#83 Sep/Oct 2006
The Washington Free Press Washington's Independent Journal of News, Ideas & Culture
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TOP STORIES

Fidel Decides US Presidential Elections
Election by popular vote would ensure that the Florida Cuban vote doesn't have undue influence
by Steven Hill

Five Years on
opinion by Todd Huffman, MD

Mothers Day at the Bangor Trident Base
personal account by Jan Prichard-Cohen

Pierce County to Vote on IRV
editor

FREE THOUGHTS

READER MAIL
Liberal in Religion (Except for Catholics?); Impeach Bush Now

A Violent & Hopeless Course
Seattle shooting ought to trigger questions about American foreign policy
opinion by Joel Hanson

Today's 'Bad' Immigrant is Tomorrow's 'Good' Immigrant
by Domenico Maceri

Can you fill in the blanks in these headlines?
by Doug Collins

FOOD

The Cholesterol Myth Part 2: The dangers of low blood cholesterol
by Barry Groves, PhD

CHOLESTEROL THEORY WIPES OUT HUMAN RACE
'Regret at the waste of a fine planet'
from the Weston A. Price Foundation

MEDIA

MEDIA BEAT
Digital Hype: A Dazzling Smokescreen?
by Norman Solomon

Remodel at the Seattle Weekly
by Doug Collins

Just Looking For Something Fun To Do On Saturday Night?
from the editor

CIVIL RIGHTS

Judge: No Ban on Apartment Door Signs
Housing agency appeals verdict
opinion and photos by Keith Gormezano

Defending Free Speech Rights of Lt. Ehren Watada
Brief filed for Fort Lewis officer facing court martial for opposition to Iraq War
from the ACLU of WA

POLITICS

Fishing for a Good Candidate
opinion by Doug Collins

Thank Republican Congressmen Ron Paul and Walter Jones for Speaking Truth
by David Swanson

Republicans, Please Stand Up
opinion by Jim Sullivan

BOOKS

BOOK NOTICES
Tire Grabbers; The Revenge of Gaia; This is Burning Man

What's your favorite book?
Write about it!
from the editor

LAW

BOB'S RANDOM LEGAL WISDOM
The Long Road to Justice: One Client's Story
by Bob Anderton
plus Bob's Random Lawyer Joke

HEALTH

Charity at the Wrong End
Drugstores charity and pharmaceutical solutions
by Doug Collins

Vaccination Update
Pharmaceutical companies might lose out if common sense held sway
by Doug Collins

Disposing the Diaper
Part 2: How my wife and I potty-trained pretty darn early. Our kids, I mean.
by Doug Collins

CONTACTS & ACTIVISM

DO SOMETHING CALENDAR

NORTHWEST NEIGHBORS

ENVIRONMENT

Bush Fiddles While the World Burns
As global warming sets new and dangerous records, the US sets new records in pollution
by Don Monkerud

RIGHT BRAIN

Some Thoughts
by Styx Mundstock

THE WANDERINGS AND THOUGHTS OF KIPP KELLOG
by Vincent Spada #7

PUMPKIN EDDIE'S LIGHTNING POEMS
by Vincent Spada

Mourning and Moving On
poem by Robert Pavlik

WORLD RECORDS DEPT.
Transcendental Poem
by Vincent Spada

Defending Free Speech Rights of Lt. Ehren Watada

Brief filed for Fort Lewis officer facing court martial for opposition to Iraq War

from the ACLU of WA

In a military justice case that has drawn wide attention, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is backing the free speech rights of a soldier facing court martial for refusing to serve in the war in Iraq. The ACLU recently submitted a friend-of-the-court brief contending that Lt. Ehren Watada-who is based in Fort Lewis, WA-should not be punished for his public statements expressing legal and moral objections to the war in Iraq.

"Soldiers should not be court-martialed for explaining their views on important political issues when doing so does not adversely affect military functioning. Lt. Watada was exercising his free speech rights as a citizen in a democratic society," said Kathleen Taylor, Executive Director of the ACLU of Washington.

Ehren Watada enlisted in the army after finishing college because he wanted to aid his country after the September 11 terrorist attacks. He has been deployed in Afghanistan and Korea, and has received good reviews for his service. Lt. Watada became convinced that the war in Iraq is unlawful and that he has a duty as an officer not to participate in it. When he learned that his unit was to be deployed to Iraq, he made requests to be transferred elsewhere, but they were denied. In early June, he discussed his views on the war publicly, holding a press conference and speaking to individual reporters. On June 22, he refused to board the bus for his deployment to Iraq.

In addition to charges against Lt. Watada for refusal to report to duty, the military is seeking to penalize Lt. Watada for statements he made to reporters expressing his objections to the United States' involvement in the war in Iraq.

The following are the statements for which Lt. Watada is facing court martial.

Statement 1: "I could never conceive of our leader betraying the trust we had in him É. As I read about the level of deception the Bush administration used to initiate and process this war, I was shocked. I became ashamed of wearing the uniform. How can we wear something with such a time-honored tradition, knowing we waged war based on a misrepresentation and lies? It was a betrayal of the trust of the American people. And these lies were a betrayal of the trust of the military and the Soldiers.... But I felt there was nothing to be done, and this administration was just continually violating the law to serve their purpose, and there was nothing to stop themÉ.Realizing the President is taking us into a war that he misled us about has broken that bond of trust that we had. If the President can betray my trust, it's time for me to evaluate what he's telling me to do."


Lt Ehren Watada addresses a rally in his suport in Seattle in August. Some three dozen Iraq War Veterans came onto the stage to back him up.
Photo: Jeff Patterson, ThankYouLt.org

Statement 2: "I was shocked and at the same time ashamed that Bush had planned to invade Iraq before the 9/11 attacks. How could I wear this [honorable] uniform now knowing we invaded a country for a lie?"

Statement 3: "It is my conclusion as an officer of the Armed Forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law.... As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order.... The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of Iraqis is not only a terrible and moral injustice, but it's a contradiction to the Army's own law of land warfare. My participation would make me party to war crimes."

The Army charges that the Statements 1 and 2 violated Art. 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice ("Contempt Toward Officials") and that all three statements violated Art. 133 ("Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and Gentleman").

ACLU-WA Staff Attorney Aaron Caplan wrote the amicus brief.


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