http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_cindy_sh_071126_uh_2c_oh_canada_21.htm
November 26, 2007
by Cindy Sheehan
Recently the Canadian Supreme Court refused to hear appeals on the
denial of refugee status for two US military Iraq war resisters that
were among the firs to flee to Canada: Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon
Hughey. I have had the opportunity to meet both of these brave and
honorable young men on my many trips to Canada imploring the
government and the people to accept our war resisters as our Northern
Neighbors have done in the past. With 64.6% of Canadians supporting
allowing our Iraq war resisters to stay, this situation is another
example of how governments simply refuse to listen to their citizens.
When I met with leaders of the separatist party, the Bloc Quebecois,
they were very sympathetic but outlined their reasons for not
supporting resolutions to grant our resisters amnesty, refugee status
or asylum. The Bloc has since changed their policy and do support
giving our war resisters amnesty, but their past reasoning can help
us understand what is happening up North.
The women from the Bloc told me that our soldiers don't meet the UN
requirements for refugee status because first of all, there is no
forced draft in the USA; and secondly, our prisons are not so bad and
Canada has to make room for other more needy refugees. I used my own
story and experiences to try to refute their arguments.
First, and foremost, I told the leaders something that they already
knew, because Canada refused to participate in the "Coalition of the
Willing." The invasion and occupation of Iraq, was and is, illegal
and immoral. Our soldiers, especially ones like Casey who signed up
before the horror-show known as the Bush Regime was in power, should
not have to choose between prison (whether they are not so bad, or
not, which is another debatable issue) or killing the innocent
citizens of Iraq to benefit the war profiteers. Although I begged him
to head for Canada the last time I saw him alive, Casey was
"rewarded" for selecting one of the abhorrent choices with a Bronze
Star and Purple Heart posthumously that were pinned to his lifeless
chest and buried for eternity with him. If our children are
"volunteers" in an "all voluntary" military, when the mission changes
or when they are forced to participate in a corrupt mission, our
children should be able to "un-volunteer" without having to flee the
country or go to prison.
Even if our soldiers did sign up after BushCo declared their war of
terror, recruiters are infamous for lying to potential recruits. I
would equate Military Recruiters to used car salespersons, but
Recruiters know that they are sending our young people off to die,
kill, or become infected with depleted uranium or other physical and
mental illnesses that accompany all war whether it is just or not. My
son's recruiter lied to him and put five of those lies in writing. It
is a little known fact, and most recruiters will not inform their
recruits, that the enlistment contract is a unilateral contract and
only binding on the recruit, not the US military. The one promise
that Casey's recruiter: Sgt. Big Fat Liar told my trusting and
trustworthy son that he broke was that even if there was a war (Casey
signed up in May, 2000), Casey would not "see any combat." I recently
met a young man fresh from boot camp that was on his way to Canada.
His recruiter promised him that he would not have to be deployed to
Iraq, but as soon as he graduated from boot camp he received his
orders to head to Iraq.
Not only are our often-gullible young people faced with dishonest and
unconscionable recruiting practices, if our soldiers are lucky enough
to not be killed in Iraq, they return to a VA system that is broken
and many cannot find help or hope for their physical and/or emotional
wounds. The incidences of suicide among our veterans are appalling
(but at least they get a parade once a year) and now if our kids are
wounded and unable to return to the front lines before their
enlistment periods are up our soulless government is asking them to
repay their enlistment bonuses! I am surprised we didn't get a bill
for Casey's re-enlistment bonus since he was killed 3 years before
his enlistment was over.
We as a peace movement need to support the Iraq war resisters (I
would also add Afghanistan, but that's a little more controversial in
the movement).
If we are pro-peace and anti-war, if our children slip through the
cracks and are successfully preyed upon by recruiters, then we must
support their decisions to not be used as cannon fodder for maniacal
BushCo. Not all of our young people who enlist are stone-cold
killers, but most see little choice in today's economy that is bereft
of opportunity and where university is prohibitively high.
Action items:
Write to Canadian officials to request that they accept our war
resisters as refugees.
http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/499/89/
Send money to organizations that support war resisters.
http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/
Support actual war resisters in Canada by sending them expense money.
From my friend Ryan (I gave him and his wife money to get to Canada
over two years ago):
In light of the recent Supreme Court denial in Canada, I (Ryan
Johnson), My wife (Jen Johnson) and Brandon Hughey need help raising
funds to travel to Ottawa to attend hearings before the Standing
Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, where War Resisters will be
giving Testimony to the committee. At these hearings the committee
will be deciding on whether or not to make a provision to allow war
resisters to stay in Canada. This is one of our last chances to be
able to continue living in Canada. We will be leaving December 7th
because the hearings are December 11th, 2007 so we need to act fast.
They may try to send guys back soon and we need to have a strong War
Resister Presence. We appreciate all of the support and Want to thank
all of you who can help.
Checks/money orders can be sent for Ryan, Jen and Brandon to:
312 Tower Rd
Nelson, BC V1L3K6
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Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, who was KIA
in Iraq on 04/04/04. She is a co-founder and President of Gold Star
Families for Peace and the author of two books: Not One More Mother's
Child and Dear President Bush.
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