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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Iraq War conscientious objector to speak locally, March 16 and 17

Lecture: Camilo Mejía, the first U.S. soldier to refuse to fight during the Iraq War
Dates, times and locations:
Monday, March 16, 7 p.m. – Wiekamp Hall, Room 1001, Indiana University South Bend
Tuesday, March 17, 7 p.m. – Iglesia Menonita Del Buen Pastor, 523 S. 6thSt., Goshen, Ind.
Cost: Free and open to the public
Event sponsors: Goshen College PAX student club, Northern Indiana Women's Action for New Directions, Michiana Peace & Justice Coalition, Notre Dame Student Peace Fellowship, Notre Dame Progressive Student Alliance, Human Rights Notre Dame, Indiana University South Bend and Northern Indiana Seniors for Peace

GOSHEN, Ind. – Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejía became the face of the antiwar movement in early 2004 when he applied for a discharge from the National Guard as a conscientious objector. "By putting my weapon down, I chose to reassert myself as a human being," he said.

 

Mejía is coming to Northern Indiana for several public presentations about his experiences as one of the first publicly-known conscientious objectors (CO) of the Iraq War. He will speak on Monday, March 16 at 7 p.m. in Indiana University South Bend's Wiekamp Hall Room 1001. He will also speak on Tuesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at Iglesia Menonita Del Buen Pastor (523 S. 6th St., Goshen). Both events are free and will have book signings afterwards.

 

Mejía grew up in Nicaragua and Costa Rica before moving to the United States in 1994. He joined the military at age 19, serving as an infantryman in the active-duty Army for three years before transferring to the Florida National Guard. After five months of frontline combat in Iraq, Mejía became the first American soldier to refuse to fight, citing moral concerns about the war and occupation. His stand helped to rally the growing opposition and embolden his fellow soldiers. Although his CO case remains open to this day, Mejía was charged with desertion and served almost nine months in jail after his conviction in a military trial. His imprisonment caused Amnesty International to declare him a prisoner of conscience.

 

His 2007 book, "Road from ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejía," is Mejía's unflinching account of how it felt to be a soldier on the ground in Iraq in the early months of the war. Also in 2007, he was elected chair of the board of directors of the organization Iraq Veterans Against the War. He lives in Miami.

 

The co-sponsors for Mejía's visit and lectures are: Goshen College PAX student club, Northern Indiana Women's Action for New Directions, Michiana Peace & Justice Coalition, Notre Dame Student Peace Fellowship, Notre Dame Progressive Student Alliance, Human Rights Notre Dame, Indiana University South Bend and Northern Indiana Seniors for Peace.

 

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview with Mejía or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

 

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.

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