Army convicts anti-war Iraq
veteran Blake LeMoine of refusing ordersAndy Buerger
Reuters
March 28, 2005
DARMSTADT, Germany
(Reuters) - A U.S. military court convicted a 23-year-old Army mechanic of
willfully disobeying orders for refusing to perform duties after a year-long
tour of Iraq, an army spokesman said Monday.
Specialist Blake Lemoine,
who returned to Germany in May 2004, said he wanted to quit the army due to
religious beliefs.
The special military court
sentenced Lemoine to seven months confinement, reduction in rank to private and
gave him a bad conduct discharge, said Bruce Anderson, deputy public affairs
spokesman for the 3rd Corps support command.
Lemoine, who had condemned
the invasion of Iraq, was charged for repeatedly refusing to obey orders from
commanders between Jan. 10 and Feb. 15 at a base in Darmstadt, south of
Frankfurt.
Lemoine, from Moraville,
Louisiana, told a recent news conference in Germany sponsored by anti-war
groups that even though he volunteered to join the army, he had changed his
mind and wanted to leave.
"It was simply a slow
realisation that serving in the U.S. military at this day and time contradicts
my religion and to continue to do so would make me a hypocrite," he said
last week.
Lemoine had also been
quoted in German newspapers as saying: "The contract with the U.S. army is
a slavery contract." He also spoke out against U.S. army violence against
Iraqis, saying: "Iraqi civilians are often treated worse than
animals."
Blake LeMoine and his wife,
Alayna LeMoine, spoke at a joint press conference organized by the Stop the War
Brigade, the Military Counseling Network (MCN) American Voices Abroad (AVA)
Military Project, Connection e.V., and the ÒKampagne gegen Wehrpflicht,
Zwangsdienste und MilitŠr" (Campaign Against the Draft, Forced Labor, and
the Military) on March 24, 2005.
From the press conference
invitation:
LeMoine has for some time
been trying to get a discharge from the U.S. Army, but he has so far been
unsuccessful. He has applied for ÒConscientious ObjectorÓ status, because the
U.S. military invasion and occupation of Iraq are against his religious
beliefs; this application is still pending. Rather than release LeMoine, on
March 4, 2005, the U.S. Army charged him with refusal to obey orders.
Statment of U.S. Army
Specialist Blake Lemoine:
I have been hearing far too
much about the American All Volunteer Army lately. It is true that the draft is
not in effect. No one is forced to join the American Military, but it is very
much like a roach motel. People check in but they can't check out. The
enlistment contract is a slave contract and unfortunately I found this out far
too late. The Thirteenth Amendment guarantees that no citizen of the United
States will have to endure slavery or enforced servitude. I was speaking to a
congressman's aide about this and was directly told that the UCMJ* (Uniform
Code of Military Justice) overrides that amendment. It does not apply to soldiers.
There are many men and women who would tender their two-weeks notice if they
could. The consequence for quitting is several years in jail. The military
claims that this is just them holding you to your contract. I can understand
that the US military's contract must be different than civilian contracts. The
difference is the fact that if one party wishes to terminate their contract the
other party will use guns (i.e. the military police) to ensure otherwise. If
someone can answer a question for me I will be greatly appreciative. If I am a
volunteer, why do they need to hold a gun in my face to make me work?
Army
Times March 28, 2005
March 28, 2005
Mechanic
convicted of refusing to perform duty
DARMSTADT, Germany Ñ A military court on Monday found a soldier guilty
of refusing to perform his duty as a mechanic.
Judge Col.
Denise Lind convicted Spc. Blake Lemoine, a generator repair mechanic, of
refusing to obey a lawful order. Sentencing was expected later Monday, and
Lemoine could face up to a year in prison.
Lemoine
said last week that he wants out of what he called a ÒslaveÓ contract that
keeps active-duty soldiers beholden to the government after they have left the
army.
He had
been scheduled to be discharged Feb. 13, but under military rules had to extend
his service though Oct. 13 in order to bring his wife over from the United
States.
Lemoine,
23, from Moraville, La., is with the 5-96th Maintenance Company of the 16th
Combat Support Group.
An Army
statement said he was charged with refusing to perform his duty in Darmstadt,
south of Frankfurt, Òon diverse occasions between Jan. 10 and Feb. 15, 2005,
despite being repeatedly ordered to do so by his commanding officer.Ó
Lemoine
sent a letter through his chain of command explaining why he should be allowed
to quit the Army.
He gave
several reasons for his decision at a news conference last week that was
sponsored by several anti-war groups.
