Regaining My HumanityBy Camilo Mejia
I was deployed to Iraq in April 2003 and returned home for a two-week leave in October. Going home gave me the opportunity to put my thoughts in order and to listen to what my conscience had to say. People would ask me about my war experiences and answering them took me back to all the horrors - the firefights, the ambushes, the time I saw a young Iraqi dragged by his shoulders through a pool of his own blood or an innocent man was decapitated by our machine gun fire. The time I saw a soldier broken down inside because he killed a child, or an old man on his knees, crying with his arms raised to the sky, perhaps asking God why we had taken the lifeless body of his son.
I thought of the suffering of a people whose country was in ruins and who were further humiliated by the raids, patrols and curfews of an occupying army.
I am confined to a prison but I feel, today more than ever, connected to all humanity. Behind these bars I sit a free man because I listened to a higher power, the voice of my conscience.
When I turned myself in, with all my fears and doubts, I did it not only for myself. I did it for the people of Iraq, even for those who fired upon me - they were just on the other side of a battleground where war itself was the only enemy. I did it for the Iraqi children, who are victims of mines and depleted uranium. I did it for the thousands of unknown civilians killed in war. My time in prison is a small price compared to the price Iraqis and Americans have paid with their lives. Mine is a small price compared to the price Humanity has paid for war.
Many have called me a coward; others have called me a hero. I believe I can be found somewhere in the middle. To those who have called me a hero, I say that I don't believe in heroes, but I believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
To those who have called me a coward I say that they are wrong, and that without knowing it, they are also right. They are wrong when they think that I left the war for fear of being killed. I admit that fear was there, but there was also the fear of killing innocent people, the fear of putting myself in a position where to survive means to kill, there was the fear of losing my soul in the process of saving my body, the fear of losing myself to my daughter, to the people who love me, to the man I used to be, the man I wanted to be. I was afraid of waking up one morning to realize my humanity had abandoned me.
One of the reasons I did not refuse the war from the beginning was that I was afraid of losing my freedom. Today, as I sit behind bars I realize that there are many types of freedom, and that in spite of my confinement I remain free in many important ways. What good is freedom if we are afraid to follow our conscience? What good is freedom if we are not able to live with our own actions? I am confined to a prison but I feel, today more than ever, connected to all humanity. Behind these bars I sit a free man because I listened to a higher power, the voice of my conscience.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
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Accountable
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
I have to respect someone who has the balls to turn himself in rather than desert.
I did notice, however, that he has speaking engagements and donation links set up, now that he's been released. Yup, some people really know how to suffer in style.
I did notice, however, that he has speaking engagements and donation links set up, now that he's been released. Yup, some people really know how to suffer in style.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
The fact that it comes from what was supposedly a serving soldier makes it worse.
So this guy had absolutely no idea when joining he may be asked to fight or to carry out duties that were unpleasant!!!!!
You had no idea that you might see sights that repulse you, you might question what you are doing, if you answer that you had no idea of these things then why join the armed forces.
Regardless of the conflict (and I have my own view about Iraq) you signed up, swore the oath and took the money so you stay along with your mates and get on with it.
Strange isn't it how there was none of this during for example the first gulf war of even the ridiculous invasion of Grenada, why, because compared to this war they were walks in the park, a large scale target practice in the case of the former and nothing more dangerous than sunburn in the second, this war is dirty and distressing so all the "brave" objectors come out the woodwork.
All conflict is bloody horrible and don't anyone who has not served get the idea that those who have are any different to them and not scared to death a lot of the time.
So this guy had absolutely no idea when joining he may be asked to fight or to carry out duties that were unpleasant!!!!!
You had no idea that you might see sights that repulse you, you might question what you are doing, if you answer that you had no idea of these things then why join the armed forces.
Regardless of the conflict (and I have my own view about Iraq) you signed up, swore the oath and took the money so you stay along with your mates and get on with it.
Strange isn't it how there was none of this during for example the first gulf war of even the ridiculous invasion of Grenada, why, because compared to this war they were walks in the park, a large scale target practice in the case of the former and nothing more dangerous than sunburn in the second, this war is dirty and distressing so all the "brave" objectors come out the woodwork.
All conflict is bloody horrible and don't anyone who has not served get the idea that those who have are any different to them and not scared to death a lot of the time.
