Library - Reading Room
Supporting Materials for Sir! No Sir!
It's Our Right
By Lt. Hugh Smith & A1/C Mike Locks
We, as active GI's, have all the rights guaranteed every American citizen. It is true we are under military law and therefore must abide by the UCMJ. In trying to determine what regulations or manuals might prohibit us from demonstrating against national polices, we have found several interesting points. The first is that there are no regulations in the Air Force pertaining to this particular type of demonstration. There are, however, regulations pointed at participating in uniform in civil rights demonstrations The other Services have similar regulations, none of which pertain to participation in an event such as this peace march, Please read the printed message from General Estes (Commander of MAC) to General McConnell, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.The Constitution of the United States gives us the right of expression. Since this is a Constitutional issue, the lawyers' panel and the ACLU have endorsed this march, They are also willing to take upon themselves the defense of any and all GI's participating in this march as long as the individual involved acts sanely and legally. There will he legal machinery for those who need it.
The march is going to be filmed from beginning to end by professional photographers for defense purposes. The actions and words of all GI’s will be documented for their own protection so that false charges cannot be brought against any of us.The legitimacy of the march will he further compounded by the fact that the monitoring will be handled by members of the clergy. These priests, ministers and rabbis are for us. -They are helping us by giving their support to this march.
We therefore have the Constitution of the United States, hundreds of lawyers, hundreds of clergymen. the general public and our own consciences to insure the legality of our participation. And we have a famous quotation from history:
“I may not agree with what you have to say. but l will defend with my life your right to say it.”........Voltaire
Come out! We need you!It is your right!
Task Force , no. 2