Latest News
War resister marks one year of life in sanctuary
Former U.S. soldier awaits vote on bill that would let him stay in Canada on humanitarian grounds
While the war in Iraq may officially be drawing to a close, former U.S. soldier Rodney Watson's battle to stay in Canada continues from a small one-bedroom suite within the First United Church in Vancouver.
The 32-year-old war resister marked his one-year anniversary of sanctuary by making a public appeal to the public and Canadian government for all Iraqi war resisters.
"We are not criminals. We are taking a stand for peace and love. What you have here are people who have taken a stand against the government for a war that was deemed wrong," he said.
Watson said he's awaiting anxiously an coming House of Commons vote on a bill to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Bill C-440 would allow Watson to remain in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds based on his moral and political objections to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations, and the fact that he was subject to a stop-loss order by the U.S. military. A vote is expected later this month.
Watson said he initially joined the U.S. army in 2004 for financial reasons. He enrolled to be a cook but said he ended up searching vehicles for weapons in a security clearance area. He also said he witnessed racism toward Iraqis by American soldiers.
"I knew going in I was a soldier first. That's not my argument. It's what I saw. I witnessed a lot of racist soldiers and racist contractors." Amid all the violence he began questioning the war's rationale and why, as a soldier, he was not helping citizens of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina struck.
Upon returning from his one-year tour of duty, Watson was informed he would once again be deployed past his three-year contract with the military. Watson decided to leave his home in Kansas City and move to Vancouver in November 2006.
Watson met his wife here and the couple had a son who will soon turn two. He was given a work permit and began carpentry work, installing hardwood floors. Meanwhile, his wife began attending post-secondary school.
"We were living a perfectly normal life, taking care of our son," he said.
But on Sept. 11, 2009, Watson's world was turned upside down when he was ordered to leave Canada. That week he appealed to Rev. Ric Matthews of the First United Church for sanctuary.
"To embrace those resisting war is part of out heritage, the will of the majority in Parliament and the desire of the majority of Canadians. The time in sanctuary will be well worth it if it prevents Rodney from being summarily deported," Matthews said.
Watson claims that if he is deported to the U.S., he would be imprisoned for at least a year, his marriage would fall apart because he wouldn't be able to enter Canada and job prospects with a dishonourable discharge would be slim.
Click here to suggest an article
Mike's Blog
-
May 9th, 2012
About President Obama's Statement in Support of Gay Marriage
I am deeply moved by the announcement made a short while ago that President Obama has gone back to his original position in 1996 and ...
-
May 4th, 2012
Here's a free song for you. It's my contribution to "Occupy This Album", a compilation CD (99 songs!) featuring David Crosby & Graham Nash, Steve ...
-
February 11th, 2012
A 75th Anniversary for the American Dream, a 25-Year Anniversary for Me
On this day 25 years ago, in 1987, I became a filmmaker. It was around ten in the morning and the first-ever roll of Kodak ...
-
January 17th, 2012
STOP SOPA: Why MichaelMoore.com Will Be Blacked Out Wednesday, January 18th
My websites MichaelMoore.com and Mike's High School Newspaper will both be going dark for 24 hours starting at midnight tonight in protest of the Stop ...
-
December 30th, 2011
75 Years Ago Today, the First Occupy
On this day, December 30th, in 1936 -- 75 years ago today -- hundreds of workers at the General Motors factories in Flint, Michigan, took ...
-
December 28th, 2011
Click here to donate to the congressional campaign of Flint's own Dan Kildee I have many things I'm planning to do in the New Year ...
-
December 24th, 2011
A Little Christmas Gift for You to Download
Thanks for all the wonderful comments regarding the short story about my mom from HERE COMES TROUBLE that I sent you a few days ago. ...
-
September 11th, 2010
If the 'Mosque' Isn't Built, This Is No Longer America
OpenMike 9/11/10 Michael Moore's daily blog I am opposed to the building of the "mosque" two blocks from Ground Zero. I want it built on ...
-
December 14th, 2010
Why I'm Posting Bail Money for Julian Assange
Yesterday, in the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, the lawyers for WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange presented to the judge a document from me stating that ...
-
May 12th, 2011
Some Final Thoughts on the Death of Osama bin Laden
"The Nazis killed tens of MILLIONS. They got a trial. Why? Because we're not like them. We're Americans. We roll different." – Michael Moore in ...
-
November 22nd, 2011
Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go From Here?
This past weekend I participated in a four-hour meeting of Occupy Wall Street activists whose job it is to come up with the vision and ...
-
September 22nd, 2011
A STATEMENT FROM MICHAEL MOORE ON THE EXECUTION OF TROY DAVIS
I encourage everyone I know to never travel to Georgia, never buy anything made in Georgia, to never do business in Georgia. I will ask ...
-
December 16th, 2010
Dear Swedish Government: Hi there -- or as you all say, Hallå! You know, all of us here in the U.S. love your country. Your ...
-
November 2nd, 2010
This letter contains (almost) no criticisms of how the Democrats have brought this day of reckoning upon themselves. That -- and where to go from ...
Comments
5