Three Sundays in a row, at 4:00PM, I would pack all my gear, strap the tripod to the pack's side and summon my inner ericaamerica to come out and play. Thank karma she did, which made those afternoons of metro rides and shooting the shit with young Iraq Vets not just educational, but a touch of fun.
This group house, by some measure, is the RealReal World. A place stocked with fruit snacks and beer , testosterone and girls. But in an UnReal World sense, these co-existors were more than just age-similar. They had all served in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11 and upon return, joined a fast-expanding group called theIraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). The house, on the South side of DC, is not only their bunker, but the central headquarter for the business of IVAW's grassroots operations.
I had my first dose of IVAW in action back in March, when I attended theWinter Soldier event. [see my video here] I was taken back by the candid, powerful, testimonies about the U.S.'s occupation in Iraq. I realized as I walked around the confernece exactly what IVAW was doing -- reporting the war from the eyes and ears of a very young, elite graduation class. A class that received educations at the University of US Occupies Iraq and are now taking their diplomas to bring attention to what they call a criminal occupation and use of force.
There is a 22-year-old freckled Embassay Guard. A 19-year old college junior. A southern farmer with flow hair and a jewish political theory student. They are unlikely messengers. But they keep coming back with a message.
Over the three Sundays I went to the IVAW Group House, I listened for those messages. I captured three tapes, about five interviews and a whole lot of b-roll. While I kick off the process of importing, editing and producing it, I thought I'd share with you all this little sound bite from former Marine, Adam Kokesh. Kokesh has hisown blog and attends Graduate School at George Washington University. In Iraq, Adam served on a Military Affairs team, which, he told me, "means we're the guys shaking hands and kissing babies." During the tour he also set up a store front to pay Iraq famliy grievance checks.
"Historically unprecedented," he said. "We are actually paying people for losses."
SEE ADAM'S VIDEO HERE.