Free War Resister Stephen Eagle Funk! $$ for Jobs and Education, Not for War and Occupation! Bring the Troops Home Now!

Saturday, January 24, 2004, 2 PM
Cambridge YWCA 7 Temple Street, Cambridge,
Central Square/Red Line Train
Public Parking off Mass Ave side streets
Sponsored by the Women's Fightback Network and ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)

Hear:

Gloria Pacis - Mother of Stephen Funk. Gloria will be speaking about her son's case and her most recent visit with him at Camp LeJeune, N. Carolina. A long time anti-war activist, she addressed tens of thousands of anti-war protesters at the last National March in Washington, DC, to demand, "Bring the Troops Home Now!
Dustin Langley - Navy veteran and lead organizer of (SNAFU), Support Network for an Armed Forces Union. SNAFU provides support for U.S. military personnel and their family members who have questions about or oppose unjust wars and military aggression.

Hear about GI resistance inside the U.S. military, ranging from soldiers facing deployment to Iraq, to forced extensions of duty and complaints of conditions to refusing to fight by going AWOL and Conscientious Objector (CO) status. for more info: join-snafu.org

Solidarity messages from community activists
Childcare Provided, Wheel Chair Accessible, Light Refreshments
For more info: 617-522-6626
http://www.answerboston.org
- info@answerboston.org

Background:

Stephen Eagle Funk is a 21 year old gay Filipino US Marine and anti-war activist. He took a heroic stand against the most powerful military in the world when he refused to fight in Iraq. For saying, "I refuse to surrender my dignity, I refuse to kill...the military demands obedience but I will not obey," he was court-martialed and is currently serving a six month sentence in a military brig in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. He is the first known member of the US armed services to be jailed for refusing to serve in Iraq.

At a press conference preceding his incarceration Stephen said, "In the face of this unjust war based on deception by our leaders, I spoke out so that others in the military would realize that they also have a choice and a duty to resist immoral and illegitimate orders. You don't have to be a cog in the machinery of war."
Stephen was recruited into the Corps at a time when he felt that he lacked direction. Like many young people, he was manipulated by slick deceptive advertising to enlist in the Marines. Stephen went through Marine Corps boot camp, where he realized that he was opposed to killing. His command gave him the run-around when he tried to apply for conscientious objector (C.O.) status.

He says that the military "perpetuates feelings of hatred against all who are different either culturally, ethnically or otherwise. I think that is the way the military dehumanizes the enemy--whomever that may be-- so that its members won't be averse to killing them."

He added, "people in the military are not re-enlisting because the conditions in the military are oppressive."

Describing military training, he said, "you're in suspended thought. You are trained to be subordinate. It is so stressful, people forget how to think." The chaplains lied to him, and told him that his religion condoned killing. They never told him about C.O. status, either.

When he decided to resist, Marine Corps officials were angry but many of his fellow Marines supported him. When he raised the issues of war causing environmental damage and the death of innocent civilians, many Marines agreed with his analysis. "I found people went along with [the war] because they felt they had to," he said.

Stephen found most of the young people in the Marines were poor, and they felt they had few opportunities except to join the armed forces. "They are oppressed by the same people who are oppressing people in Iraq. They learn hopelessness. They learn ways to justify killing. They learn to dehumanize themselves and other people, to subordinate their actions and thoughts. The military doesn't want you to have opinions about politics."

When freed, Stephen is eager to get out to the high schools and colleges to do anti-recruitment work. He said, "The U.S. won't spend money on education, on teachers. Our whole economy is based on the military. It's part of a plan. But we can't exploit everyone forever."

 

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