"God bless you, Matthis."

Army Sgt. Matthis Chiroux Refuses His Deployment to Iraq.

He went to the Capital to declare his refusal to obey an order from the Army to deploy to Iraq.

Guts. Decency. Honesty.

I'm sure they'll try to put him in jail for it...

Sigh...

Whatever, he'll be OK.  24 years old and he looks like a movie star.

For more, go to Blogrevolt.com

"Matthis, if you believe in him, God bless you, Matthis."

The statement Matthis read to the congress:

"Good afternoon, my name is Sergeant Matthis Chiroux and I served as an army photo journalist until being honorably discharged last summer after over four years of service in Afghanistan and Europe and the Phillipines.

As an army journalist whose job it was to college and filter service members’ stories, I heard many a stomach-churning testimony of the horrors and crimes taking place in Iraq. For fear of retaliation from the military, I failed to report these crimes. Never again will I allow fear to silence me. Never again will I fail to stand. In February, I received a letter from the Army, ordering my return to active duty, with the purpose of mobilization in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Thanks in great part to the truths of war being fearlessly spoken by my fellow IVAW members, I stand before you today with the strength and clarity and resolve to declare the military and my government and the world that this soldier will not be deploying to Iraq.

This occupation is unconstitutional and illegal, and I hereby lawfully refuse to participate as I will surely be a party to war crimes. Furthermore, deployment and support of illegal war violates all of my core values as a human being. But in keeping with those values, I choose to remain in the United States to defend myself from charges brought by the Army, if they so wish to pursue them.

I refuse to participate in the Iraq occupation.

•  He will be arrested and charged....

  but, that's the price to be paid.  He'll be ok.  He's not the first to refuse movement.  Lt. Watada is still free.

  by David Kroning on Sat May 17, 2008 at 10:25:11 AM PDT

•  Does he have a legal defense fund? n/t

  by Former Chicagoan Now Angeleno on Sat May 17, 2008 at 10:27:44 AM PDT

•  I don't know...

  I'm sure if he's charged they'll be one.

  "If you think you know what the hell is going on, you're probably full of shit." - Robert Anton Wilson

  by josephwouk on Sat May 17, 2008 at 10:37:47 AM PDT

•  thanks for the important diary

  by catchaz on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:10:30 AM PDT