U.S. Marine Cpl. Tahan Jones fights for his freedom
1992Jeff Mackler 1992-06Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 19 →
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On June 14, Black antiwar activist Corporal Tahan Jones will face a U.S. Marine Corps court martial. This is a proceeding that is twice as likely to jail an African-American than a white.
Outrageous Marine Corps violations of its own regulations, abetted by a dictatorial military "justice" system, combined to keep one of the nation's most prominent Gulf War protesters confined to Camp LeJeune, N.C., for almost one year without a trial date.
Jones, a 22 year-old working class youth who faces seven years in prison on trumped up charges of missing a troop movement and desertion, played a major role during the genocidal Gulf War in linking racism in the United States to the racist war against the An example of the racist treatment afforded Jones in the course of the denial of his application for Conscientious Objector status was the statement of investigating officer Paul Swanson: "I believe that he [Jones] is incapable of articulating any discerning thoughts or perceptions concerning such subjective matters as Jones's case has received wide support across the United States and internationally. Amnesty International is among the long list of organizations protesting his persecution for his antiwar views.
Supporters should call General C. L. Vermilyea (504) 948-1210 to demand that all charges against Jones be dropped and that Jones be immediately discharged as a conscientious objector.
SOCIALIST ACTION JUNE 1992 19 conscientious objection to war.