Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. is being threatened with discharge from the Air Force reserves for speaking out and protesting against the Iraq war and for Bush’s impeachment. At this point, his hearing, along with the protest action, has been postponed to an undetermined date August 14-28. Below is Yearwood’s response.
My Fellow Americans:
The power of our voices against the U.S. occupation of Iraq is
reaching the top echelons of the military and the administration. Our
government is persecuting Americans who speak out against the U.S.
military presence in Iraq. The U.S. military has launched politicized
attacks on its own military members and moral leaders who oppose the
war to discredit their voices of dissent.
We have seen them target Cpl. Adam Kokesh to stop him from
exercising his freedom of speech, after risking his life in Fallujah,
Iraq. We have seen them threaten Sgt. Liam Madden for publicly stating
the legal fact that the U.S. invasion is a war crime according to the
Nuremberg principles. They have targeted Cpl. Cloy Richards, a soldier
put in the media spotlight when his mother Tina Richards worked to get
him the health care he needs after returning from Iraq eighty percent
disabled. These are not happenstance targets. These young men are
leaders of the Iraq Veterans Against the War and they are speaking out
in a strong and coordinated way.
And now I have been targeted.
Who am I? Many of you know me as a reverend, an activist, an
architect of Hip Hop politics and a freedom fighter, but I am also an
Officer in the United States Air Force Reserve. I have long been in the
struggle for peace and freedom and I serve proudly as a leader of
faith. I joined the military as part of the “poor peoples draft” – to
help pay for my education. In May 2000 I was commissioned as an Officer
in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and was accepted into the Chaplain
Candidates program. In 2002 I graduated from Howard University School
of Divinity, Magna Cum Laude. I was ordained a Reverend and Elder in
the Church of God in Christ shortly after my graduation and today I
remain in good standing in the Church. In May 2003 I completed the
Chaplain Candidates program, but I decided not to pursue a career as a
Chaplain in the Air Force. I have been in the Air Force Reserve
Individual Reserve program ever since.
On March 26th of this year I received notification from the Air
Force that they are taking action to honorably discharge me on the
basis of “behavior clearly inconsistent with the interest of national
security.” Ironically, this letter arrived six days after I announced
the launching of a national “Make Hip Hop Not War” Tour at a press
conference on Capitol Hill.
On July 12, 2007, when I leave Robbins Air Force Base after my
discharge hearing, whether I remain an Officer or not, I will be a
leader always, and a patriot evermore committed to ending this immoral
war.
In February 2003 I felt the sense of urgency many felt in the lead
up to the invasion of Iraq to speak out. Even though I was only a
Chaplain Candidate and a 2 nd Lieutenant, when I had the opportunity to
preach at Andrews Air Force Base, the home of Air Force One, the
message that I preached was “Who Would Jesus Bomb?” Since then hundreds
of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of Americans have lost their lives
and we now face a state of permanent warfare in our world.
This moment in history is our generation’s lunch-counter moment –
Iraq is our Vietnam and New Orleans is our Birmingham. Our generation
could be the generation to defeat racism, poverty and war, but only if
we come together as people of conscience. In the movements of the 60’s,
solidarity among the civil rights movement and the anti-war movement
was never truly achieved. As the “Hip Hop generation” – a generation
where the sons and daughters of former slaves work side by side with
the sons and daughters of former slave owners – we have the ability to
bridge the gap and link movements for peace, justice, civil rights and
the environment in true solidarity.
We will not make the world safer – or achieve true national security
– by starting wars that put our humanity at risk and we are certainly
not making our country safer by intimidating veterans who courageously
speak out. Policies that address the issues of poverty, racism, climate
change, the economy and jobs are at the core of national security. I
will continue to speak out against the war, seek justice for Katrina
survivors, fight against racism, struggle for equality and advocate for
a healthy planet. I hardly think that this sort of behavior is
“inconsistent with the interest of national security.”
My brothers and sisters, opposition to this illegal war and
occupation is not a cause – it constitutes a response to a state of
emergency. It is our urgent responsibility to stop this war. According
to the Book of Psalms, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh
in the morning.” I know it looks bad now and our hope seems to wane and
sometimes we want to give up. But, if we can all come together – black
and white, brown and yellow, rich and poor, male and female, straight
and gay, republican and democrat – whether you still love this country
or are withdrawn in anger, not only can we defeat this war and restore
justice and democracy, there will once again be joy in the morning.
My mother in the movement, Cindy Sheehan, will be with me on July
12th at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia and I urge you to join me on
the 12 th as well. I also urge you to continue to increase your
activism. This is our lunch-counter moment.
For Future Generations,
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr.
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. is President of the Hip Hop Caucus. Much needed donations to his legal defense fund can be made at:
Online donations: www.hiphopcaucus.org
Checks, money orders or cash can be sent to:
Hip Hop Caucus
1112 16th St. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036.
You can contact the Hip Hop Caucus at 202.787.5256 or at info@hiphopcaucus.org.
Please visit iraqmoratorium.org , ivaw.org, declarationofpeace.org ,
unitedforpeace.org grassrootsamerica4us.org, worldcantwait.org ,
votersforpeace.org, democracyrising.us , codepink4peace.org , and
impeachcheney.org .
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. intends to hold a candle light vigil at
Martin Luther King’s tomb in Atlanta, GA on the evening before he
returns to Washington DC. Time to be determined.
If you are unable to attend, please send much needed donations for Rev. Yearwood’s Defense fund:
Online Donations: HipHopCaucus.org
Checks, Money Orders or Cash:
Hip Hop Caucus
1112 16th St NW Ste. 600
Washington, D.C. 20036
For more information contact Tina Richards 573.247.8059
Tina@GrassrootsAmerica4us.org
Info@hiphopcaucus.org