Who are we?

Military Families Speak Out is an organization of people who have relatives or loved ones in the military and who are opposed to war in Iraq. We were formed in November of 2002 and have contacts with military families throughout the United States, and in other countries around the world. Our membership currently includes over 3,000 military families, with new families joining daily. We have 22 chapters throughout our nation.

As people with family members and loved...More

Capitol Region Moms Challenge Rep. Doris Matsui

Three MFSO Capital Region moms (flanked by three Veterans For Peace members) held a press conference this morning in front of the Federal Building in Sacramento to challenge Rep. Doris Matsui to "do better" with regard to the war in Iraq. Afterwards they met with Matsui's Deputy Director. They gave him a copy of the Declaration of Peace Congressional Pledge, requesting that Matsui sign on. They told her staff that her website does not mention the war and that her most recent constituent newsletter...More

Families bristle at word of tour extension

For some families of soldiers in the 172nd Stryker Brigade, the July 27 announcement of the extension of their tour in Iraq was just too much. Some of them are joining the ranks of the anti-war group Military Families Speak Out. “We’ve had a whole group of people who have joined since the announcement,” said Nancy Lessin, co-founder of the group. She was working to get an exact count at press time, and said e-mails are still coming in to the organization.

“They are having meetings at families’...More

Because of MFSO, Sen. Boxer introduces her Iraq War resolution

On June 14th, Sen. Barbara Boxer announced that she is introducing a resolution to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq no later than the end of 2006.

Senate Joint Resolution 39 states that:

(1) United States military forces in Iraq are to be redeployed from Iraq by December 31, 2006, or earlier if practicable;

(2) nothing in this resolution prohibits the use of United States military forces from training Iraqi security forces in the region outside of Iraq;...More

MFSO makes its mark at the Davis Whole Earth Festival

The quintessential Davis event arrived at UC Davis, May 12th through May 14th: the 37th annual Whole Earth Festival. While the event is no longer marked by wild, nude, frolicking hippies, it retains its free spirit and independence. Over the long weekend, 40,000 adults, kids and pets roamed and checked out crafts vendors, vegetarian food booths, and “education” booths while surrounded by music, dance and speeches from four separate stages.

MFSO made two marks that...More

Sacramento Un-Welcomes Bush

Over 2000 protesters rolled out the unwelcome mat for Bush’s cynical photo opportunity/Earth Day visit to the Fuel Cell Partnership (FCP) facility in West Sacramento today.

The mass demonstration was organized and co-sponsored by Military Families Speak Out (Capital Region), Sacramento for Democracy, Sacramento Peace Action, Davis and Sacramento Code Pink, Stephen and Virginia Pearcy, and Grandmothers for Peace, Impeach Bush and ANSWER, among others.

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MFSO demanded that Sen. Feinstein stop funding war

On April 6th, 2006, members of MFSO Bay Area and Capital Region met in front of Sen. Diane Feinstein’s San Francisco office to demand that she not approve the pending supplemental funding of the Iraq War. MFSO laid out 47 combat boots, each with “stars-and-stripes” and flowers. Each boot represented a soldier from the San Francisco Bay Area who died in Iraq.

MFSO held signs reminding the public that the Feinstein’s had made millions in war contracts through ownership...More

Third Anniversary Marked By Three Protests: SF, Sacramento, and Davis

The Capital Region chapter of Military Families Speak Out protested the war at three events over the weekend of the 3rd anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Chapter founders Russell and Laurie Loving joined with Bay Area MFSO, Veterans For Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War in the San Francisco rally and march Saturday, March 18. The Lovings and several MFSO members and supporters tabled at a Sacramento rally that same evening. Finally, the Capital...More

Military Families Send Valentines to Iraq

The merchants and people of Davis and neighboring communities made the Valentines and Chocolates for the Troops! event at the Davis Farmer’s Market Saturday, January 21 a rousing success.

Several hundred boxes and bags of chocolates and Valentine candy were donated. Staffed by volunteers Joy Galloway and Diana Castillo, over 100 red, pink and white heart-laced valentines were hand-made, decorated and written by both adults and children at the colorful booth...More

Bring troops home, Davis council says

Tuesday night's Davis City Council meeting was more emotional than most, with tears spilled, hearty applause and passionate speeches on both sides of a war-resolution debate.

