Resisting war up north.Thanks to Frida Berrigan for her excellent article on war resisters Jeremy Hinzman Jeremy Hinzman (born in 1979 in Rapid City, South Dakota) is a United States Army private from the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In January of 2004, he fled the United States as one of nine American deserters openly seeking refugee status in Canada. , Brandon Hughey, and David Sanders David Sanders is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Purdue University[1]. His expertise concerns gene therapy, cancer research, biodefense, and pandemic influenza. , who have come to Canada because they refuse to participate in the Iraq War Iraq War: see under Persian Gulf Wars. Iraq War or Second Persian Gulf War Brief conflict in 2003 between Iraq and a combined force of troops largely from the U.S. and Great Britain; and a subsequent U.S. ("Meet the New COs," December issue). The War Resisters Support Campaign is working with them to convince the Canadian government to live up to our tradition of making Canada, in Pierre Trudeau's words, "a refuge from militarism Militarism See also Soldiering. Adrastus leader of the Seven against Thebes. [Gk. Myth.: Iliad] Siegfried killed many enemies; led many troops to victory. [Ger. Lit. Nibelungenlied] ." We have already received support from thousands of Canadians and Americans across the continent. Hinzman, Hughey, and Sanders have traveled throughout Canada, receiving a warm welcome everywhere. One of the most inspiring aspects of our work has been the outpouring of active support from the Vietnam generation of war resisters, Canadians of long standing who had begun to believe their earlier resistance to militarism had become part of the past. The War Resisters Support Campaign has brought many of us back together to call on Canadians to stand again for a more tolerant, more peaceful way of life. The War Resisters Support Campaign believes that Canadians will not "allow our government to send U.S. war resisters back to face persecution Persecution Albigenses medieval sect suppressed by a crusade, wars, and the Inquisition. [Fr. Hist.: NCE, 53] Camisards uprising of Protestant peasantry after the revocation of Edict of Nantes in 1685 was brutally suppressed by the in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Our petition calls upon the Canadian government--which refused to join in the invasion of Iraq--to offer sanctuary to U.S. war resisters who likewise refuse to participate in an illegal, immoral, aggressive war. We urge all those who oppose the Iraq War to join us in supporting our courageous war resisters and help make it possible for them to build a peaceful, constructive future for themselves, their families, and others who may join them. Lee Zasloflky War Resisters Support Campaign via e-mail |
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