Would you like to have dinner with me? It would be just us -- and up to three of your friends, if you want -- and we can talk about anything... movies, politics, or whether LeBron, Bosh and Wade are going to live up to the hype. (I'm betting yes.)
If you're interested, just go here and make a bid. The money from the winner will go to Operation Recovery, a project of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
I'm participating in this auction because the IVAW is, quite simply, one of the most important organizations in our country. Founded in 2004, they now have 61 chapters, all focused on three simple principles: (1) immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq; (2) reparations to the Iraq people from their invaders; and (3) full benefits, including physical and mental healthcare, for returning servicemen and women.
IVAW also participates in the nationwide Truth in Recruiting campaign, so that young people can make informed decisions about joining the military. And they organized the 2008 Winter Soldier conference, at which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan told the unvarnished truth about what we're doing in our wars -- and what our wars are doing to our vets.
We all owe every member of IVAW a debt of thanks. And there's no better way to help pay that debt than to support Operation Recovery, which is a new campaign to stop the military from sending already-traumatized veterans back into combat zones.
You might think that after all you've heard for the past decade about "supporting the troops" that the military wouldn't push those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder back to war. But you'd be wrong -- the reality is that to the people who started the war, our soldiers are almost as disposable as Iraqis. Please read this article about Jeff Hanks, an Army infantryman, and then watch this video to learn more.
And then... well, then hopefully you and I can have dinner. What would you like? I hear the spaghetti is great just about anywhere...