Police Arrest Peaceful Anti-War Protesters In DC

Why? Apparently the military doesn’t get free speech.

From the article:

Ft. Lewis, WA-Today, July 5, 2006, First Lieutenant Ehren K. Watada was formally charged with three counts: missing movement, contempt towards officials and conduct unbecoming an officer. In a taped statement that was shown at his press conference on June 7th, Lt. Watada said: “It is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices.”

I also got this in my inbox today:

Two peaceful demonstrators were arrested today, July 4, at 1:30pm on Constitution Ave at 17th st, while they tried to enter the Independence Day parade with a message of peace.

Geoffrey Millard, 25, an Iraq War veteran who served on active combat duty for 13 months, walked into a break in the parade with a sign that read: “Support the Troops, Bring Them Home Now.” He was dressed in his military jacket with “Iraq Veterans Against the War” on the back and his many medals pinned to the front. He was stopped by the police, and when he tried again to enter the parade with his anti-war message and was subsequently arrested. As he tried to explain to the police that he simply wanted to march in the parade with his message, the crowd chanted “He earned the right!” and “Let the vets in!” behind him.

It’s almost like the Bonus Army all over again.

posted Jul 5th, 2006 by Stuart Richards
  • http://www.steveperkins.net Steve Perkins

    As a Quaker I follow conciencous-objector issues pretty closely, and it’s interesting to read the approach that 1st Lt. Watada is trying to use (indicting the war itself) rather than filing a traditional objector claim. Not the smartest move from a practical perspective, difficult to defend legally… but possibly very effective if your goal is to make a political statement without regard to the personal sacrifices that may follow.

  • http://www.anotherblogger.com Aaron B. Hockley

    You’re clueless… Lt. Watada is being brought up on charges which he was well aware would be the consequences of his actions. He is acting insubordinately as an officer. He should be charged and, based on the information available thus far, court-martialed. I posted about this a few weeks ago: http://www.anotherblogger.com/2006/06/07/soldier/

  • http://www.steveperkins.net Steve Perkins

    Err… hence the “difficult to defend legally” observation?

    - Steve Perkins
    (partially clueful!)

  • http://warcriminal.freeservers.com Sol

    >You’re clueless

    And you’re a fasicist boot licker.

  • Stuart Richards

    Feel the love…

  • http://kurtnimmo.com ®notepad

    Let’s see, now why would American SOLDIERS object to genocide of the Islamic nation Iraq? …hmm, maybe it’s because:

    It’s been completely proven that 911 was an inside job in collusion with masterminds in Israel (DEMOLITIONS!!!)

    Saddam Hussien had no weapons of mass destruction and he certainly had nothing to do with 911

    George “Closet Fag” Bush and the rest of his criminal administration puppets lied and lied and lied — and then lied some more about the reasons to invade Iraq (at first it was Afghanistan and Osama Bin Forgotten)

    To date, since George “Crackhead” Bush aka the boy tyrant decider, insisted on invading Iraq all by himself, over a quarter million innocent Iraqis have been raped, robbed, murdered, tortured, imprisoned and scarred for life – all illegally, crimes against humanity – makes you just feel all fuzzy inside doesn’t it America?

    Further, the illegal wars waged for Israel by George “War Crimes” Bush, have bankrupted the U.S. economy.

    …nuff said

  • Kevin

    How is it insubordinate to take a principled stand against “grave injustices” especially in light of his oath as a soldier which reads in pertinent part:

    “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me..”

    His FIRST duty is to protect us from enemies of the Constitution and SECOND to bear faith & allegiance to same. AFAIC, Iraq is not a ‘foreign’ enemy of the Constitution. The real enemies are ‘domestic’ and currently reside in and around the White House. THIRD on the list is to obey orders from the President and superior officers. What is a soldier to do when his CIC unconstitutionally orders him into battle and to directly violate the top two duties of his oath?

    I fully support Lt Watada.

  • http://freelancify.com Nigel Watt

    If anything’s ever been completely proven, it isn’t that 911 was an inside job with Israeli masterminds, anti-Semetic tinfoil hatter.

  • Lenny Zimmermann

    Kevin,

    Legally his insubordination (missing movement and contempt toward officials, in particular) would be by not following a direct order to deploy to Iraq. It will be up to the Lt. and his legal team to show that he was, instead, following the over-riding order to defend the Constitution and to show he was legally dis-obeying an otherwise unlawful order. Definitely gonna be a tough sell for him, most especially since he will be submitting to a military courts martial. I definitely believe he’s correct on that count and I hope he wins his case.

