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By Courage to Resist. Updated Jaunary 19, 2010
Consolidated and up-to-date list of easy action items
We have a lot of information about GI resistance and how to help objectors spread out over hundreds of pages on couragetoresist.org. However, sometimes folks just want to know what needs to be done and how to do it, including:
Write war resisters directly
David Travis Bishop
Box 339536
Fort Lewis, WA 98433
- Travis is currently jailed at Fort Lewis WA.
- Note that Travis is still in need of donations to cover his defense costs. Please see info below.
- Expected release: June 2010
- Note that the Army will reject your first letter, and maybe your second also. Please keep trying to send Travis mail as he really wants to hear from you. When your letter is rejected, sometimes Travis gets to see the envelope. If so, he is then able to add your name to his approved correspondence list.
- The Army command at Fort Lewis is not allowing Travis to receive books.
Travis, with the Army's 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, was sentenced to 12 months in the stockade for resisting deployment to Afghanistan. Travis explained that he had serious doubts about his views on war for a long time, but was unaware of his right to file for a conscience objector discharge until just before he was scheduled to deploy. Amnesty International has declared him to be a “prisoner of conscience”. More information about Travis. Also: freetravisbishop.wordpress.com
Marc A Hall
Liberty County Jail
180 Paul Sikes Dr
Hinesville GA 31313
- His pre-trial confinement is being outsourced to local authorities by the Army.
- Note that Marc is still in need of donations to cover his defense costs. Please see info below.
- Please sign the petition to drop the charges and free Marc. See info below.
Marc still sits incarcerated in the Liberty County Jail near Fort Stewart, GA. The U.S. Army jailed Hall on December 11, 2009 and charged him under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, claiming that he “communicated a threat” when he recently recorded a hip hop song expressing anger over the Army’s stop-loss policy. Hall, an Iraq War veteran, recorded the song entitled “Stop-loss” and mailed a copy to the Pentagon after the Army involuntarily extended his contract for a second Iraq deployment. More about Marc at stoplossmusic.org
About directly corresponding with and supporting jailed military objectors
- Know that your correspondence will be read and reviewed by the military; however, general political content is not usually a basis for censorship.
- Do not send stamps, photos, magazines, newspapers, food items, toiletries, or anything of value. Photocopied articles and photocopied photos, when accompanied by a personal letter, are usually OK.
- Your name (not an organization) and return address should be printed in the outside of the envelope.
- Avoid using obscenity or plans for criminal activity.
- You may send a money order (payable to the jailed resister). This money will be deposited into their “safe keeping” fund administered by the stockade. From this fund, they may purchase postage stamps (to write you back) and phone cards (to call family and friends).
- You may send a book; however, you must order books from amazon.com (or bn.com) and have them shipped directly to the resister. Consider asking the jailed resister if they have any specific title requests, or general categories of interest (mystery, political history, sci-fi, etc.) prior to ordering.
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Donate to resister defense funds
Courage to Resist has hosted many individual resister defense funds since 2006, including Army objectors Agustin Aguayo, Cliff Cornell, Robin Long, Ryan Jackson, Tony Anderson, and Victor Agosto. These funds have ensured that those courageous soldiers had civilian legal counsel and support while in jail.
The following individual resister efforts are in need of your support. Number of donors, amounts, and the project needed, last updated January 28, 2010.
Donate to Army Sgt Travis Bishop
Travis is an Amnesty International designated "Prisoner of Conscience" imprisoned at Ft. Lewis, WA. Post-trial appeals continue. More info about Travis.
34 supporters have given $2,215 of the needed $3,000.
Donate to Army Spc Alexis Hutchinson
Alexis a single parent with a one-year old son Kamani, who missed deployment when her childcare plan fell through at the last moment. She currently faces a court martial and one year in jail. More info about Alexis.
110 supporters have given $3,636 of the needed $6,000.
Donate to Army Spc Marc Hall
Marc is currently jailed pending court martial for recording an angry hip-hop song critical of the "stop-loss" policy. More info about Marc.
8 supporters have given $255.
Donate to Army Spc Eric Jasinski
Eric served in Iraq and went AWOL after returning stateside in order to get proper treatment for PTSD. More info about Eric.
2 support have given $85 of the needed $1,000.
Petitions and letter writing campaigns
Petitions are an important way for the community to express support for GI resistance, and to positively impact the outcome of a given situation.
Dear Canada: Let US war resisters stay!
A campaign initiated by Courage to Resist. Also: Campaign leaflets and more
"To Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada - I am writing from the U.S. to ask that you abide by the House of Commons resolution to create a program to allow war objectors, including U.S. resisters, to apply for permanent resident status in Canada and to cease all deportation and removal proceedings against them..."
Drop the charges against Alexis Hutchinson!
A campaign initiated by Courage to Resist and friends and family of Alexis and Kamani Hutchinson.
"I am shocked and disappointed that four separate court martial charges have been brought against Specialist Alexis Hutchinson, a single parent with a one-year old son, who missed deployment in early November 2009 when her childcare plan fell through at the last moment, due to circumstances beyond her control.... I appeal to you to find a compassionate resolution to a difficult situation. Please drop the charges against Spc. Hutchinson."
Drop the charges and free Marc Hall!
A campaign initiated by Courage to Resist and Iraq Veterans Against the War.
"I’m writing to request that the charges against SPC Marc A. Hall related to his recording of a hip-hop song critical of the Army’s “stop-loss” policy be dropped, and that he be allowed to leave the Army at the end of his current enlistment. SPC Hall is currently facing over seven years of imprisonment for expressing his opposition to the Iraq War and frustration at his inability to leave the Army at the end of his four year active duty enlistment agreement though artistic expression...."
Germany: Grant André Shepherd asylum
A campaign initiated by Connection e.V., a Germany-based peace organization.
"To the German Government - AWOL U.S. soldier André Shepherd applied for asylum in Germany. His tour of duty as a U.S. soldier in Iraq made him convinced that he could no longer participate in a war which breaks international law... we appeal to you, grant André Shepherd asylum..."
US Army: Free Travis Bishop
Urgent action appeal from Amnesty International USA
"To: Lieutenant General Rick Lynch, Commanding General - We urge that Travis Bishop be released immediately and unconditionally..."
More info
"Five simple things you can do to organize war resister support"
...to organize war resister support in your community
By Courage to Resist. November 7, 2008
- Organize regular letter writing parties to show support for war resisters in prison
- Host a war resister speaking event
- Help raise money for resister support
- Create your own media
- Build a base of support for war resisters in your local community
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