On June 15, WAR
AWARENESS posted the following
challenge regarding Lt. Ehren
Watada, who refused to fight
in Iraq. UPDATES, LINKS and CALLS
FOR ACTION follow
the original article. (Latest
update: August 29, 2006.)
Would
your church offer sanctuary
when a military officer refused to report
for duty?
Thursday,
June 15, 2006
Troops
refusing
Iraq duty
get a haven
By Mike
Barber
Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter
Prompted by
a Fort Lewis Army officer's
decision to refuse to fight
in Iraq, the First United
Methodist Church of Tacoma
has declared itself a sanctuary
for servicemen and servicewomen
who also don't want to go
to Iraq.
The 300-member
congregation's administrative
council voted last weekend
to open its doors beginning
this Saturday after 1st Lt.
Ehren Watada announced that
he thinks the war in Iraq
is illegal and that he has
sought to resign his commission.
(read
the whole article )
UPDATE
- Wednesday,
June 7, 2006
Officer
at Fort Lewis calls Iraq
war illegal,
refuses order to go
By Hal
Bernton
Seattle Times staff
reporter
In a rare case
of officer dissent, a Fort
Lewis Army lieutenant has
refused orders to head out
to Iraq this month to lead
troops in what he believes
is an illegal war of occupation.
(read
more)
UPDATE
- Thursday,
August 17, 2006
Lt.
Watada's
Challenge
By
MIKE FERNER
Counterpunch
Reporting from
the Veterans For Peace convention
in Seattle last weekend,
Dahr Jamail reprinted a speech
by Lt. Ehren Watada, the
first commissioned U.S. Army
officer to publicly refuse
orders to Iraq, who stated
on June 22, "As the
order to take part in an
illegal act is ultimately
unlawful as well, I must
refuse that order."
In his speech
to the VFP members, Watada
laid down the most critical
challenge to the antiwar
movement yet: will we show
soldiers that if they quit
fighting this insane, criminal
war and go to jail that we
will provide for their families
as long as necessary?
Watada's challenge
should be placed on the agenda
of every peace group in the
land-- (...more)
LINKS
- Sunday,
August 20, 2006
Websites
in support of Lt.
Watada
UPDATE
- Sunday,
August 20, 2006
Lt.
Watada's
Father,
Bob Watada
speaking
in Bay
Area to
raise awareness
thecommonills.blogspot.com
Bob Watada
continues his speaking
engagements in the San
Francisco Bay Area to raise
awareness of what his son,
Ehren, is facing. The
events include:
Fri.
8/25
10-11:30am
No. Cal. Japanese Christian Theological
Forum
Berkeley Methodist United Church
- chapel
1710 Carleton St/McGee in Berkeley
Contact: Laura Takeuchi 510-848-3614
7-10pm
"Sir!
No, Sir!"
Film Screening & Speakers
Santa Cruz Veterans Building
Contact: Sharon Kufeldt 650-799-1070 |
Sat.
8/26
7-9pm
Educational & Cultural
Event
Berkeley Friends Church; 1600
Sacramento St., Berkeley
Contact: Betty Kano 510-684-0239
Sun.
8/27
4-6pm Speaking Event
AFSC building, 65-Ninth St.,
SF
Contact: Martha Hubert 415-647-1119
A
complete
list of
the events
Bob Watada
will be
taking part in can be found here.
|
TAKE
ACTION - Tuesday,
August 29, 2006
Take
Action for Lt. Ehren Watada-
call or write Donald Rumsfeld!
From thecommonills.blogspot.com
Cedric's
Big Mix is
advising those
calling Donald
Rumsfeld (703-545-6700)
or mailing him
(1000 Defense
Pentagon, Washington,
DC 20301-1000)
to say: "Hands
off Ehren Watada!
Let him go." Billie advises
that you can use public@defenselink.mil to
e-mail the Pentagon.
She suggests "Re:
Ehren Watada" or "ATTN:
DONALD RUMSFELD." Courage
to Resist and ThankYouLt.org.
will continue to
offer resources,
ideas and inspiration.
Get the word out.
