Iraq combat veterans, Agustín Aguayo and Camilo Mejía, will be joined by fellow war resisters Pablo Paredes and Robert Zabala for a series of Northern California events May 9-18.
Just weeks after being released from a military stockade in Germany for refusing redeployment to Iraq, Agustín Aguayo will be joined by fellow war resisters on a Northern California speaking tour. Agustín served nearly eight months in prison after fighting for nearly three years to be recognized as a conscientious objector. Agustin will explain for the first time why he chose jail instead of redeploying to Iraq.
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 against war. In his upcoming 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. Camilo’s book will be available at his events.
Pablo Paredes refused to ship out in support of the Iraq War at the San Diego Naval Station in 2005. He is now a GI rights counselor and counter-recruitment activist. Robert Zabala is a Marine recently ordered discharged as a Conscientious Objector (CO) by a federal judge after fighting for nearly four years to be recognized as a CO.
Calendar of Events May 9-18
Wednesday May 9 – Marin
7pm at College of Marin, Student Services Center, 835 College Ave, Kentfield. Featuring Agustín Aguayo, Pablo Paredes and David Solnit. Sponsored by Courage to Resist and Students for Social Responsibility. More info: buff@couragetoresist.org
Thursday May 10 – Sacramento
7pm at the Newman Center, 5900 Newman Court, Sacramento. Featuring Jeff Paterson and Helga and Agustín Aguayo. Sponsored by Courage to Resist, Veterans for Peace-Sacramento, IVAW-Sacramento, Sacramento for Democracy and Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA). More info: Karen Bernal 916.359.2151
Friday May 11 – Stockton
6pm at the Centro Comunitario Mexicano (Mexican Community Center), 609 S Lincoln St, Stockton. Featuring Agustín Aguayo. Event in Spanish with English translation. Sponsored by AFSC / Project VOICE, Organizacion de Trabajadores Agricolas de California, Asociacion de Braceros del Norte de California and Comision Honorifica Mexicana Periodico Semilla. More info: Luis Magaña 209.465.4265
Saturday May 12 – Carmel
7pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Rd, Carmel. Featuring Agustín Aguayo and Camilo Mejía. Sponsored by Veterans for Peace Chp. 69, Hartnell Students for Peace, Salinas Action League, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Courage to Resist. More info: Kurt Brux 831.424.6447
Sunday May 13 – San Francisco
9:30 am Press Conference at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco, 1187 Franklin St.(at Geary), San Francisco. Members to Encircle Historic Church with Peace Ribbon for 2007 Mother’s Day Proclamation for Peace featuring Agustin Aguayo, Camilo Mejia, Pablo Paredes, Sean O’Neill and Karen Meredith.
3pm and 5pm Special screening of “The Short Life of Jose Antonio Gutierrez” at the Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St. (at Mission), San Francisco. Featuring Agustín Aguayo and Camilo Mejía.
7pm at the Veterans War Memorial Bldg. (Room 207) , 401 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco. Featuring Agustín Aguayo, Camilo Mejía and Pablo Paredes. Sponsored by Courage to Resist, Veterans for Peace Chp. 69 and SF Codepink. More info: courage@riseup.net or 510.764.2073. Download the event leaflet and help distribute! (PDF)
Monday May 14 – Watsonville
7pm at the United Presbyterian Church, 112 E. Beach, Watsonville. Featuring Agustín Aguayo, Camilo Mejía, Pablo Paredes and Robert Zabala. Translated from English to Spanish. 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
Tuesday May 15 – Palo Alto
7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church (Fellowship Hall), 1140 Cowper, Palo Alto. Featuring Camilo Mejía. Sponsored by Pennisula Peace and Justice Center. More info: Paul George 650.326.8837
Wednesday May 16 – Eureka
7pm at the Eureka Labor Temple, 840 E St. (@9th), Eureka. Featuring Camilo Mejía. More info: Becky Luening 707.826.9197
Thursday May 17 – Oakland
7pm at the Humanist Hall, 411 28th St, Oakland. Featuring Camilo Mejía, Pablo Paredes and the Alternatives to War through Education (A.W.E.) Youth Action Team. Sponsored by Veteran’s for Peace Chp. 69, Courage to Resist and Organize da Bay. More info: alternatives2war@yahoo.com or Aurora 510.914.4678
Friday May 18 – Berkeley
7pm at St. Joseph the Worker, 1640 Addison St, Berkeley. Featuring Camilo Mejía. More info: Bill Schwalb billschwalb@yahoo.com or 415.285.5627
“If not for the efforts of … Courage to Resist, there’s no way that a president would spend the political capital to grant a commutation.”
