| Something's Happening Here |
A trickle of humanity is showing up at Canadian border crossings: U.S. military deserters who don't want to fight in Iraq. And they are asking Canada for refuge, as it once was during the Vietnam War. Over the decades, many things have changed; there was a draft then, none now---at least not yet. But today's war resisters are not that different from the ones who came before. Their stories are wrapped up in the politics of Canada-US relations - in soul-wrenching deliberations and life-changing decisions - in the intense interplay of the forces of love, and family and country. This program comes to us from Bob Carty of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and airs as part of our ongoing international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
Something's Happening Here was produced by Bob Carty of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. We have this update: Jeremy Hinzman had his hearing in December, 2004. His refugee claim was denied in March, 2005. After a lengthy appeals process and two last-minute attempts to be allowed to remain in the country, the Toronto Star reported August 13th, 2008 that Hinzman had received a deportation notice and must leave Canada by September 23rd. Amnesty International has said that, if he is returned to the US & imprisoned, they will consider him a prisoner of conscience.
Links:
War Resister's Support Campaign
The War Resisters Support Campaign is a broad-based coalition of community, faith, labour and other organizations and individuals that have come together to support U.S. soldiers seeking asylum in Canada.
Prosecution of U.S. Army deserters rise
There is a noticable increase in the amount of Army deserters which may be a result of combat stress or fear.
Brandon Hughey homepage
Brandon Hughey is a 23 year old American seeking asylum in Canada. At the time of his escape, he was the second known American soldier to flee America.
Books:
 Northern Passage: American Vietnam War Resisters in Canada
by: John Hagan 2001
John Hagan searched declassified government files, consulted previously unopened resistance organization archives and contemporary oral histories, and interviewed American war resisters settled in Toronto to learn how they made the momentous decision to leave the United States for Canada.
 GI Resister: The Story of how One American Soldier and His Family Fought the War in Vietnam
by: Dick Perrin, Tim McCarthy 2001
The story of Dick Perrin, GI War Resister.
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