Lemoine
said he decided he wanted out during a personal crisis, on which he would not
elaborate, after returning from a yearlong tour in Iraq. He also argued that
his duties as an ordained pagan minister were in conflict with his job in the
Army.
The Wildhunt
Blog 3.28.2005
Religion, Paganism, Pop-Culture,
Politics, Community Activism and the areas in between.
A Military Pagan Rejects The
Iraq War
"I don't regret my action."
- Spec. Blake Lemoine
"Spec. Blake Lemoine, 23, of Moraville, La., serving with the 5-96th
Maintenance Company of the 16th Combat Support Group, was sentenced to seven
months in prison and ordered him discharged with bad conduct. Lemoine said he
had asked to leave the Army after returning from a yearlong tour in Iraq. He
gave several reasons for his decision at a news conference last week that was
sponsored by several anti-war groups. In particular, he argued that his
duties as an ordained pagan minister were in conflict with his job in the Army. Lemoine said he had launched a hunger
strike, which he vowed to continue while in prison." - Melissa Eddy, AP
"LeMoine has been on a hunger strike for 41 days in protest against the
Army's refusal to discharge him" - American Views Abroad
______________________________________________
DEMOCRACYNOW
29.03.2005
Tthe clip of
the original recording of the show is:
http://stream.paranode.com/democracynow/dn2005-0329-1.mp3
The MP3 file is 27mb in size.
The clip on the subject begins 4 minutes and 49 seconds into the show. It
includes a short clip of Lemoine speaking for himself.
Soldier Sentenced to Seven Months In Jail For
Refusing Orders
A 23-year-old Army mechanic has been sentenced to seven months in
jail for refusing to carry out his duties. Specialist Blake Lemoine
spent a year in Iraq but has since condemned the invasion and
occupation. He once said "Iraqi civilians are often treated worse
than animals." After a year in Iraq, Blake Lemoine returned to
Germany last May. He then started refusing to perform duties citing
religious reasons. "I did volunteer and I do agree with the
principal that a country has the right to wage war if it is a
justified and wise war, I do believe that. I support the United
States' right to go to war," said Lemoine. "However, should
someone
decide that they do not wish to help they should be able to quit."
________________________________________________
Deutsche Presseagentur
(dpa).
Pagan
Iraq veteran's conviction spawns protests
29 March 2005
DARMSTADT - A US military court in
Germany sentenced an Iraq combat veteran soldier to seven months in prison for
refusing to carry out orders, spawning protests on Tuesday by German peace
activists demanding his release on religious grounds.
Army Specialist Blake Lemoine, who
returned to Germany in May 2004, told a news conference sponsored by anti-war
activists that his duties as an ordained pagan minister were in conflict with
his job in the Army. He admitted having voluntarily joined the Army, but said a
spiritual awakening had caused him to change his mind.
Judge Colonel Denise Lind convicted
Lemoine, a US Army generator repair mechanic, of refusing to obey a lawful
order.
|
|
|
|
Lemoine said during the tribunal
proceedings that he wants out of what he called a "slave" contract
that keeps active-duty soldiers beholden to the US government after they have
left the army.
He had been scheduled to be discharged
13 February, but under military rules had to extend his service until 13
October in order to bring his wife over from the United States.
Lemoine, 23, from Moraville, Louisiana,
is with the 5-96th Maintenance Company of the 16th Combat Support Group. An
Army statement said he was charged with refusing to perform his duty in
Darmstadt, south of Frankfurt, "on diverse occasions between 10 January
and 15 February 2005, despite being repeatedly ordered to do so by his
commanding officer". Lemoine's arguments have drawn the backing of peace
activists in Germany who demanded his immediate release.
A spokesman for the Offenbach-based
Connection peace group issued a statement on Tuesday accusing the US Army of
violating the US Constitution's guarantees of freedom of religious belief.
The peace activists claim Lemoine has
gone on a hunger strike to win discharge from the Army.
DPA
________________________________________________________________________
Striking
pagan soldier sentenced to seven months for disobeying orders
By Jessica Inigo, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Tuesday, March 29, 2005
DARMSTADT,
Germany Ñ A 3rd Corps Support Command soldier was sentenced Monday to seven
monthsÕ confinement for willfully disobeying orders after being found guilty at
a court-martial at Cambrai-Fritsch Casern.
Spc.
Blake Anthony Lemoine, 23, with the 596th Maintenance Company on Kelley
Barracks, testified that from January through February, he decided he would
just sit at a desk near the commanderÕs office instead of working, a decision
he made after grappling with personal and religious issues against the war in
Iraq.
ÒI
had difficulty living with myself as a hypocrite,Ó Lemoine said during the
sentencing phase of the hearing.
