Pablo Paredes And The Culture Of Life

Pablo Paredes is a soft-spoken, humble, gentle young man who has a very calm and intelligent demeanor. Pablo is also one of the most courageous young men I have ever met.

Last year, Pablo, a Navy Petty Officer, refused to board his ship which was bound for the Persian Gulf and transporting a group of Marines to fight in Iraq. He said at the time, I dont want to be part of a ship thats taking 3000 Marines over there knowing a hundred or more of them wont come back. He stood on the dock wearing a shirt that said, Like a cabinet member, I resign.

Pablo is facing a Special Courts Martial for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Without getting technical (which I cant anyway), he is mainly being charged with going AWOL. My argument would be that with our governments new found respect (at least for the rhetoric) of the culture of life that all charges should be dropped against Pablo and that he should go free.

On March 31st, after Terri Schiavo was finally allowed to mercifully leave this earth, George Bush said this (yes, with a straight face): I urge all those who honor Terri Schiavo to continue to work to build a culture of life where all Americans are welcomed and valued, especially those whose lives are at the mercy of others.

On March 31st, Press Secretary, Scott Mc Clellan also reiterated the fact that has been stated repeatedly this week: George Bush supports those who defend life.

I dont know how many times I have heard in the last 13 days since Ms. Schiavos feeding tube was removed that America should exemplify a Culture of Life.

I guess the framing and spinning issue would be: Who defines what life is worth defending? I have searched the archives of quotes since the Schiavo circus began on March 18th, and I havent seen one quote where one duplicitous politician has said all life is precious. Such a statement could surely bounce back and bite them in the behind and they know it.

However, I will proceed on the assumption that our leaders meant all life is precious. Not just life that can be cynically used as a political tool to hopefully boost poll numbers. Not just life that can be used to raise money from citizens who are duped into believing that the slimy snake oil salespeople who run our country right now truly care for anyone other than themselves and their special interests.

I know I am operating under a false assumption, but someone has to start calling the hypocrites on the carpet for the words they actually utter.

Pablo Paredes actions were life affirming. Pablo really and truly believes in his heart that every Marine in his care deserves to have life.

Pablo believes that since this occupation of Iraq is based on deliberate lies and is also based on a frightening and tragic parade of mistakes, miscalculations and bull-stuff, that this aggression in Iraq is immoral. The UN has called the occupation illegal. Pablo was defending life by his actions and he should receive the support and admiration of our countrys leadership, not be court-martialed for his defense of life.

In the 13 days between the time that Ms. Schiavos feeding tube was removed and the time she passed, 14 of our nations children were killed in Iraq. I havent heard one peep about this injustice from our propaganda media or our self-righteous, self-proclaimed pro-life politicians.

Am I the only person in America who finds this ironic? I havent seen Tom DeLay crying his theatrical tears on command for the young people who had viable lives and actual futures that were killed in Iraq in the same time period he was so expediently concerned about Terri Schiavo.

But trust me, since my own son killed was Iraq, I know the parents are weeping and screaming and crying out to God in despair and sorrowfully wondering why their childs life was cut way too short. The families and friends of our murdered nations lifeblood are crying real tears that wont be easily soothed or dried anytime soon.

We can only speculate on the numbers of Iraqis who were tragically killed in the same time period. We can only imagine their pain and suffering, because we arent allowed to know the numbers or see the images of a war-torn and devastated country.

Where are the religious leaders and Focus on the Family people? Why arent they holding candle-light vigils outside of our government buildings demanding an end to the occupation of Iraq? Why arent the same people fervently praying for an end to our government-sponsored torture chambers?

Pablo knew that if he participated in delivering troops to Iraq he would also be responsible for delivering an early death to some innocent people. Pablo in his good conscience could not live with that burden.

I dont know how many of those 3000 brave Marines that Pablo refused to transport to their possible deaths have been killed or wounded so far in Iraq. Pablo Paredes knew that their lives were at the mercy of others: arrogant and reckless individuals who got our nation into a war that never made any sense and makes less sense as time goes by.

I hope that more people in this country, like Pablo, who value life, will stand up and remind our leaders that they support a Culture of Life.

Lets remind our leaders that they dont get to pick and choose which life we should consider valuable.

Lets be like Pablo Paredes and stand up for life!!!

You can support Pablo at: http://www.swiftsmartveterans.com/

http://www.militaryproject.org/article.asp?id=520

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