    I think running to the press is likely a large part of the “Conduct Unbecoming an Officer” charge and I suspect that is goig to be a very hard charge to overcome as well, since it tends to be a fairly subjective charge.

  • Julian

    Paulie

    Where are you on this one? In a previous comment, you indicated if a soldier disagreed with an order or decision, he would not have to submit to the order, he could just quit. Do you believe the Lt. should be allowed to just quit?

  • http://cfav.blogspot.com Herman B Hayes

    There is no such thing as a peaceful protester. Every time someone protests this war, more of our soldiers perish as a direct result.

  • paulie

    J,

    Of course. If it was a private mercenary army – the only type which actually should exist – and they kept someone from leaving, that would be known as slavery.

  • Dauntless

    Herman,

    That is the funniest thing I’ve heard so far today. Great website, too. Thanks for the laugh.

  • HippyChimp

    OMG Herman please share whatever you’re smoking! You’ve got some goooood stuff, man!

  • Stuart Richards

    We’ve got the tinfoil and the flagmonkeys…

    Yep, this is still the HoT I know and love. :D

  • Andy
  • http://kurtnimmo.com ®notepad

    by Nigel Watt
    anti-Semetic tinfoil hatter.
    ——–

    Aw come on Nigel, surely you can do better than play that tired ole anti-semetic card?

    Even a ten year old can see that 911 was a demolition job and only insiders could have had access the towers; also, if you would do some actual research instead of just talking out your ass, you’d discover that only Israelis benefited from 911 – Israel also developed and maintains the software & hardware systems that controlled the NORAD stand down on 911.

    So you’re either ignorant, a fool, stupid, a commie Jew fag shill, or all three – which is it, Mr. Watt?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAoe26MaTew

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=ExrVgioIXvk

    http://www.physics.byu.edu/research/energy/

    http://www.scholarsfor911truth.org/

    http://www.nomoregames.net/index.php?page=911&subpage1=refuting_demolition_debunkers

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5137581991288263801&q=loose+change

    # # #

  • Julian (a Vietnam Vet)

    NOTEPAD

    YOU LET YOUR TRUE COLORS SHOW. YOU ARE AN ANTI-SEMITIC JEW HATING RACIST. THAT MAKES YOU FAIR GAME FOR THIS JEW LOVING, ISREALI SUPPORTING, WAR LOVING GEORGIA REDNECK.

    I BET YOU HIDE BEHIND WORDS AS AN ANONYMOUS, WORTHLESS WANNABE HUMAN AND WOULD NOT DARE CALL A JEW THE NAMES YOU USED HERE TO HIS FACE, YOU GUTLESS COWARD.

    ON SECOND THOUGHT, FACE ME DOWN AND TAKE YOUR CHANCES.

  • http://kurtnimmo.com ®notepad

    Julian (brain damaged),

    Face these nuts Jew boy – like your buds on the evening jews, all you can do is talk shit – no facts, no discussion of the evidence – just that you suck from the tit of Israel.

    Better study up there Julie, you’re just a Goy, a useful idiot to be discarded like last week’s garbage when the satanists are through with you (moron).

    By the way, you don’t do a very good job of convincing anyone for why you support ANYTHING! For example, when Rick Rajter asked you direct questions about 911, you responded (like the idiot that you are), “did we land on the moon?”

    http://hammeroftruth.com/2006/05/16/dod-releases-911-pentagon-footage

    Get over yourself – you’re a simpleton. You just talk shit and threaten people – ooh, I’m so scared. I’ll bet my baby sister could kick your sorry wimp ass.

    Take the “Project For A Jew American Century” along with George Bush, Dick Cheney and the rest of them and stick ‘em way up inside you – oh, but you already have.

  • Julian (a Vietnam Vet)

    Notepad

    Check our Rye, CO. You can find me. Where are you, you coward? Maybe I want to find you first. Just try me. I am all for a showdown with you.

  • Julian (a Vietnam Vet)

    Notepad

    I suspect you are a white supremest with all the trappings. You are a big man as long as you are surrounded by your buddies. This is one on one, you and me. I am game for it.

  • Stuart Richards

    Aw come on Nigel, surely you can do better than play that tired ole anti-semetic card?

    commie Jew fag shill

    That was probably the most disgusting thing I’ve ever read on this blog. Seriously.

    Or to put it in words you’d understand: