Last week, two war resisters who elected to self-checkout and go to Canada went public.
On Monday, Ariel Troster (Capital Xtra) reported on 19-year-old Bethany "Skyler" James, an out lesbian who drove to Canada after experiencing non-stop harassment in the army and who revealed that: "The US military is so desperate to enlist more troops to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, that they are willing to turn a blind eye to even the most blatant homosexual conduct -- leaving people like Skyler to endure the double injustice of fighting in wars they don't agree with, while also being subjected to harassment and intimidation from their fellow soldiers."
Once James made the decision, what did she do? What every other war resister and service members thinking about resisting do: Go online. James went to the War Resisters Support Campaign website. Glass half-full types can see that as a testament to the internet, glass half-empty types can note that our media outlets -- Big and Small -- are hardly resources for service members wanting to resist.
As Gerry Condon (Soldier Say No!) observers:
There is a taboo in the antiwar movement against actually calling on the troops to resist. Only Iraq Veterans Against the War have begun to cross the line. What is behind this taboo? I believe there are a number of factors. One is fear of the perceived legal jeopardy. . . . Another part of the taboo against calling on the troops to resist is that many antiwar organizations, especially the larger and more established, are organized as nonprofit organizations (501c3) for purposes of receiving tax-deductible organizations. They fear they might lose their nonprofit status if they advocate actions the government would consider illegal. To my knowledge, this has not happened. But nonprofits' boards of directors tend to be pretty conservative about such matters. Many of them also wrongfully believe that their nonprofit status will be jeopardized if they engage in any advocacy or support legislative proposals. . . . I believe it is time for the antiwar movement to relocate to the gates of every military base in this country, and abroad. Democracy has failed in Washington. Seventy percent of the U.S. people want the troops out of Iraq as soon as possible. But the Congress says no way. And the leading presidential candidates of both parties say no way. In this election cycle, the antiwar movement should not spend one ounce of its energy backing any candidate who is not credibly committed to ending the war and giving Iraq back to the Iraqis. Instead of wasting our enery on the politicians, we in the antiwar movement should take democracy into our own hands.
Condon's correct about an aim that needs real energy and support but we think it also comes down to the "non-profit" status of so many.
That and a lack of interest are the best possible explanation for an independent media that preaches bravery but has shown so damn little interest in covering war resisters. Stop yourself and ask where you read or heard about Ross Spears? Not in independent media -- broadcast or print. 2007 is winding down and the relatively small coverage that war resisters have received has predominately gone to war resisters whose stories were public knowledge well before 2007 began. Think about that. Think about how little interest there has been in covering the US military's attempts to hunt down war resisters in Canada. One US reporter, Gregory Levey, with one article (at Salon), is supposed to make up for the silence from all the other print and broadcast independent media outlets?
In what world does that make sense? And where the hell is the rest of independent media?
James wasn't the only war resister to go public last week. Denis St. Pierre (The Sudbury Star) reported on Michael Espinal, an Iraq war veteran who "witnessed -- and participated in -- authorized missions that saw hundreds -- perhaps thousands of innocent Iraqis killed, injured, imprisoned and humiliated, their homes destroyed, their families ripped apart. In Espinal's view, he and his colleagues committed numerous human rights abuses and criminal acts. When his first tour of duy in Iraq ended, he resolved not to return." So he and Jennifer Harrison (his partner) moved to Canada where they intend to raise their family (Harrison is due to give birth in April).
Lives are at stake but that and the power of service members saying no appear to be largely and repeatedly ignored by our independent media. As 2007 winds down, that may be the saddest thing regarding the coverage offered. May they be judged accordingly and may their claims of bravery be greeted with howls of laughter.