"I have done my duty. I thank God for it!"
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greydeadhead
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
Well said Bothwell. I do have to wonder how these "brave objectors" comrades still serving feel about this. Especially distrubing is the fact that two of the listed "objectors" were in the medical field. They were there to save lives, both military and civilian, not take them.
Feed your spirit by living near it -- Magic Hat Brewery bottle cap
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Quite right there is always a place for those who for differing reasons do not want to harm their fellow man and still serve. What follows is an excerpt from the Royal Army Medical Corps site. Note that two yes two of the VC's are with bar, this has only been awarded three times in history and the medics have two of them.
Faithful in Adversity. The 31 Victoria Crosses won by the Corps, including two double VCs and one recipient of both the VC and the Iron Cross, bear testimony to the motto and the character and ideals of the men and women who wear the badge.
Faithful in Adversity. The 31 Victoria Crosses won by the Corps, including two double VCs and one recipient of both the VC and the Iron Cross, bear testimony to the motto and the character and ideals of the men and women who wear the badge.
"I have done my duty. I thank God for it!"
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Far Rider wrote: I'm ascard to go back....
You sign, you swear it, you do it.
I wonder how many of his buddies died because he was not there doing his job.Far fewer, one imagines, than died regardless of his presence.
Describing the issue as one of cowardice and Lack of Moral Fiber rather than principle is the typical blackmailing pressure that one might expect. It was most frequently expressed in those terms during the First World War by women in the streets of London. You could go the full distance, Far Rider, and buy in a stock of white feathers to hand out with them.
If you can remember no earlier equivalent Veterans Against The War movement, then you have a short memory. I'd have thought that anyone who had bought their experience was worth listening to. Siegfried Sassoon is discussed by most schoolchildren in this country, and for good reason.
You sign, you swear it, you do it.
I wonder how many of his buddies died because he was not there doing his job.Far fewer, one imagines, than died regardless of his presence.
Describing the issue as one of cowardice and Lack of Moral Fiber rather than principle is the typical blackmailing pressure that one might expect. It was most frequently expressed in those terms during the First World War by women in the streets of London. You could go the full distance, Far Rider, and buy in a stock of white feathers to hand out with them.
If you can remember no earlier equivalent Veterans Against The War movement, then you have a short memory. I'd have thought that anyone who had bought their experience was worth listening to. Siegfried Sassoon is discussed by most schoolchildren in this country, and for good reason.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
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Accountable
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
Far, you're way over Spot's head. Courage? Cowardice? Completely foreign to him.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
You know what, Far Rider? I wish a whole lot more people stood up and did it. It would put an end to a whole load of certainties, and it would make politicians a hell of a lot less likely to rock the world.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Accountable wrote: Far, you're way over Spot's head. Courage? Cowardice? Completely foreign to him.The older I get, the more I recognize those testosterone-buzzwords for the frauds they are. Armies are fundamentally gay fraternities where the sex gets sublimated. The words and emotions are comparable, though. Leon Uris put it in those terms, and he was involved for a long time.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
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Accountable
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
And then he smarted off, right? I think we lived on the same road.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Not to this guy's exact case, but a general thought I had.
We've seen war movies where the Nazis would pack it in, surrender to the Allies. Or just basically say "I vill not kill any more people for this madman" (meaning Hitler), and throw down their weapons. Of course, these are "dramatic moments" made up for the movies, not real events.
Now, watching this, we feel (or are meant to feel, at least) respect for the "aware" Nazi soldier, who has had an epiphany, so to speak. He is no longer going to kill on the orders of a tyrant, in a foreign country. And from our perspective, in the bigger picture and hindsight, he could be seen as a courageous hero of sorts. He is willing to desert his military unit, risk being executed or at least court-martialed and imprisoned, all because he follows his convictions that Hitler is perpetuating a war that is morally corrupt and wrong. He is the battle-weary vet, who no longer believes the Fuhrer is doing the right thing. But he did when he first went off to fight - even over the course of three long years of combat.
How do other FG'ers see this hypothetical "Nazi"? I know there are others here who have been in the military. But I'd like to hear from everyone - Is he a hero? or a deserter? a coward?
I have conflicting thoughts on it, so I was curious as to what everyone else thinks....
