Tomas Young (vet in Body of War) is very ill

[proud2BlibKansan]

Tomas Young, the vet featured in Body of War, is in a coma. Here is the note from the PBS website:

NOTE: Tomas Young's struggle continues day by day. In late May 2008, he fell into a coma brought on by a clot in his lung. His mother, Cathy, tells us they are working to keep him awake and talking a few hours every day.
- Bill Moyers

Well wishing can be sent to:
Tomas Young - patient
Saint Luke's Hospital
4401 Wornall
Kansas City, MO 64111

I hope DUers will take the time to send good wishes to Tomas.
:patriot:

[Hissyspit]

1. Oh my god. I hadn't heard.

More sadness and horror.

I've listened to his soundtrack (he chose the songs) many times.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. We just found out tonight

Moyers reran his show on Body of War and made a brief comment at the end about Tomas being ill. I saw it and sent out an email to our local group here in KC. I am in Wichita for the weekend and didn't realize the KC PBS affiliate chose not to air Moyers tonight. So my email was the first most of our group heard about Tomas being ill.

Now there are emails flying back and forth about Tomas and planning a protest of our PBS affiliate. You just can't piss off peace activists. LOL

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. That picture is Tomas's brother Nathan

He is still in Iraq :cry:

[Riverman]

4. I just got back from hearing Amy Goodman talk at the Veterns'

Audatorium in Grass Valley, CA. She talked about Tomas and the movie "Body of War" by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. Now I'm watchin the Bill Moyer show in PBS with Phil and Ellen. Amy talked about many things, but mentioned that she had talked to Tomas' mother yesterday and how he had suffered a pulmonary ambulism. Amy talked about how the run up to the invasion of Iraq that someone did a survey that the four main media - NBC, ABC, CBS and PBS interviewed nearly 400 people about the possible invasion of Iraq, of whom only 3 were anti-war. She surmissed what if for only one week, the actual pictures, the images of the war - the dead babies that are strewn along the roads of Iraq, prenant women whose legs were blown away, the homes of poor people invaded by soldiers andthe fear in the faces as the young men were taken away. Until tonight I have not heard of this movie. I am someone who pays attention and I have not heard of this documentary that must be seen by everyone. Why is the major media not talking about this movie? Why is this movie not being shown in every town, in movie houses all over America? The answer is obvious. The war machine, the war profiteers cannot allow it. Americans are caring and generous and if they were shown the this film and the real images of war, they would not stand for it. The puppets elected to political positions of power would be quickly be voted or impeached from office. On Bill Moyers just now and earlier this evening Amy Goodman said the corporate media is ruining democracy! But, there is hope, things are changing. Amy has new book about the heroes of change. She pointed out many examples. Phil Donahue said that he produced this film because Tomas didn't want a poor me movie, he wanted a political movie. Amy pointed out that we are at a tipping point in history, just as Rosa Parks by her planned personal action to sit down against racism in the 1950's and who helped launch the movement lead by Martin Luther King with the Birmingham Bus Strike. Amy implored people in the audience, an overflowing crowd in Grass Valley, a Sierra Foothills city of 12K, 5o miles from Sacramento, to get involved in this election in 2008. She said that the person occupying the White House is the most powerful position on earth and that many people around the world are impacted by the actions of the President of the United States. She told a story of a woman from a Caribean nation who wished she could vote for the US President because that person will impact her life and the people of her country. So, we in the USA need to get involved in this election. We have in our hands this moment in history to make the change we want to see in the world by voting for the democratic nominee for President. Imagine if the Supreme Court in 2000 had a majority appointed by a Democrat rather than the one appoited by Reagan and Bush Sr, just one vote on the Supreme Court gave the 2000 election to Bush Jr and the consequences of that action have resulted in enormous tradgedy around the world and at home here in the US. One Vote! We must make our collective one votes to make the change that is needed in November.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. I am in Kansas City, where Tomas lives, and we couldn't get that movie to play

in any of our theaters for more than a week or so. We got a little bit of media coverage but nowhere near the amount Tomas deserved. The freakin Royals got more press than this wonderful movie did.

Did Amy tell the story of her interview with Aaron Brown when he was still on CNN? I just love this story. She asked Aaron where were the images from Iraq and Aaron said it was a matter of taste. Amy said "Aaron, war is what is tasteless."

[Riverman]

6. No, She did not tell that one, but I remember Aaron Brown and

how he this folksy, casual manner of speach in talking about the war run-up that made it sound like a debate about whether to which music to feature this year in the Fourth of July picnic. It made me want to puke and throw things at the TV! Thank you for standing up to oppose war.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I have a friend in the peace movement in Grass Valley CA

http://www.coolhanduke.com/

[trashcanistanista]

10. Hi Riverman!

Thank you for posting about the Amy Goodman event. I wanted to go but I had to work tonight. I saw excerpts from the movie when Phil Donahue was on with Amy on Democracy Now. KVMR carries Democracy Now and I get it via DISH on Link TV and Free Speech TV. I am heartbroken that Tomas is sick.

Your neighbor in Colfax.:hi:

[Riverman]

20. Hey Back to You over the hill in Colfax!

We listen to Democracy Now everynight ay 7:00 PM on KVMR- FM, in Nevada City. The community radio station sponsored Amy Goodman for last night's event and they are celbrating their 30th Aniversay this summer. She also last night played a portion of her interview with U. Utah Phillips who passed away last week from heart failure. He has lived in Nevada City for the last 21 years and was one of my long time heroes when I first heard his story "Moose Turd Pie" about the Gandydancers - the Irish rail workers in Utah in the 1800's. Very funny story! There will be a public service 10 AM Sunday - tomorrow in Pioneer Park in Nevada City. Amy said she hoped to be there. She is speaking in Davis tonight and being live with guys in the Sudan who were recently released from Guantonamo after six years. She is quite a person and reports the facts, the real truth directly, unemotionately. In her speach she is very personable and uses lots of humor. The Vets Hall was filled to capacity as far as I could tell. Terrific event!

[ClayZ]

8. Thanks for posting this news. K and R

We will be thinking of Thomas and sending a card.

K and R

Body of War trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZuQkITY64

[EFerrari]

9. I just heard tonight.

:hug:
:grouphug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. It's so heartbreaking

He is such a neat kid.

[midnight]

11. Thank you to everyone who knows this is wrong and speaks

out against it. Bring them Home.

[orleans]

12. how sad. n/t

[malaise]

13. This is too sad

Thanks George :puke:

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Fuck you George

:mad:

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Please keep this kicked

For Tomas!

:patriot:

[chat_noir]

17. K&R

Prayers for Tomas

[Lex]

18. Oh no.

I'm definitely going to drop him and his mother a note. They both amazing people.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. They really are

It's a neat family. They come to our events here in KC and give us some great support.

[EFerrari]

19. Kick

[Hissyspit]

21. kick again n/t

[Maat]

23. Healing energy sent Thomas' way.

He is in our family's thoughts and prayers.

We will sent him a card also.

Thanks, P2B!

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Thank you for remembering him, Maat.

We are dedicating our regular Sunday vigil tomorrow to Tomas. Coincidentally, we hold our vigil at a park right across the street from the hospital where Tomas is.

:patriot:

[Maat]

26. Great idea ...

and we can do the same!

[librechik]

24. God bless you Tomas