Some call them fools, but we call them heroes and examples for us all. Pro-war Americans view high-altitude pilots who drop bombs on civilians and kill enemy troops without putting themselves at risk as "heroes".
Our heroes are those on the ground who defy this brutish slaughter with their very bodies. Among our heroes are the Human Shields like Rachel Corrie who was crushed to death in Palestine by an Israeli soldier and his bulldozer in March and Faith Filliper who went to Iraq to do her best to stop the U.S. slaughter of Iraqis. The mindless masses whose pro-war views are shaped by the corporate media welcome their "heroes" with yellow-ribbon homecomings and the government funds their guilt-ridden futures for the rest of their lives. As anti-war activists, how do we treat our heroes?
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| Faith Fippinger, Human Shield in Iraq, being prosecuted by the U.S. Government |
The Bush regime is using the Treasury Department to hound the Anti-war activists who courageously went to pre-war Iraq to act as human shields in an effort to stop the war. Faith Fippinger, a 62 year-old school teacher was one of those human shields. She refuses to pay a fine of $10,000 and now faces up to 12 years in prison for her stand against the regime's illegal invasion of Iraq. If she doesn't pay the fine, the regime threatens to increase the amount and to take the money out of her retirement check, her social security benefits and any assets she may have.
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| Rachel Corrie (1979-2003), crushed to death by an Israeli Bulldozer in March, 2003 while trying to stop the IDF from destroying a Palestinian Home |
As activists against this brutal regime in Washington we cannot say that we do not have heroes in the anti-war movement! From Rachel Corrie to Faith Fippinger and others, our heroes pave the way for the rest of us who perhaps have less courage to take a truly sacrificial stand.
This is an appeal to the leaders of the anti-war movement and the editors of the anti-war websites to unite to support people like Rachel Corrie and Faith Fippinger. We believe that a fund driven and supported by the hundreds of thousands of activists around the world would send the message to the regime in Washington that we stand against their brutish warring and violence to further imperialism and to silence activism and free speech.
Axis of Logic will be in contact with leaders of the movement and editors of the anti-war news and information websites for the purpose of establishing a fund to protect and revere this country's real heroes. If the response is there, we will do everything we can to see that it is established and administered in the interest of peace. Let us hear from you!
Human shields face 12 years' jail for visiting Iraq, The Guardian (UK), August 13, 2003
Anti-war activists who visited Iraq before the US invasion have discovered that they could face up to 12 years in prison and $1m in fines.
Although travel firms now tout adventure tours to a country that is a temporary home to 150,000 US troops, scores of American protesters have been warned they risk fines or imprisonment for violating a prewar travel ban.
During the past few weeks a retired schoolteacher in her 60s and a number of other activists have received warnings from the US treasury that they could face punishment for travelling to Iraq.
"When I came back from Iraq I had a letter from the treasury threatening up to 12 years in prison and up to $1m [£620,000] in fines," said Faith Fippinger, 62.
Ms Fippinger, who retired as a teacher for the blind, spent the war as a human shield, living in the grounds of an ageing oil refinery in Baghdad.
She was among about 30 Americans who arrived in Iraq in the run-up to war to serve as human shields. She was one of the few who stayed. More than 150 other US protesters - including the actor Sean Penn - travelled to Iraq in the run-up to war.
Ms Fippinger said a treasury official had told her last week that if she agreed to pay, the fine would be reduced to $10,000.
She replied that she had no intention of paying. "It's a matter of principle, having made the decision to go there out of caring for human life, and then once there having to deal with the dead children from cluster bombs, and also seeing the young American military being killed," she said.
Ms Fippinger said she was warned that the funds could be seized from her pension, or through the sale of her house.
At least three other US activists who travelled to Baghdad before the war have received similar notices from the treasury. But a spokesman denied any suggestion that the enforcement effort was politically motivated. He would not say how many Americans faced charges.
According to the regulations, US citizens, except for journalists and humanitarian workers, were prohibited from visiting Iraq, or engaging in commercial activities.
"Breaking the law in the act of protest does not change the fact you are breaking the law," said Taylor Griffin, a treasury spokesman. "We're not talking about humanitarian organisations, we're talking about people who travelled in flagrant violation of the sanctions."
Scores of Americans could soon find themselves in the same predicament as Ms Fippinger. A few weeks ago, Voices in the Wilderness, a peace group that sent 80 delegations to Iraq, received a summons from the justice department seeking to collect fines levied in the mid-90s.
"I am a bit taken aback," admitted Bitta Mostofi, who spent two months in Iraq just before the war. "I am surprised that you would fine a group of people taking medicine and toys, and then go and take them to court."
Other activists saw the enforcement campaign as a chance to reopen the war debate. "I say bring it on," said Ellen Barfield, an activist from Baltimore who went to Iraq last winter. "I don't want the hassle, but obviously it publicises the issue. So I say: 'Go ahead and do what you say you are going to do and punish people who went to Iraq out of a fine concern for human beings.'"