We've seen war movies where the Nazis would pack it in, surrender to the Allies. Or just basically say "I vill not kill any more people for this madman" (meaning Hitler), and throw down their weapons. Of course, these are "dramatic moments" made up for the movies, not real events.
Now, watching this, we feel (or are meant to feel, at least) respect for the "aware" Nazi soldier, who has had an epiphany, so to speak. He is no longer going to kill on the orders of a tyrant, in a foreign country. And from our perspective, in the bigger picture and hindsight, he could be seen as a courageous hero of sorts. He is willing to desert his military unit, risk being executed or at least court-martialed and imprisoned, all because he follows his convictions that Hitler is perpetuating a war that is morally corrupt and wrong. He is the battle-weary vet, who no longer believes the Fuhrer is doing the right thing. But he did when he first went off to fight - even over the course of three long years of combat.
How do other FG'ers see this hypothetical "Nazi"? I know there are others here who have been in the military. But I'd like to hear from everyone - Is he a hero? or a deserter? a coward?
I have conflicting thoughts on it, so I was curious as to what everyone else thinks....
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Accountable
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
turbonium wrote: Now, watching this, we feel (or are meant to feel, at least) respect for the "aware" Nazi soldier, who has had an epiphany, so to speak. He is no longer going to kill on the orders of a tyrant, in a foreign country. And from our perspective, in the bigger picture and hindsight, he could be seen as a courageous hero of sorts. He is willing to desert his military unit, risk being executed or at least court-martialed and imprisoned, all because he follows his convictions that Hitler is perpetuating a war that is morally corrupt and wrong. He is the battle-weary vet, who no longer believes the Fuhrer is doing the right thing. But he did when he first went off to fight - even over the course of three long years of combat.
How do other FG'ers see this hypothetical "Nazi"? I know there are others here who have been in the military. But I'd like to hear from everyone - Is he a hero? or a deserter? a coward?
OUCH! That really strikes close to home. That's the reason I posted what I did. I respect a person who thinks through, makes a decision, and acts on it regardless of the hardships involved. I don't have to agree with the decision or the thought process. I could have even respected the Menendez brothers for murdering their parents, if they had pled guilty and taken the punishment instead of crying for mercy because they were orphans. It's the courage of the conviction I respect.
How do other FG'ers see this hypothetical "Nazi"? I know there are others here who have been in the military. But I'd like to hear from everyone - Is he a hero? or a deserter? a coward?
OUCH! That really strikes close to home. That's the reason I posted what I did. I respect a person who thinks through, makes a decision, and acts on it regardless of the hardships involved. I don't have to agree with the decision or the thought process. I could have even respected the Menendez brothers for murdering their parents, if they had pled guilty and taken the punishment instead of crying for mercy because they were orphans. It's the courage of the conviction I respect.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Ohno all these years I have been gay and not known it! Well that's it for me then I am off to stock up on Elton John records, verscace frocks and move to key west.
Armies are fundamentally gay fraternities where the sex gets sublimated.
As to children studying Seigreid Sassoon I wish that it were so, I think you might find that a lot of kids going through our education system would be hard put to actually date the first world war let alone discuss Sassoon.
Armies are fundamentally gay fraternities where the sex gets sublimated.
As to children studying Seigreid Sassoon I wish that it were so, I think you might find that a lot of kids going through our education system would be hard put to actually date the first world war let alone discuss Sassoon.
"I have done my duty. I thank God for it!"
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Adam Zapple
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
turbonium wrote: Not to this guy's exact case, but a general thought I had.
We've seen war movies where the Nazis would pack it in, surrender to the Allies. Or just basically say "I vill not kill any more people for this madman" (meaning Hitler), and throw down their weapons. Of course, these are "dramatic moments" made up for the movies, not real events.
Now, watching this, we feel (or are meant to feel, at least) respect for the "aware" Nazi soldier, who has had an epiphany, so to speak. He is no longer going to kill on the orders of a tyrant, in a foreign country. And from our perspective, in the bigger picture and hindsight, he could be seen as a courageous hero of sorts. He is willing to desert his military unit, risk being executed or at least court-martialed and imprisoned, all because he follows his convictions that Hitler is perpetuating a war that is morally corrupt and wrong. He is the battle-weary vet, who no longer believes the Fuhrer is doing the right thing. But he did when he first went off to fight - even over the course of three long years of combat.
