CA, Watsonville: Iraq Veterans Speak Out Against the War

CA

Watsonville

Where: United Presbyterian Church, 112 E. Beach, Watsonville, CA 95076

Map to Event

Featuring Agustín Aguayo, Camilo Mejía, Pablo Paredes and Robert Zabala. Translated from English to Spanish.

Army Spc. Agustin Aguayo stepped off of a plane today at Sacramento International Airport after being imprisoned by the U.S. Army and held in Germany for nine months. Agustin was convicted of missing movement and desertion for refusing to redeploy to Iraq last year and publicly speaking out against the war.

Agustin’s wife Helga and Courage to Resist supporters met him at the airport, give him a couple hours to relax from his 18-hour journey from Germany, and whisked him to his first speaking event in California’s capitol. From here, Agustin is beginning a multi-city tour covering much of Northern California. In the upcoming days, Agustin will be joined by fellow Iraq War resisters Army Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejía, Navy Petty Officer Pablo Paredes, and Marine L/Cpl Robert Zabala.

Camilo Mejía was one of the first Iraq combat veterans to refuse to return to Iraq and served almost nine months in prison for his stand. In his new book "Road from ar Ramadi; The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejía," Camilo gives an inside view of what it felt like to be a soldier on the ground in Iraq.

Here are links to websites telling his story: www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/257/1/ and http://www.aguayodefense.org/

Please support Agustin Aguayo and other soldados razos! There is no charge at the door but please consider donating to la causa de Agustin and others.

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Sponsored by the GI Rights Hotline & Draft Alternatives program of the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV), Santa Cruz Peace Coalition, Watsonville Women's International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF), Watsonville Brown Berets, Courage to Resist and Santa Cruz Veterans for Peace Chp. 11. More info: Bob Fitch 831.722.3311