Brought to the council before the winter break, two resolutions calling for an orderly but swift withdrawal of American troops from Iraq met with resistance from military families back in December.

At Tuesday's meeting, 32 people spoke in favor of such a resolution and dozens more sat in the standing-room-only Community Chambers...More

Sacramento's Out Of Iraq Forum Rocks The Capital City

On Saturday, January 7, anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, author David Dionisi, 4th Congressional District candidate Charles Brown, and surprise guests, academy-award winning Sean Penn and author Norm Solomon, spoke to a packed SEIU hall in Sacramento, California.

With nearly 200 people inside and a large overflow crowd gathered out on the sidewalk, Sacramentans are demonstrating their impatience and frustration with U.S. involvement in Iraq.

Dave...More

Sen. Feinstein Responds To Military Families Eating Dinner In Front Of Her House

Senator Dianne Feinstein emerged from her home late in the evening of December 25th to respond to an evening news reporter about a group of California MFSO members who sat down to a holiday dinner on the sidewalk next to her house.

The dinner had taken place earlier that Sunday, when both Christmas and Hanukkah were observed. The MFSO members sat at the sidewalk dinner while highlighting empty chairs at their table. The empty chairs signified the absence of...More

Marching in Sacramento's Veterans Day parade

Sacramento – Nov. 12, 2005. Anti-war veterans, military families and supporters demonstrated the courage of their convictions by marching in the Sacramento's Veterans Day Parade.

About 30 people representing Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, and their supporters participated in the parade. The Veteran’s Day event organizers showed admirable integrity by inviting the anti-war...More

Speaking out to protect veterans benefits

On Saturday, Oct. 29th, MFSO Capital Region joined other veterans groups at a rally to support veteran's benefits. Congress is proposing to charge veterans a $250 per-year use fee for health care and double the veteran's prescription deductable to $15. We marched around Capitol Park and then rallied on the north steps of the state Capitol. We demanded Congress to protect veterans benefits and demanded Govenor Schwarzenneger to fund veteran's benefits if Congress fails to do so.

Speaking out to honor the death of the 2000th soldier

On October 26, 2005, the citizens of Davis held a candlelight vigil to honor the 2000th soldier and the 1,999 before him who died in Iraq. These citizens felt and expressed the grief that so many have died in an illegal and unjust war. At least one hundred candles lit Central Park along Fifth Street. Led by MFSO Capital Region co-founder Laurie Loving, these citizens shouted, "Support Our Troops. Bring Them Home NOW! Take Care Of Them When They Get Here."

MFSO Capital Region and Bay Area chapters spoke out for truth in recruiting

The Capital Region and Bay Area chapters of MFSO spoke for truth in recruiting at a conference at UC Berkeley on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2005. The "On the Frontlines: Options for Youth in Times of War" conference was co-sponsored by the Campus Antiwar Network and Military Out of Our Schools-Bay Area. Aidan Delgado, an Iraq War veteran and conscientious objector; Pablo Paredes, a Navy resister who was just discharged after refusing deployment; parents who lost their...More

IT WAS AMAZING!

By Laurie Loving.

I can't give you an accurate number, but it had to be over 100,000 people, maybe twice that many. The annoying thing is that "they" can get an actual count by using the average number of people filling a city block and adding up all the blocks. But everyone just wants to argue over the numbers instead.

Russell and I arrived in DC about 4pm Friday. The hotel shuttle took us to the Doubletree in Crystal City, the headquarters for Military Families Speak...More

Loving the warrior, hating the war

Loving the warrior, hating the war Davis couple are heading to D.C. to demand their son’s return from war by Ryan Rose. Sacramento News and Review, September 15, 2005

The couple are headed to Washington, D.C., later this month for what may be the largest anti-war protests to date.

Political landmines litter the home front. Military families, left behind by soldiers off to fight in Iraq, face their own battles, fighting in a private war that has gotten...More

I'm Terrified

"I'm terrified" By Claire St. John/Enterprise staff writer Published Aug 29, 2005 - 15:08:20 CDT.

Laurie Loving gave birth to her son [name hidden to protect him from retaliation ] under a maple tree 21 years ago. He grew up participating in peace and justice rallies but liked to play with toy guns and plastic soldiers.

He was known around Davis as a polite young man, but one who didn't like to be told what to do.

That's why Laurie felt shocked when her son talked about joining the military...More