How do other FG'ers see this hypothetical "Nazi"? I know there are others here who have been in the military. But I'd like to hear from everyone - Is he a hero? or a deserter? a coward?
I have conflicting thoughts on it, so I was curious as to what everyone else thinks....
I think all the above is speculative. The German soldier went to fight because it was compulsory - conscription. He may have never been philosophically aligned with the Nazi party, but he does love his country. He fought because he had to.
Why does he surrender to Allied troops? Because he realized Hitler was a madman? Perhaps but doubtful. Romney knew Hitler was a psycho but continued to fight because he was a nationalist. He fought for Germany, not Hitler. I suspect this soldier surrendered because he didn't want to die. Because he knew life in an Allied POW camp was better than being shot as a deserter by German forces. Perhaps he was isolated from his company or they were all dead. Maybe he realized that Germany was losing the war and he saw the opportunity to save his hide and get back to Germany once the war was over.
Either way, I don't see him as a hero or a coward. He saw an opportunity to survive and took it.
We've seen war movies where the Nazis would pack it in, surrender to the Allies. Or just basically say "I vill not kill any more people for this madman" (meaning Hitler), and throw down their weapons. Of course, these are "dramatic moments" made up for the movies, not real events.
Now, watching this, we feel (or are meant to feel, at least) respect for the "aware" Nazi soldier, who has had an epiphany, so to speak. He is no longer going to kill on the orders of a tyrant, in a foreign country. And from our perspective, in the bigger picture and hindsight, he could be seen as a courageous hero of sorts. He is willing to desert his military unit, risk being executed or at least court-martialed and imprisoned, all because he follows his convictions that Hitler is perpetuating a war that is morally corrupt and wrong. He is the battle-weary vet, who no longer believes the Fuhrer is doing the right thing. But he did when he first went off to fight - even over the course of three long years of combat.
How do other FG'ers see this hypothetical "Nazi"? I know there are others here who have been in the military. But I'd like to hear from everyone - Is he a hero? or a deserter? a coward?
I have conflicting thoughts on it, so I was curious as to what everyone else thinks....
I think all the above is speculative. The German soldier went to fight because it was compulsory - conscription. He may have never been philosophically aligned with the Nazi party, but he does love his country. He fought because he had to.
Why does he surrender to Allied troops? Because he realized Hitler was a madman? Perhaps but doubtful. Romney knew Hitler was a psycho but continued to fight because he was a nationalist. He fought for Germany, not Hitler. I suspect this soldier surrendered because he didn't want to die. Because he knew life in an Allied POW camp was better than being shot as a deserter by German forces. Perhaps he was isolated from his company or they were all dead. Maybe he realized that Germany was losing the war and he saw the opportunity to save his hide and get back to Germany once the war was over.
Either way, I don't see him as a hero or a coward. He saw an opportunity to survive and took it.
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Accountable
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Iraq Veterans Against the War
Adam Zapple wrote: I think all the above is speculative. [....]
Why does he surrender to Allied troops? [...] I suspect this soldier surrendered because he didn't want to die. Because he knew life in an Allied POW camp was better than being shot as a deserter by German forces. [...]
Either way, I don't see him as a hero or a coward. He saw an opportunity to survive and took it.
Do you see any parallel at all with the guy in the original post? He was not losing to the terrorists (imported, IMO), but he knew life (the noun, not the sentence) in a federal prison was better than death by IED.
I mean, it was cowardly to refuse to support his fellow soldiers as he swore he would - but did he do it openly because he had the courage of his convictions, or because he knew that we're too soft as a society to really punish him as the law requires?
Why does he surrender to Allied troops? [...] I suspect this soldier surrendered because he didn't want to die. Because he knew life in an Allied POW camp was better than being shot as a deserter by German forces. [...]
Either way, I don't see him as a hero or a coward. He saw an opportunity to survive and took it.
Do you see any parallel at all with the guy in the original post? He was not losing to the terrorists (imported, IMO), but he knew life (the noun, not the sentence) in a federal prison was better than death by IED.
I mean, it was cowardly to refuse to support his fellow soldiers as he swore he would - but did he do it openly because he had the courage of his convictions, or because he knew that we're too soft as a society to really punish him as the law requires?