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Sat, January 29, 2005
Vietnam era group helps
By Jason Botchford
THE NEW era of American war resisters is reviving emotions in Vietnam War draft dodgers that had long been put aside. "I felt I had left my Vietnam days and the stuff I went through. It was in the past," said Lee Zaslofsky, of Resisters, a Toronto-based group that helps deserters.
It is in the midst of lobbying Ottawa to make it easier for war resisters to start a life in Canada. So far 20,000 people have signed their petition at www.resisters.ca.
Zaslofsky just celebrated his 35th year in Canada. He hadn't been involved in the peace movement directly for a long time, but that changed when he found out there were American soldiers who wanted to do what an estimated 60,000 did during the Vietnam War.
'SERIOUS THING'
"I wanted to help these young fellows," Zaslofsky said. "I have insights into what these guys are going through. Once they get here we start helping them out."
People from that era can provide an insight that no one else can, Zaslofsky said.
"The emotions involved are the same," he said. "Coming to Canada is a very serious thing."
Cliff Cornell, 24, was a soldier in Georgia. His unit was to deploy to Iraq shortly after Christmas. He heard about Zaslofsky's Toronto group and it gave him hope.
"I knew they were helping people and I don't think many people in the army know about them," Cornell said. "I didn't want to go to war and they gave me a chance."
TRIED LEGAL MEANS
Cornell tried to leave the army by legal means but he said it was impossible. On Jan. 8, he came to Canada, knowing he might never be able to go back home. He hasn't told his family back in Arkansas yet.
"I don't know when I'll be able to tell them," Cornell said. "I don't know how I'm going to tell them."
Zaslofsky said there are a lot of differences between the wars. He said there is no draft now, and the casualties are only a fraction of what they were in Vietnam.
"But the war is similar in that it seems like a quagmire and there is no way out.
"It was also started under false pretenses and the reasons for them both were a fraud, if you want to put it like that.
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2005/01/29/913657-sun.html
Vietnam era group helps
By Jason Botchford
THE NEW era of American war resisters is reviving emotions in Vietnam War draft dodgers that had long been put aside. "I felt I had left my Vietnam days and the stuff I went through. It was in the past," said Lee Zaslofsky, of Resisters, a Toronto-based group that helps deserters.
It is in the midst of lobbying Ottawa to make it easier for war resisters to start a life in Canada. So far 20,000 people have signed their petition at www.resisters.ca.
Zaslofsky just celebrated his 35th year in Canada. He hadn't been involved in the peace movement directly for a long time, but that changed when he found out there were American soldiers who wanted to do what an estimated 60,000 did during the Vietnam War.
'SERIOUS THING'
"I wanted to help these young fellows," Zaslofsky said. "I have insights into what these guys are going through. Once they get here we start helping them out."
People from that era can provide an insight that no one else can, Zaslofsky said.
"The emotions involved are the same," he said. "Coming to Canada is a very serious thing."
Cliff Cornell, 24, was a soldier in Georgia. His unit was to deploy to Iraq shortly after Christmas. He heard about Zaslofsky's Toronto group and it gave him hope.
"I knew they were helping people and I don't think many people in the army know about them," Cornell said. "I didn't want to go to war and they gave me a chance."
TRIED LEGAL MEANS
Cornell tried to leave the army by legal means but he said it was impossible. On Jan. 8, he came to Canada, knowing he might never be able to go back home. He hasn't told his family back in Arkansas yet.
"I don't know when I'll be able to tell them," Cornell said. "I don't know how I'm going to tell them."
Zaslofsky said there are a lot of differences between the wars. He said there is no draft now, and the casualties are only a fraction of what they were in Vietnam.
"But the war is similar in that it seems like a quagmire and there is no way out.
"It was also started under false pretenses and the reasons for them both were a fraud, if you want to put it like that.
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2005/01/29/913657-sun.html