Monica Benderman made an excellent post in the forums at NeverGiveUp yesterday and it deserves wider notice because of what it says about the criticisms of those soldiers who choose to go “off the reservation” by leaving their posts, travelling to Canada or finding other havens away from the grasp of our military. The critics will invariably say something along the lines of “these guys can’t expect sympathy or support if they break the rules”.

But, as Monica points out below, it isn’t about following the rules, it is about enforcing adherence to an ideology of war and to the political ideology that creates it. These soldiers sign up, as far as I can tell, to be NeoCon Republican Warriors, representing the ideology in power rather than the people of the country, and that’s a critical distinction because it represents another step towards a totalitarian state in this country where allegiance to Party or Great Leader is more important than following the tenets of our foundational document, the Constitution, or recognizing that the government is far more than one party, one branch, one man or one ideology.

Kevin followed the rules and he is treated with a form of slow torture, a torture of the soul, a breaking of the spirit. Reread Orwell’s 1984, especially the part where Winston is imprisoned, and when you do remember that Kevin followed the rules, did everything by the book, yet he sits in jail, convicted of a Thoughtcrime.

Here are Monica’s words.

Kevin and I both appreciate the support that people have given to us in the ways that they can. We appreciate that it has made others aware of Kevin’s situation. We also respect that everyone has the right to choose who and what they support.

We respect the rights of soldiers to choose — that is the central core of Kevin’s actions - and why he has taken the stand that he has. We do our best to speak for soldiers’ rights and that they be given the respect they deserve for the service they have given. Where we differ with some is how we feel that respect is best represented.

Kevin served honorably for 10 years — and even during his court martial, and the subsequent 11 months in confinement — Kevin has not violated one regulation, not broken one law. He is confined and serving time by virtue of his command not following the rules — Kevin went to jail with his head high because he knew that his integrity was intact — he was being punished for his morality, his ethics, his conscience — and that conscience would not allow him to break a law or violate a regulation even when he was being treated unjustly.

I am so proud of Kevin for that — he has faced an amazing struggle - and he has done so honorably. When he is released, we can fight to bring about the changes in the laws that we know need to be changed, because the need for those changes has been demonstrated in the unethical actions of his command as opposed so clearly by the ethical actions of Kevin. Kevin stood strong against the established law, something many others speak of but do not do when they choose to violate those laws in an attempt to prove the sincerity of their conviction.

We can’t condone breaking a law to prove that someone else has broken a law — even if our personal beliefs are such that we feel laws have been broken — we have to set those beliefs aside - we have learned to - to support what is ethically, morally and legally just and fair. I think a big reason for that is that Kevin has been treated so unfairly. It is something we have felt and lived with - and we are not willing to put anyone else through that - even if we have been put through it. We KNOW the heartache it causes - we are living with it every single day. It is not a game.

That said — we prefer that Kevin’s case not be combined with cases of resisters who have chosen to take steps that mean breaking laws. We support those soldiers in their right to choose how they represent themselves, and we wish them well. We have simply chosen a different representation of our values. I wonder if those resisters know that jail is just a different form of the inhumanity we see in war? We choose to use our experiences to keep others from having to face it — not encourage others to dare the system to put them there.

And — I wonder if those who choose to support their actions know what they are sending them off to? Daily strip searches — often times by people of the opposite sex - forced to wake up in the night by guards who are playing games, turning the lights on and off — guards who can sentence you to time in the “hole” simply because they have “power” over you… 19 year olds who have never seen combat ordering around a 40 year old combat veteran who could teach them a thousand lessons about respect — being forced to have your meal tray prepared last, only to have the guards tip it and send it flying, simply because they want to make you break a rule they live for the chance — and even if you don’t they don’t care - because they’ll find you guilty of breaking a rule anyway and take away everything you have just to have a laugh. spending 60 days in a bay with 25 other men — not being allowed to leave — no reading materials, except the mail (I send Kevin two letters a day… TWO — morning and night - 4 pages each time — so he does have something to read), no TV, no phone contact - with ANYONE - meals late, sometimes burned, no exercise, no time outside - 24 hours a day - for 60 days — and your life at the complete mercy of people who have never been taught to respect life - showers being watched, bathroom time being watched - never a moment when you are alone, when you can quietly have your thoughts.

It hurts me to know that Kevin was sent to face this having done nothing wrong - while people stand up and announce on TV and in protests that they support breaking the law - they don’t mind going to jail — as if it were something they looked forward to. And then - there are those who support the efforts of others to break laws that can put them in jail…. my husband is in jail - you don’t want to wish that on anyone. And given the choice to support soldiers — there are those people who would support Kevin as long as his situation is included with others who are willing to break laws to define their position — but in doing so they seem to be saying that his sacrifice has no meaning unless it is included with these others - — once again, his position is the one sacrificed - it seems. But it is a sacrifice we have chosen - because of everything we have been through. Interesting how many people have written to argue their case that Kevin’s case should be combined with the others who are breaking laws — when so few are arguing that others should take legal steps to support their moral and ethical conscience and follow Kevin to live with a strong enough will to defend the law of the land by upholding it.

But we support a soldier’s right to decide - whether he fights, or runs, or breaks a law - or stands for his beliefs in accordance with the law - our constitution is what he has sworn to uphold and every soldier is free to choose.