Monday, December 06, 2004

Jeremy Hinzman - Elite War Dodger???

December 6, 2004 represented the first day of hearings scheduled for Jeremy Hinzman’s claim for refugee status before the Immigration and Refugee Board. Yahoo News reports on the first day:
An American war dodger who willingly joined the U.S. army because it would pay for his university education testified Monday that the birth of his son was the final step in his realization that he didn't want to be a killer. Jeremy Hinzman, 26, fled his airborne regiment in January and has requested refugee status in Canada on the grounds he would be unfairly prosecuted if returned to the United States.

There’s more and the link is above. My first issue is that Jeremy Hinzman is not an AMERICAN WAR DODGER; he is a deserter from the US Army. The Globe and Mail has carried a report on Hinzman’s first day before the Board. The Globe and Mail recognizes Hinzman as a deserter but then goes on to elevate him as an "elite" US soldier:
An elite U.S. soldier is applying for refugee status in Canada this week, arguing that he would be forced to commit war crimes if deployed to Iraq. Jeremy Hinzman, a ‘White Devil' with the 82nd Airborne, deserted from his unit only days before it was sent to Iraq.
I first blogged about Jeremy Hinzman’s outrageous claim for refugee status in Canada back in July 2004.

It becomes a travesty of justice for Mr. Hinzman’s case to take up so much of the Board's time when there are literally hundreds of thousands of legitimate refugees fleeing war and genocide in their native land who are in legitimate need of the protection of the Government of Canada - think Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Ivory Coast, North Korea.

(Tipped off via Neale News)

2 comments:

Gordon Pasha said...

War dodger? I think the proper term is "deserter".

Gordon Pasha said...

... and that comment was, in fact, directed at the Star. Redundant perhaps, but I couldn't help myself.