Robin Long: Prisoner of Conscience...

Ed Note: Jan A. Ruhman, VetSpeak.org’s Operations Coordinator, VVAW SoCal Regional Contact, and VFP San Diego Vice President elect, has for the past year been working together with others there in SoCal to form a coalition of groups with Veterans’ issues at the fore of their activity agendas. One of those issues is G.I Rights. Specifically; the right to resist participation in an illegal and immoral war. This SoCal coalition, with the support and assistance of the G.I resistance organization, Courage to Resist, has chosen to speak truth to power through their unified support for, and adaptation of, one such war resister, now turned political prisoner; Robin Long.

Robin is the first active duty American G.I. Iraq war resister to desert the United States military and seek asylum in Canada. He was subsequently extradited and turned over to the US Government for prosecution. What follows is an open letter from Jan regarding support for and a recent visit with Robin, at the Miramar MCAS brig, where he is serving his sentence. WH

Jan’s Letter…

It's 4:00 pm Sunday, December 7th and myself and Ms. Dawn O'Brien, Chapter President of Military Families Speak Out in San Diego just left Robin at the Naval Consolidated Brig at MCAS MIRAMAR here in San Diego.
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It is the second time in three weeks that we have had the pleasure of visiting with Robin. Robin is allowed visitors on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 1-3 pm. Each visit begins and ends with a hug and in-between, we spend time talking, reflecting, and laughing. Yes…laughing!
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The trails and tribulations that Robin has endured since having been arrested, and ultimately ripped from his adopted community of friends in Canada; separated from his son, Ocean; deported into U. S. Military custody in the United States; tried in a military court at Fort Carson, Colorado, where he was sentenced and sent to the Brig at Miramar to serve his sentence; all have not broken his spirit, nor his dreams for the future. His smile and the twinkle in his eyes are as strong as ever.
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He speaks fondly of his memories of Nelson and of the beautiful people of Canada whom he has met, and the many more whom he has yet to meet, who have taken him into their hearts and who have stood up for him and for the greater cause of peace and justice. All Americans of conscience owe you, our brothers and sisters to the North, a heartfelt thank you.
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The San Diego Chapter of Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against The War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and Military Families Speak Out, all have adopted Robin while he's here in San Diego. Seven veteran members, two women and five men, have volunteered to be part of an ongoing rotation of visitors each weekend and holiday until Robin is Freed on July 8, 2009.
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We are also exploring ways to help publicize his case here locally in the media and to raise awareness among the progressive activist community of the cause of war resisters and prisoners of conscience in the struggle to win Robin a pardon. In this effort, we are in the initial planning stages of organizing candle light vigils outside the front gate at Miramar MCAS during the Christmas Holiday Season of "Peace on Earth".
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That Robin has taken such a courageous stand on moral principles, and as a result would have to serve one day, let alone 15 months, in a cell, for the act of refusing to serve and kill in an illegal and morally bankrupt war, is beyond belief. He is quite simply, our "Prisoner of Conscience".
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For me as a veteran of Vietnam, another illegal and immoral war, his statement to the judge who asked him prior to sentencing to explain himself was eloquent and to the point; "I believe my President lied to me," spoke volumes. A lesson that I had to learn the hard way over forty long years ago in Vietnam, he had learned before having gone to war. Whenever I speak with Robin, I realize that he's wise beyond his years.
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If anyone wants me to personally deliver a very short message to him when next we meet please feel free to send me an email at jan.ruhman@vetspeak.org. Include your name and a brief memory or statement. We would happily read them to him, when next we visit.
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Link To Robin Web Site developed by his attorneys:
http://freerobin.wordpress.com/
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Links for The Law Firm of James Matthew Branum:
http://www.girightslawyer.com/ - Firm websitehttp://www.joymennonite.org/ - Our church websitehttp://www.jmbzine.com/ - BlogOffice phone: 866-933-ARMY (2769)Cell phone: 405-476-5620Mailing address: 1306 NW Sheridan Rd., #296, Lawton, OK 73505, USA
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Hoa Binh (Peace in Vietnamese)
Jan A. Ruhman
jan.ruhman@vetspeak.org

www.VetSpeak.org