He
explained that while deployed to Iraq from May 2003 to May 2004, he realized he
did not like working with U.S. Army troops. He claimed that racism is
widespread in the military, with troops encouraged by command to treat civilian
Arabs poorly. He also described several accounts of animal cruelty and
derogatory name-calling.
A
pagan priest, the Louisiana native said, ÒI realized the sermons I gave were in
direct conflict with what the United States military practices.Ó
By
trade, Lemoine is a power generator maintenance and repair technician. However,
he was moved over to supply to help out the understaffed section. LemoineÕs
work strike began after sending his chain of command a letter announcing all
the reasons he should be allowed to quit the Army, including his religious
beliefs and rituals. But the Army determined that he did not meet the
requirements as a conscientious objector.
In
his letter, Lemoine also said that he has a non-monogamous relationship with
his wife Ñ he is bisexual, which is against Army policy.
Since
he began his strike, Lemoine said he has accepted no military benefits.
ÒI
have received no benefits other than those that, oddly enough, have been forced
upon me,Ó he said. ÒI have not received any money in my bank account since
January.Ó
After
30 minutes of deliberating, Judge (Col.) Denise Lind sentenced Lemoine to seven
months in jail, which was one month longer than the prosecution recommended.
She also ordered him reduced to the lowest enlisted rank and given a
bad-conduct discharge.
After
the trial, Lemoine said he would continue a hunger strike he began earlier this
month to protest having to remain in the Army.
Alayna
Lemoine said the Army was targeting her husband by not granting him
conscientious objector status.
ÒIf
we were any other mainstream religion, the Army would not be doing this. They
wouldnÕt do this to a Jew or Christian,Ó she said. ÒItÕs a vendetta against
pagans. They canÕt burn us, so they shut us up.Ó
_____________________________________________________________
WrenÕs Nest posted 29.03.2005
Update: Striking Pagan Soldier Sentenced To Seven
Months For Disobeying Orders
Author: Jessica Inigo Source: Stars and Stripes
Title: STRIKING PAGAN SOLDIER SENTENCED TO SEVEN MONTHS FOR DISOBEYING ORDERS
A 3rd Corps Support Command soldier was sentenced Monday to seven monthsÕ
confinement for willfully disobeying orders after being found guilty at a
court-martial at Cambrai-Fritsch Casern.
Spc. Blake Anthony Lemoine, 23, with the 596th Maintenance Company on Kelley
Barracks, testified that from January through February, he decided he would
just sit at a desk near the commanderÕs office instead of working, a decision
he made after grappling with personal and religious issues against the war in
Iraq.
A pagan priest, the Louisiana native said, ÒI realized the sermons I gave were
in direct conflict with what the United States military practices.Ó
LemoineÕs work strike began after sending his chain of command a letter
announcing all the reasons he should be allowed to quit the Army, including his
religious beliefs and rituals. But the Army determined that he did not meet the
requirements as a conscientious objector.
Community Thoughts: There are 11 comments posted on
this article
Oh
yeah... Mar 29th.
at 8:32:44 pm EST
by Awena Llwyndyrys (Taylorsville -
Utah) - Email
...
let's force people to kill other people, and die, just because they
"signed up".
If
you don't get to change your mind, isn't that indeed slavery? No way in a
million years could you get me to kill someone after I decided I wouldn't do
so. Torture me, court martial me, whatever.
I
think it's stupid to let an organization (the military) own you in the first
place. I'd never give away my rights like that. But I still don't think it's
right for the military to force you to do anything against your will. That's
the definition of slavery - the antithesis of freedom. Yay, we have slaves
protecting our freedom! =P But hasn't it always been thus? (And they're not even
defending our freedom in Iraq, anyway... possibly not even that of the Iraqis.
You ESPECIALLY couldn't get me to kill for Bush & Co.'s greedy whims.)
I'm
wondering why on earth a religious conviction doesn't get you C.O. status. What
stronger reason could there be?
Wrong
place wrong time to disagree Mar
29th. at 7:55:12 pm EST
by
bigcat (peoria - Illinois) - Email
I
disagree with the lady's statement that his punishment was because he was
Pagan. Especially since there are other Pagans and Wiccans and others serving
in the military. It was because he didn't follow orders and argued with his
superiors. Granted, there are more than a few, even in the military that
disagree with both the Government and its policies, but if he didn't know the
deal going in, he found a very bad way to discover this. The time to disagree
was before he signed on the dotted line and listened to the advertisements. i
feel sorry for him, but, he was in the wrong. Not because he was Pagan, but
because he broke his oath to serve at the wrong time.
