Standing ovations greet Watada in Hawai'i

[babylonsister]

December 22nd, 2006 1:20 pm
Watada states his case in Moiliili

Standing ovations greet a soldier facing a court-martial for refusing to go to Iraq

By Leila Fujimori / Honolulu Star-Bulletin

A highly sympathetic crowd of a few hundred people gave Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada standing ovations before, during and after a speech at the Church of the Crossroads in Moiliili.

Watada, a Honolulu native, faces court-martial in Fort Lewis, Wash., next month on six counts for refusing to deploy to Iraq and for conduct unbecoming an officer, charges that carry a maximum six years' imprisonment. He was back in Honolulu to meet with his attorney and visit with family.

Watada acknowledged that his actions have divided the community. "That was not my intent," he said. But upon learning the facts of the war, he said he was in turmoil.

He called the war in Iraq an illegal war of aggression.

He quoted Nazi Germany's Hermann Goering, who said while the common people are usually not willing to go to war, "all you have to do is tell them they are being attacked."

Watada said the American people were deceived by the Bush administration, which manipulated intelligence to fit policy and regime change in Iraq.

"We have been lied to, deceived and betrayed," he said. "A crime has been committed against the constitution."

more...

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=8725

[helderheid]

1. .

:patriot:

[mandyky]

2. God bless and protect this man!

Talk about the truth, this guy definitely gave it to them both barrels! A true patriot.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Seems to me he is obeying his oath that he took

he's defending the Constitution against a domestic enemy.

[babylonsister]

4. Hear, hear!

:thumbsup:

[mahina]

5. K&R and nominated. Please take a moment

and send some letters, the time is now!
From Code Pink, and in http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x10584
(one more nomination gets that thread on the greatest page too, it would help.)

The next few weeks may determine the outcome of the court martial of Lt. Ehren Watada's principled stand against the U.S. Army in refusing orders to deploy to Iraq. Lt. Watada is the first commissioned officer who had the courage to resist the Army's orders because the war in Iraq is unlawful. Lt. Watada's court martial is tentatively scheduled for February 5, 2006.

Here is a list of critical actions that we are you asking you take ASAP to support Lt. Watada and upcoming events to participate in! Please forward the letter writing actions to your friends, families and networks.

Letter Writing Action to gain support for Ehren!

A. Write individual and organizational letters of support for Lt. Watada to the U.S. Army. Ask the Army to accept Lt. Watada's resignation and to give him a discharge. Letters should be directed to:

Commanding General
Fort Lewis and I Corps
Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik
Bldg. 2025 Stop 1
Fort Lewis WA 98433

Copy to:

The Honorable Francis J. Harvey
Secretary of the U.S. Army
1500 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-1500

Also copy your Congressional member in House and Senate

B. Request that your member of Congress write a letter of support to the U.S. Army. The Congressional request to the Army should be to accept Lt. Watada's resignation from the U.S. Army. This request would bring Lt. Watada's court martial to a close.

Contact:

Senator Daniel Inouye
Email: http://inouye.senate.gov/abtform.html
Fax: [phone]
Mail: Senator Daniel Inouye
300 Ala Moana Blvd. Rm 7-212
Honolulu, HI 96850-4975

Senator Daniel Akaka
Email:
http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Con...
Fax: [phone]
Mail: Senator Daniel Akaka
300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 3-106
Honolulu, HI 96850

Congressman Neil Abercrombie
Email: Neil.Abercrombie@...
Fax: [phone]
Mail: Congressman Neil Abercrombie
Prince Kuhio Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Blvd. Room 4-104
Honolulu, HI 96850

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono
Email: Mazie.Hirono@... (in January, 2007)
Mail: Congresswoman Mazie Hirono
Honolulu District Office Address:
5104 Prince Kuhio Federal Bldg.
Honolulu, HI 96850

Sample letter:

Dear Senator Inouye,

I write to ask for your leadership in support of Lt. Ehren Watada, a local boy who has become the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the unlawful Iraq war and occupation. Along with tens of thousands of my fellow Americans, I support Lt. Watada's principled stance against this war.

Lt. Watada exemplifies true courage in his decision of conscience to refuse to participate in a war that violates the U.S. Constitution and international law. He is now being court-martialed for his act of moral conscience challenging government leaders on the war in Iraq through conduct consistent with his conscience, for stating what we now know about the war. For the first time since 1965, the military is prosecuting an objector for expressing his opinions, a particularly disturbing trend.

In the fear and hysteria of war, disastrous decisions are sometimes made in flagrant disregard of the Constitution -- like the Executive Order incarcerating Japanese Americans during World War II, and the current illegal war in Iraq. As our history teaches, and Lt. Watada reminds us, the Constitution must be protected, and not ignored, in times of war. Through his loyal dissent, Lt. Watada fulfills his oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

I urge you to support Lt. Watada's case and his cause in your capacity as a member of Congress. Please join the growing number of Americans who are deeply distressed at the wrong course our nation has taken, and stand with Lt. Watada in his principled defense of the Constitution.

I ask you to make a Congressional request to Lt General James Dubik and to Secretary Francis Harvey to accept Lt. Watada's resignation with full discharge.

Mahalo for your support.

Respectfully,

__________________

C. Obtain support from State and local officials. Ask them to write letters of support urging the Army to accept Lt. Watada's resignation from the U.S. Army and direct them to both Lt. General Dubik and Secretary of U.S. Army Francis Harvey, referred to above.

Contact your State Senators here:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/senate/members/memb...

Contact your State House Representatives here:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/house/members/membe...

3. Write a letter to the editor of our local newspapers in support of
Lt. Watada.

YOUR ACTIONS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
THE TIME TO TAKE THEM IS NOW!

"Gandhi once declared that it was his wife who unwittingly taught him the effectiveness on nonviolence. Who better than women should know that battles can be won without resort to physical strength? Who better than we should know all the power that resides in noncooperation?" Barbara Deming

[Tuesday_Morning]

6. Thank you Lt. Watada

[Hissyspit]

7. .

[JeffR]

8. thanks, babylonsister

Watada's pretrial hearing begins Jan. 4 (multi-city protests are being organized for the same day).

The court martial trial is scheduled to start Feb. 5.

Much more info at:

http://thankyoult.org/

[roody]

9. Everyone can do this. Action is great therapy for depression,

disillusionment, whatever ails you!!

[shance]

10. What a lovely point. I had never really thought of it that way.

Thank you for posting that Roody.

:toast:

[mahina]

11. Mahalo for sharing that story!

Here's a link to the Honolulu Star-bulletin article: http://starbulletin.com/2006/12/20/news/story11.html

Thank you for helping people hear Lt. Watada's story. It should be the front page story for the Washington Post and the New York Times, but I am proud of the Honolulu Star Bulletin for putting the story on the front page. I thought it was very well written as well. He has sacrificed a great deal for us. He asked us at the meeting in a very kind way, why we aren't doing more to stop this. Something to consider as we organize.

Aloha all...

[Vidar]

12. He richly deserves ovation & recommendations.

[bigtree]

13. another ovation

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Laelth]

14. K&R

n/t

:patriot:

-Laelth