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Reproduced in accordance with fair dealings provisions of the copyright laws:
Draft dodger reunion set for this summer in B.C.
GREG JOYCE
Canadian Press
Vancouver — The statue and what it honoured — young Americans dodging the Vietnam War draft by coming to Canada — created an international kerfuffle two years ago and has since been shuffled between municipalities who found it too controversial.
But it now has a home.
The art will be housed in a private gallery in Nelson, B.C., and should be on view when a long-planned reunion of Vietnam War draft resisters — also known as draft dodgers — is held this summer.
Some organizers involved in the four-day Our Way Home Peace Event and Reunion in July were in Vancouver on Tuesday to show the media a clay likeness of the 2.7-metre bronze statue.
The statue depicts a Canadian welcoming with open arms two Americans.
“This piece is also coming forward at a time when there is terrific militarism in the world and it's showing Americans who came out of conscience, who took another path,” reunion organizer Isaac Romano said.
“The opportunity with this is for us to always remember that 35 years after the Vietnam War, there have been noted accomplishments (by the resisters) to Canadian life.”
The statue was initially slated to be put on public display in Nelson almost two years ago, not long after Mr. Romano moved to Nelson from Seattle. He was a Vietnam war resister.
Some veterans were offended and they got a sympathetic ear from the U.S. ambassador to Canada at the time, Paul Cellucci.
The City of Nelson initially supported the statue and reunion but withdrew its support in face of the controversy.
Earlier this month, reunion organizers announced the statue would be placed in the Doukhobor Village Museum in Castlegar, a half-hour drive from Nelson, but that city subsequently rejected the plan.
The reunion is still scheduled to be held at the Brilliant Cultural Centre in Castlegar, from July 6-9 with George McGovern, a former senator and presidential candidate, as keynote speaker.
Another former high-profile anti-war activist, Tom Hayden, is also speaking, said Mr. Romano.
“It will be a major peace event which will likely bring people from all over North America coming to Castlegar this summer for one of the most important peace events of our lifetime,” said Mr. Romano.
He defended the reunion as a way to honour not only the draft resister, but also the Canadians who welcomed them.
“Due to the militarism of the U.S., we likely will want to remember in Canada the role that Canadians played by the thousands in assisting those that came to Canada,” he said.
He said 2006 is also a “challenging time because of Canada's military activities in Afghanistan and the decision to take an offensive role.”
About 100,000 Americans came to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War, with about half eventually returning to the U.S. to take advantage of an amnesty provided by President Jimmy Carter, said Mr. Romano.
Sculptor Naomi Lewis said the statue should be viewed from Canadians' point of view.
“I see it from the Canadians' perspective, welcoming people in need and warmly giving them an avenue to find a safe home away from their concerns,” she said.
Reproduced in accordance with fair dealings provisions of the copyright laws:
Draft dodger reunion set for this summer in B.C.
GREG JOYCE
Canadian Press
Vancouver — The statue and what it honoured — young Americans dodging the Vietnam War draft by coming to Canada — created an international kerfuffle two years ago and has since been shuffled between municipalities who found it too controversial.
But it now has a home.
The art will be housed in a private gallery in Nelson, B.C., and should be on view when a long-planned reunion of Vietnam War draft resisters — also known as draft dodgers — is held this summer.
Some organizers involved in the four-day Our Way Home Peace Event and Reunion in July were in Vancouver on Tuesday to show the media a clay likeness of the 2.7-metre bronze statue.
The statue depicts a Canadian welcoming with open arms two Americans.
“This piece is also coming forward at a time when there is terrific militarism in the world and it's showing Americans who came out of conscience, who took another path,” reunion organizer Isaac Romano said.
“The opportunity with this is for us to always remember that 35 years after the Vietnam War, there have been noted accomplishments (by the resisters) to Canadian life.”
The statue was initially slated to be put on public display in Nelson almost two years ago, not long after Mr. Romano moved to Nelson from Seattle. He was a Vietnam war resister.
Some veterans were offended and they got a sympathetic ear from the U.S. ambassador to Canada at the time, Paul Cellucci.
The City of Nelson initially supported the statue and reunion but withdrew its support in face of the controversy.
Earlier this month, reunion organizers announced the statue would be placed in the Doukhobor Village Museum in Castlegar, a half-hour drive from Nelson, but that city subsequently rejected the plan.
The reunion is still scheduled to be held at the Brilliant Cultural Centre in Castlegar, from July 6-9 with George McGovern, a former senator and presidential candidate, as keynote speaker.
Another former high-profile anti-war activist, Tom Hayden, is also speaking, said Mr. Romano.
“It will be a major peace event which will likely bring people from all over North America coming to Castlegar this summer for one of the most important peace events of our lifetime,” said Mr. Romano.
He defended the reunion as a way to honour not only the draft resister, but also the Canadians who welcomed them.
“Due to the militarism of the U.S., we likely will want to remember in Canada the role that Canadians played by the thousands in assisting those that came to Canada,” he said.
He said 2006 is also a “challenging time because of Canada's military activities in Afghanistan and the decision to take an offensive role.”
About 100,000 Americans came to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War, with about half eventually returning to the U.S. to take advantage of an amnesty provided by President Jimmy Carter, said Mr. Romano.
Sculptor Naomi Lewis said the statue should be viewed from Canadians' point of view.
“I see it from the Canadians' perspective, welcoming people in need and warmly giving them an avenue to find a safe home away from their concerns,” she said.
