News

US war resister in sanctuary of Canadian church

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By Bob Meola, Courage to Resist. July 8, 2012

Join us in helping Rodney with his monthly food and phone expenses. Please donate via our friends at vancouverwarresisters.org with a one-time or monthly PayPal contribution.

War Resister Rodney Watson wishes he could be with his parents and other family and friends in his home town of Kansas City, Missouri. He’d like to see his wife and four year old son more than just on weekends in Vancouver, B.C. too. He’d also like to take his young family home to the United States and have his wife and his son meet his parents. But he can’t. Rodney has been living in the sanctuary of United Church in Vancouver since September 18, 2009. He eats and sleeps there and still cannot leave the Church without the risk of being deported back to the United States and to a military brig. After a tour of Iraq, in which he witnessed the senseless brutality of the war and the same racism toward the Iraqi people by U.S. enlisted soldiers and American contractors that he knew so well from experiencing it as an African-American, growing up in the United States, Rodney was stop-lossed.

Read more: US war resister in sanctuary of Canadian church

Poor PTSD help forced Sgt. Brook Lindsey AWOL

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By Keegan Hamilton, Seattle Weekly. June 27, 2012

Courage to Resist is currently working with Seattle area supporters of Sgt. Lindsey in order to best channel support. More information forthcoming.

An Iraq War veteran stationed at Ft. Lewis says struggles with PTSD and a lack of responsiveness to his condition by Army doctors forced him to go AWOL.

The soldier, 26-year-old Sgt. Brook Thomas Lindsey, met with members of the media on Friday at Coffee Strong, a non-profit organization, headquartered across the street from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, that advocates for military mental health treatment reform. Lindsey recounted why he decided to leave the base without permission on March 26.

Read more: Poor PTSD help forced Sgt. Brook Lindsey AWOL

Military objectors throw back medals

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By Courage to Resist. May 23, 2012

On May 20th, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Afghans for Peace lead a historic march on NATO in Chicago. Veterans threw their  "Global War on Terror" medals towards the NATO Summit as thousands cheered. Courage to Resist organizer Michael Thurman is featured at 7:22 minutes into this video. He declared, "I was a conscientious objector from the US Air Force. I'm returning my "Global War on Terror" medal and military coins on behalf of Private First Class Bradley Manning who sacrificed everything to show us the truth about these wars!"

Berkeley Peace Flag Raising 2012

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By Courage to Resist. May 15, 2012

On International Conscientious Objectors’ Day, Courage to Resist activists helped celebrate the 6th annual Berkeley Conscientious Objectors' and War Resisters’ Day. This year, Courage to Resist had two new much larger Peace Flags produced, which we expect to use for years to come.

In 2007, on recommendation of the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission, the Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a resolution and the mayor issued a proclamation which recognized that May 15th is International Conscientious Objectors' Day and stated, "that the Council of the City of Berkeley declares that May 15th of each year be publicly designated and recognized as the day on which Berkeley honors, acknowledges, and celebrates conscientious objectors and war resisters, civilian and military, past, present, and future." We have been celebrating and raising peace flags on Berkeley city flag poles ever since. The Peace Flag raising ceremony was held at two locations: Civic Center flagpole at 2180 Milvia Street, and then at the flagpole at Civic Center Park, Berkeley. Sponsored by City of Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission. Endorsed by War Resisters League-West and Courage to Resist.

Event photos

Protest our war economy on tax day

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Oakland, California: April 17th at the Federal Building

Please join Courage to Resist, Northern California War Tax Resistance, and BAY-Peace: Better Alternatives for Youth in saying "Fund the Future of the 99%, NOT the Wars of the 1%!"

We will use poetry, song, dance and theater to spread our message. Come share your vision of what YOU think our taxes should support! Bring a poem, your resisted tax dollars to redirect, participate in a performance or simply enjoy the fun.

Read more: Protest our war economy on tax day

More Articles...

  1. Life after GI war resistance
  2. GI Café opens in Germany
  3. From Michael Thurman, recent objector
  4. Courage to Resist and the International Humanities Center
  5. The Struggle for conscientious objection in Colombia
  6. Iraq War veteran critically wounded by Oakland police during Occupy crackdown
  7. Ft Bragg soldiers resist evangelization
  8. AWOL in the Army overview updated
  9. Conscientious objector Daniel Birmingham speaks out
  10. On the arrest of Naser Abdo
  11. About Face: Military Resisters Turn Against War
  12. LA Rising music festival
  13. Pelican Bay prisoner support
  14. Hayes Carll performs his new song "KMAG YOYO"
  15. Let’s keep the river of truth flowing!
  16. UK medic refuses firearms training after reading WikiLeaks docs
  17. Adam Winfield: Whistle-blower or murderer?
  18. Conscientious Objectors’ and War Resisters’ Day
  19. We need your help to support Bradley and all resisters
  20. Naval Academy grad's successful objector bid

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