Is This the Freedom Our Troops are Fighting For?

Regular readers will remember a few blogs I wrote about Adam Kokesh, an Iraq war veteran who was subject to military hearings for protesting the war.

Adam is back at the forefront this week on a YouTube video taken of his arrest while legally posting a notice of the September 15 march to take place in Washington, D.C. and around the country (including Springfield) in an attempt to show the national lack of acceptance of the BushCo version of the Patraeus report due that day.

It is already public knowledge (At least to NPR listeners) that Patraeus is not going to be allowed to present his own report. Even though it is largely supportive of the BushCo position, it wasn’t strong enough for BushCo, so they are rewriting it and presenting it to Congress themselves.

The event on the tape was an announced press conference in a public space so the event and the actions taken there were vetted by lawyers to ensure that nothing that was actually illegal would be taking place. The police reaction to it is extraordinary. Please watch this video (be patient, it takes a while for it to get up and running) and become even more aware of how free speech is suppressed in our country. Is this the freedom people say our soldiers are fighting for?

A similar reaction was put forward by the editors of the Springfield News-leader in the last week when they pointed the finger of shame at the three protesters from Code Pink who raised the impeach sign at the ball game. They were protesting the acts of our president, but the connection between patriotism and war is so close in peoples' minds that they immediately equated the protest with disrespect for the veterans present and villified the protesters even though their intent had nothing to do with the veterans. The protesters could undoubtedly have picked a better night to do this at the ballpark, but they were ultimately only exercising their rights of free speech. Is this the freedom we are told our troops are fighting for?

A march will be held in Springfield on September 15, as part of the effort Kokesh was arrested for. It will start at 9:00 am at Phelps Grove Park and proceed to the National Cemetery at Glenstone and Seminole. Due to a prior obligation, I will not be able to be there, but my spirit will. Please attend if it is possible for you to do so.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. -- M. K. Gandhi

Individually we have little voice. Collectively we cannot be ignored.
But in silence we surrender our power. Yours in Peace -- BR