It was clear from the outset of this petition project that this was going to be a long haul endeavor. There are so many stories and events that compete for our interest, and media at large is so predictably sluggish and unresponsive, that it can take a long while for any narrative to gain traction. [...]
August 2007
The father of Pfc. LaVena Lynn Johnson, Dr. John Johnson of Florissant, Missouri. Dr. Johnson spoke in August 2007 at the Veterans for Peace speakout on sexual assault in the military outside the Robert A. Young Federal Building in downtown St. Louis. This was just one of many events and workshops comprising the 22nd annual [...]
Just returned from the Veterans for Peace addresses on sexual assault in the military. I’ll be posting on the remarks made by LaVena Johnson’s father, Dr. John Johnson – as well as some other material – over the weekend. Incidentally: Today marked my first face-to-face meeting with Dr. Johnson. We chatted for a brief while [...]
Many thanks to Bill Wolfrum, guest-blogging at Crooks & Liars, for including us in his blog roundup. He noted that LaVena’s father, Dr. John Johnson, will be speaking Friday at the Veterans for Peace convention in St. Louis (as posted here yesterday). This is the second time that C&L has brought needed attention to LaVena’s [...]
As part of its 22nd annual national convention taking place in St. Louis, Veterans for Peace will hold a press conference on sexual assault in the military on Friday, August 17, 12:30 – 1:45 pm Central. The event will be held outside the Robert A. Young Federal Building, 1222 Spruce Street. Among the participants will [...]
I am very grateful to toma, who brought the story of LaVena Johnson to the great hive mind of MetaFilter. (On a personal note: this was a welcome sight indeed, coming as it did after a lengthy round of oral surgery this morning.) I appeal to new readers here for their signatures on the petition [...]