Korea to take a stand against what was deemed a threat to democratic nations worldwide. At wars end, a million and a half American veterans returned to a peacetime world of families, homes, and jobs - and to a country long reluctant to view the Korean War as something to memorialize. But to the men and women who served, the Korean War could never be a forgotten war.

The Three Soldiers - Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

A national war memorial in Washington D.C. It honors members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War and who died in service or are still unaccounted for.

WWII Veterans on parade

The National World War II Memorial

Located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, the National World War II Memorial commemorates the 16 million American men and women who served, fought, sacrificed and died during the Second World War.

The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home.

Arlington National Cemetery

War	Dates	Served	Battle Deaths
American Revolution	1775 - 1783	217,000	4,435
War of 1812	1812 - 1815	286,730	2,260
Indian Wars	1817 - 1898	106,000	1,000
Mexican War	1846 - 1848	78,718	1,733
Civil War (North)	1861 - 1865	2,213,363	140,414
Civil War (South)		1,050,000	74,524
Spanish-American War	1898 - 1902	306,760	385
World War I	1917 - 1918	4,734,991	53,402
World War II	1940 - 1945	16,112,566	291,557
Korean War	1950 - 1953	5,720,000	33,686
Vietnam War	1964 - 1975	9,200,000	47,410
Gulf War	1990 - 1991	2,322,332	148
Totals		42,348,460	650,954

These totals do not include the 4,486 who have been killed in the Iraq War

and 1,984 in Afghanistan - TOTAL 6,470

The memorials are a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment

of those who served their country.

Never to be Forgotten. May they Rest in Peace.

peacesojourner

April 17h - War Tax Resistance Day

Many Anti War Tax Resisters will gather at the IRS building in Washington, DC today to give away resisted federal taxes to some worthy organizations that are working to alleviate some of the ills of the world. The demonstration is one of dozens around the country being held today on "Tax Day." War Tax Resistance protests have been going on at IRS HQ since the 1960’s.

War Tax Resisters are people of conscience who are saddened by the government's continued presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. In refusing to pay part or all of our federal taxes and re-directing that money, war tax resisters are intentionally violating the law to withhold our support of the illegal, immoral and unjust wars--as well as untold future wars our government may lead us into.

They join together at the IRS to publicly declare that they will not cooperate with our government's policy of advocating and enacting violent responses to international conflict. Not in our names will the U.S. government continue to uphold a military system that all too often threatens and takes lives around the world, while government programs that meet human needs are routinely cut or eliminated.

The current Military Budget is $1.3 trillion

Many of us will continue our war tax resistance until our government prioritizes human needs, peace, and social justice over international aggression, war and violence.

We say “NO” to war with our money. No to the continuing war and occupation of Iraq. No to the war in Afghanistan and no to drone attacks and increased fighting in Pakistan.

We say “No” to billions more dollars buying thousands more deaths and injuries, both military and civilian. There are people and programs that could benefit from a small percentage of the money that is spent by all governments on war.

War Tax Resisters have decided that we cannot wait for governments to end war. We are cutting off our individual connection to war by refusing some or all of the federal tax dollars that fund war.

• Some of us are living on low incomes so as not to pay for war.
• Some of us are refusing $100 in protest.
• Some of us are refusing 100% of any federal income taxes owed.
• If the government won't cut off the funds, we will.
• We mourn the loss of untold numbers of lives that have been lost in these wars.

*****

I am a pacifist and I take comfort in knowing that I do not personally give financially to the war effort. I made the decision to become a War Tax Resister 11 years ago. I deliberately have an income that is lower than the minimum rate before one pays tax. I live a very frugal lifestyle and I take advantage of almost every free cultural event in the community. Life is good.

One of the benefits of being a War Tax Resister is that I meet some of the kindest, compassionate people every day.

*****

"War tax resistance is a way of keeping at the front of my mind the killing and suffering wrought by the government's policies, and of voicing my profound disagreement with those policies."—Juanita Nelson (a War Tax Resister since WWII)

"War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." - John F. Kennedy

6,422 Military Troops from the United States have been

killed in wars since March 19 2003.

peacesojourner

March 2003 - December 2011 - IT'S OVER!

March 2003 - U.S. President George W. Bush stated:

"Every effort would be made to spare the lives of innocent civilians"

12/15/11 -we hear the declaration "IT'S OVER"

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03):	4483
U.S. Wounded
320,000 Vets Have Brain Injuries
War Veterans’ Concussions Are Often Overlooked
18 Vet Suicides Per Day?
Iraqi Casualties 1,455,590
Other Coalition Troops - Iraq	319
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan	1,849
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan	974
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq	1,487
Journalists - Iraq	348
Academics Killed - Iraq	448
Sources: DoD, MNF, and iCasualties.org

Never any evidence of 'weapons of mass destruction'.

4,483 U. S. Troops were killed in action

Over 1million Iraq citizens killed

$800 billion of US taxpayers money has been spent.

I declare this War as Bush's folly! May God have mercy on us all!

peacesojourner