Maybe you thought we gave up and went away? Not a chance. The War Resisters Support Campaign is still working to make Canada a safe haven for people of peace and conscience. Several US war resisters were forced out of Canada, court martialed, and given harsh prison sentences by the
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wmtc: war resister kimberly rivera released from prison in u.s.
At long last, Iraq War resister Kim Rivera is out of prison and reunited with her family. This is great news, the best news. I should be thrilled, but the whole situation makes me so sad that I can’t muster much joy.
Continue readingwmtc: update on kimberly rivera and how you can help
Three days ago, Iraq War resister Kimberly Rivera gave birth to a son, Matthew Kaden, in a military hospital in San Diego. As soon as her hospital stay ends (which may have already happened), Kim will be taken back to prison. Her newborn baby will stay with his father and
Continue readingwmtc: war resister rodney watson: four years in sanctuary
Today marks four years since Iraq War resister Rodney Watson requested sanctuary from the First United Church in Vancouver. Watson has been in sanctuary ever since. We can honour Watson’s sacrifice and his commitment to peace by renewing our demand that the Canadian government allow Watson and all war resisters
Continue readingwmtc: the standard double-standard: prison for war resisters, immunity for war criminals
Abby Zimet reports on Common Dreams: Days before Bradley – now Chelsea – Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for helping expose U.S. war crimes in Iraq, the Obama Department of Justice filed a petition in federal court arguing that the perpetrators of those crimes – Bush, Cheney,
Continue readingwmtc: help fund "let them stay", the book
Some of you may remember when wmtc was obsessed with the War Resisters Support Campaign, a fact that was noticed in some very interesting places. (Hi CIC! Are you still reading?) I joined the Campaign in 2007, then in 2009, I began school for my Master of Information degree. I managed
Continue readingwmtc: how you can support chelsea manning
Here are two important things you can do to help support Chelsea Manning. 1. Do whatever you can to work for her pardon. You can sign the petition to President Obama here. You have to create an account, but that only takes a few moments, and the form accepts Canadian
Continue readingwmtc: her name is chelsea and she is a hero – and a scapegoat
A while back, I saw a blog post angrily asking why everyone referred to Bradley Manning as a man when it is “known” that he is trans. The answer is simple: out of respect. That’s how Manning was identifying. Period. Anything else was rumour. Now that Manning’s court martial (fake
Continue readingwmtc: bradley manning in his own words
In case you haven’t seen it, this link at Democracy Now! has the transcript of Bradley Manning’s statement, read by his lawyer David Coombs, after Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The decisions that I made in 2010 were made out of a concern for my country and the
Continue readingwmtc: free bradley manning, and all war resisters
My thoughts on the Bradley Manning verdict at Socialist.ca: here.
Continue readingwmtc: bradley manning’s apology: the triumph of torture
Earlier this week, Bradley Manning’s defense ended its case in Manning’s sentencing hearing. Manning made a statement to the military court: an apology. Reading it, I thought of 1984, when Winston faces the terror of being eaten alive by rats, and he tells his tormentors what they want to hear.
Continue readingwmtc: brandon toy: i have come to believe that the true insanity is doing nothing
Brandon Toy, writing in Common Dreams. I hereby resign in protest effective immediately. I have served the post-911 Military Industrial complex for 10 years, first as a soldier in Baghdad, and now as a defense contractor. At the time of my enlistment, I believed in the cause. I was ignorant,
Continue readingwmtc: rtod
Revolutionary thought of the day: This war is murder, this conquest is robbery… If this war be called patriotism then blessed be treason. Clarence Darrow, 1898, on the Spanish-American war
Continue readingwmtc: amnesty international calls for release of war resister kimberly rivera: please write a letter in support
Amnesty International is calling for the release of war resister Kimberly Rivera, who was forced out of Canada by the Harper Government. Will you please write a letter in support of her release? Here’s how. If you want to write to Kim, you can reach her at: Kimberly RiveraP.O. Box
Continue readingwmtc: read matt taibbi on bradley manning court martial
While I’m not writing, I hope you will read this excellent article by Matt Taibbi on mainstream media coverage of the Bradley Manning court martial. I cannot understand why good writers like Taibbi continue to refer to the “Bradley Manning trial”. A trial is, in theory, an impartial hearing, where
Continue readingwmtc: war resister and peace activist kim rivera sentenced to 14 months in military prison
From the War Resisters Support Campaign: Iraq War Resister Kimberly Rivera sentenced to 14 months in military prison after deportation by Harper government On Monday afternoon, during a court-martial hearing at Fort Carson, Colorado, Kimberly Rivera was sentenced to 14 months in military prison and a dishonourable discharge after publicly
Continue readingwmtc: kimberly rivera to be sentenced today
We expect Kimberly Rivera to be sentenced today. War resister, prisoner of conscience, peace activist, artist, mother, friend, Kim Rivera is in the hearts of all who know her, all her supporters who stand by her in this time of need. Kim is being punished for choosing peace over war,
Continue readingwmtc: war resister campaign update: behind the tindungan decision
Supporters of U.S. war resisters in Canada may be interested in hearing about the War Resisters Support Campaign event earlier this week. A large crowd came out to share a meal, hear an update on the Campaign, and raise funds for legal fees for the court martial of war resister Kimberly
Continue readingwmtc: ten years on: hate mail to bush and cheney from a dying iraq war veteran and war resister
Yesterday, March 19, 2013, was the 10th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Looking for something to post, I sorted through about a dozen essays and stories online, but nothing reflected the anger and sadness and disgust and urgency and frustration I feel about everything connected with the ongoing
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