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Supporting Materials for Sir! No Sir!
Ft. Ord GIs Protest War; Brass' Threats Fall Flat
Fort Ord GIs have issued a leaflet on base protesting the war and backing a union to gain their rights.
The Brass at the California base have, in direct violation of the U. S. Constitution, threatened to court-martial the men. But Pvt. Ken Stolte, a writer of the leaflet, in long distance phone contact with the Committee for GI Rights, has stated that the illegal Army threats will be fought. The Committee has offered its full support. Whether the Army Brass will go ahead with their attempt to deny the men basic freedom of speech remains to be seen.
When their repression can be kept hidden the Brass makes up its own laws. But when they face firm demands by GIs who know their rights and insist on them and are backed by an able civilian group which can bring to bear the glare of public attention and the necessary legal help -- then it is something else.
On February 21 a leaflet signed by Pvt. Stolte and PFC Daniel Amick proclaimed to fellow GIs at Ord:
''We protest. We protest the war in Vietnam.... Too many of our friends, not to mention the Vietnamese, are being killed for nothing. . . Our government is supposed to represent us, not rule us. Do the American people want war? Do we, who must actively participate, have any desire for this war? Then why do we have it!
''We are tired of it., W e tired of all the lies about the war.
"We are uniting and organizing to voice our opposition to this war. If you really want to work for peace and freedom, then join us in our opposition. We are organizing a union in order to express our dissention and grievances."
Pvt. Ken Stolte, Jr., PFC Daniel Amick.
The feeling of protest runs high at the base Latrine walls are marked with anti-war slogans and symbols. Some soldiers openly wear peace buttons.
Before the distribution of the Stolte-Amick leaflets, anti-war leaflets written by GIs and signed '' Sane Editor" were distributed by soldiers to other GIs at the nearby city of Monterey. The two groups of anti-war GIs were put in touch with each other by the Bond and Committee for GI Rights after both had made phone calls to New York.
The Bond, vol. 2, no.3