Ex-US Marine and Gulf War Veteran burns his US passport in Baghdad

[TeeYiYi]

Ex-US Marine and Gulf War Veteran burns his US passport in Baghdad

Jan. 7, Occupied Baghdad, Iraq -- On this wet, blustery day, Ken O'Keefe, an ex-US Marine and Gulf War Veteran and Truth Justice Peace (TFP) Human Shield Iraq Founder chose the infamous Paradise Square for his nonviolent act of defiance and solidarity.

Standing amidst a cluster of media in the shadow of where the staged toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein by the Americans took place, Mr. O'Keefe somberly, yet angrily stated he was to burn his US Passport.

Mr. O'Keefe read the following statement;
"First of all I want smile and express my deepest love for my entire human family and our infinitely beautiful and irreplaceable home; Planet Earth. What I do I do for truth not lies; for justice not tyranny, for peace not war, for love not hate."

Raising his voice while scanning the onlookers, he continued,
"And now I shall let my personal venom flow and commit the following act of defiance in condemnation of the illegal invasion and ongoing occupation and mass murder of the Iraqi people by my birth nation of the United States. The burning of my passport is an exercise in the inherent human right of self determination in accordance with international law after having my U.S. passport returned to me twice by the U.S. Department of State. My personal act affirms once and for all the lawful and undeniable completion of my renunciation of U.S. citizenship that began on March 1, 2001. I AM NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN! I am a lawfully registered World citizen in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) with ultimate allegiance to my entire human family and to planet Earth."

More: http://electroniciraq.net/news/1312.shtml

TYY

[stevedeshazer]

1. That takes guts

Wow.

Here's the pic.



Thanks for posting this, TYY.

on edit: even better pic

[kalian]

2. Brave man....

I admire his stance.

[bluestateguy]

3. I applaud his conviction but...

I think his actions are not helpful. How will renouncing his US citizenship fix things? We could use his vote this November, here in America to change this leadership in Washington. I never understood the whole human shield thing either. What did it accomplish? Did it stop, or even delay the war? Did it actually shield Iraqis from being blown up in bombing radis?

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

8. think about it--really- you'll understand

What on earth could free speech possibly achieve?
The leaders will do what they want anyway right?
He should just shut up and quietly vote right?
What country do you live in?

I live in a supposedly Free Society known as the United States of America where a person is permited speak out and actually represent his views and the views of many others.
This government is way out of line.
Never in our history has one administration made so many grave mistakes. The first mistake being taking its citizens for absolute fools.
Is quiet compliance going to change anything?
Quiet acceptance?Wrongs can never be corrected if everyone just quietly submits. If anyone knows of the atrocities and human rights violations in Iraq it's an ex soldier who's seen it.
A TRUE PATRIOT - one who speaks out to defend the rights of all men, even though it may endanger his own safety.
Everything he said is fuel for a true CAUSE !!--TRUTH !
One more step on the stairs.

We have got to get the idiot son out of a position of power.
We have to use every means available---they are pulling every low down trick --using deception and lies to perpetuate their control of this country and to fulfill their greedy ambitions.
A VOICE can be a powerful tool.

Keeping quiet is submission .
In a "free" America it is honorable and patriotic for those who disagree with the government to protest and make their feelings known.
To do it overseas where troops are currently being used by the administration to kill in the name of PNAC is even more honorable and patriotic.
How brave he is to take his case to the world !!
What does that accomplish?
EVERYTHING !

[Voltaire99]

14. Since Clark favors continuing the illegal occupation of Iraq...

...it's hard to see what coming home and voting for him would do for that anti-war protester.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Outsourcing Patriotism.

Oh, I can almost see the next step in the process. Since the jobs are leaving America, how much longer before Americans leave this country for the jobs?

[corporatewhore]

5. That was truly brave and beautiful

This kinda reminds me of lennons song imangine about imangining there were no countries and if we just relised we were all humans

[Sapphocrat]

9. I was thinking about that earlier today...

This kinda reminds me of lennons song imangine about imangining there were no countries and if we just relised we were all humans

...in relation to *'s immigration plan. And I thought: Y'know, if there were no borders at all (just like John sang!), we would be free to move from country to country, just as we are state to state (for now, anyway) -- thereby solving all trade, employment, and immigration conflicts.

Maybe not a terribly profound thought, but trippy if you really dwell on it.

[corporatewhore]

10. Why put up more superficial intangible barriers any way

[TacticalPeek]

12. Its easy if you try.

[Bhaisahab]

6. check out his statement

on part of which goes:

"I state loud and clear, I am not anti-American, I am a true American and I call on all genuine American patriots to reject the orders of the Vietnam War deserter and Constitutional traitor George W. Bush and to remove this traitor from his undemocratic de facto post; impeach him at the least for his criminal negligence on September 11, 2001."

neat eh?

[kalian]

7. Its neat...

but the sheeple don't understand this. I'm sure that over at
the freeper lair, they're calling this guy a pinko commie faggot...
:eyes:

[Room101]

11. Ken O'Keefe was on MSNBC last year. It was unbelievable!

He said that Bush should be tried for treason for signing that executive order wf-199I and that NORAD did not follow normal protocol. I went to there web site for the transcript and it was flushed down the memory hole. That was the last time I watched mainstream news.

[Soloflecks]

15. Find transcript of MSNBC interview here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hoosiermaster/message/109

As you say, the MSNBC material has vanished, but a forward thinking soul printed it at the above site. Hooray!

A sample:
BARNICLE: No, I don't mean to imply that. Let me-I hesitate to
> ask this as well, Mr. O'Keefe. I have never met you. I've never
> heard of you before about a half an hour ago. But from listening
> to you-and this is a rather personal question. If you choose not
> to answer it, I certainly understand. Have you sought or received
> psychiatric counseling for your clear, deep antipathy toward the
> country where you were born?
>
> O'KEEFE: That's an insulting question. I don't know. Have YOU?
> No, I haven't, to answer your question. But the fact is that I
> care very deeply about America. I know what's in the best
> interest of the American people is not to drop bombs on Iraq. I
> know that the U.S. Constitution has been defiled. The Patriot Act
> is treasonous. George W. Bush is directly involved in some
> capacity or another with the destruction of the U.S. Constitution
> and may very well be involved in the 9/11 events. We look at the
> Carlisle (ph) Group, we look at Executive Order 199-EYE issuing
> an order telling the FBI to lay off, investigating bin Laden's
> brother. There's many things that indict George W. Bush, and
> that's why we don't have an independent investigation. You, my
> good gentleman, are being duped. And you are actually being duped
> into treason against your own nation. Stop waving that flag. Read
> your Constitution, and then read the Patriot Act.

[proud patriot]

13. Wow

Brave Soul ...

[freestatevet]

16. I thought he did this before

when he declared himself a "citizen of the world" and renounced his US citizenship?

[Just Me]

17. This man makes me proud to be an American,...

,...because he has the courage to actually behave like an American living in democratic society with the power to freely speak and to take a position against illegal warring and occupation.

I salute this man!!!

[corporatewhore]

18. kick