Chicago RPCV Conference The second city proved it is second to none in putting on an unforgettable event for the NPCA's 2006 Returned Volunteer Conference. Read what RPCV Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball had to say about his service in Swaziland and what Nobel laureate and Landmine Activist Bobby Mueller had to say about US Mideast policy. Read our coverage of the closing ceremony, the opening ceremony, our photo essay of the Flag Procession, our collection of over five hundred photos from the procession, and what VOA said about the conference. Great job, Capca!

Nobel laureate and Landmine Activist Bobby Mueller speaks out against US Policy at the Conference



Nobel laureate and Landmine Activist Bobby Mueller speaks out against US Policy at the Conference

Closing Ceremony of the NPCA Convention in Chicago

Speaker Bobby Mueller said we are waiting for the "teachable moment"

NPCA President Kevin Quigley introduced Bobby Mueller and said that you can't talk about peace unless you talk about war. Bobby Mueller, Nobel Laureate for his work banning land mines, spoke about the political situation in the world today and said:

I have talked to people in this administration and sometimes we take comfort that there are really smart people in Washington who know what they are doing, but the truth is that the group up there now is clueless. They don't know what they are doing and we are waiting for the "teachable moment."

Prepare yourself for the "teachable moment" that is coming soon. If you haven't seen it - see the movie "The Fog of War" which is an extended interview with Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara who was the architect of the war in Vietnam. McNamara said that the number one reason we lost the was was that we did not understand who the Vietnamese were.

McNamara said that he knew in 1967 that we had lost the war but that the war went on until 1975 and 3 millon more Vietnamese died as a result.

The second thing you should do is read the book "Imperial Hubris" by a CIA analyst who has been studying the Muslim world for many years. The author says not to believe the garbage that it's our value system that Islamic militants have a problem with - no, it's not our value system - it's what we do.











Speaker Bobby Mueller said we are looking at a storm that is coming our way and returned volunteers have a role to play

Bobby Mueller went on to say:

I've known Kerry for 30 years and he is a calculating politician. He is a good man but he can only move within the constraints of public opinion. For him to lead us to some justice, the public has to be informed, they have to be engaged, and this is where Returned Volunteers can help - it's a call to service again.

Today things are different. More people are getting their ideas from blogs than from the New York Times. People are using the internet and it is having an effect because of the authenticity of what people write on their web sites.

With all due respect to Chris Matthews who spoke to us just a minute ago - the mass media in this country is into entertainment, it is into celebrity worship and the American people are not getting the facts.

We are looking at a storm that is coming our way. I predict that there will be civil disorder in Saudi Arabia within one year. President Musharraf of Pakistan has had so many assassination attempts they aren't even reported in the newspaper as news anymore. Musharraf's beating heart is all that stands between us and 30 Muslim nuclear warheads because many Pakistani people support the militants.

When Saudi Arabia starts to break down or when Pakistan starts to break down, then there will be a draft in this country again. Last time we had a draft, the majority got a pass. That ain't going to happen again. It's not going to be an invitation. We are going to tool up for war - and that will be the "teachable moment."

No retreat, No surrender.

This Month's Issue: August 2004 Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny? Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts." In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development.

By Chris McKee (192.65.141.8) on Wednesday, September 08, 2004 - 2:14 pm: Edit Post

This is a nice article. I was there. There was more to the speech, however. Is there somewhere I could find the complete transcription? It was the most powerful speech I've ever witnessed.