November 08, 2005
PABLO PAREDES: Anti-war Activist
The National Lawyers Guild & La Raza Proudly Present
Pablo Paredes: Anti-war Activist and Patriot
November 8, 2005 4:30- 5:50 p.m., Courtyard Building, room 200
According to the National Lawyers Guild, Pablo Paredes is:
A former Navy serviceman who did not board his ship which would deploy him to Iraq. He did this for a combination of moral and legal reasons. The Navy denied Pablo’s Conscientious Objector application, but gave no basis in fact for its decision – something required by the military regulations. The denial of Pablo’s C.O. application is being challenged in Federal Court.
Pablo’s statement during sentencing:
I do not expect the court to rule on the legality of this war, nor do I expect the court to agree with me. I only wish to express my reasons and convictions surrounding my actions. I acted on my conscience. Whether right or wrong in my convictions I will be at peace knowing I followed my conscience.
What the Court said:
I think the government has successfully proved that any seaman recruit has reasonable cause to believe that the wars in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq were illegal." – Lieutenant Commander Bob Klant (presiding judge at court martial) after a difficult cross examination of Thomas Jefferson professor Marjorie Cohn, testifying as an expert in International Law.
Sponsored jointly by the National Lawyers Guild & La Raza