Fort Bragg soldier flees to Canada [Traitor alert!]

Independent Weekly ^ | February 11, 2004 | Patrick O'Neill

[Constitution Day]

Fort Bragg soldier flees to Canada

Jeremy Hinzman enlisted to make a difference, then learned what being a soldier is really all about

By Patrick O'Neill

(First of Two Parts)

February 11, 2004
NEWS FEATURE

On New Year's Eve, Jeremy Hinzman sat in a McDonald's on N.C. 401 in Fuquay-Varina explaining his precarious situation. On Dec. 20, Hinzman, a U.S. Army specialist stationed at Fort Bragg, got the news he had dreaded. His unit--the 504th Brigade, 2nd Battalion--would be shipping out to Iraq shortly after the new year for an indefinite deployment in the war on terrorism. Last year, Hinzman, 25, the father of a 1-year-old son, was deployed for more than eight months to Afghanistan. When he left, Hinzman's son, Liam, was just 7 months old. When Hinzman returned, Liam was walking and didn't remember his father. While he didn't see any combat in that first deployment, Hinzman said he had a bad feeling about going to Iraq.

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Hinzman, his wife, Nga Nguyen, and their son, Liam

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In Iraq, Hinzman, said he felt like he would have to do some things he'd regret. During Christmas leave, Hinzman, who is a member of the Fayetteville Friends Meeting, discussed his options with his wife, Nga Nguyen. He could go to Iraq--an option both he and Nguyen rejected. He could refuse the deployment order and face court martial and a likely prison term. Or he could follow a plan of action that thousands of young men like himself had taken during the Vietnam War--he could flee to Canada.

He chose option three. On Jan. 2, Hinzman and his family packed up their small car with a few essentials, leaving almost all of their possessions behind. They left post housing under the cover of darkness for the 17-hour drive to the U.S.-Canadian border. Quakers living in the U.S. made contacts in Ontario, and the family was set up with places to stay until they moved into a Toronto apartment on Feb. 1.

A story in the Feb. 7 edition of the Toronto Globe and Mail, says Hinzman is believed to be the first U.S. soldier to file for refugee status in Canada for refusing duty in Iraq. The report says Hinzman's case is "the first echo of the 12,000 deserters and 20,000 draft resisters who came north more than 30 years ago to escape the Vietnam War."

Before enlisting, Hinzman said he was searching for some meaning in his life, and the military--which had a "higher purpose"--was better than working just for the sake of making a buck. "I guess I just kind of sold my soul for the college money," he said. "That's probably a little too blunt. I had this notion that, "Hey, I'm going to go and get paid to exercise, shoot weapons and jump out of planes,' and that sounded real fun. It didn't matter to me at that point.

"I was just young, and I didn't feel I was really going anywhere."

Hinzman admits he got in over his head. When he joined the Army, he said he was expecting Al Gore to be elected president. The terror attacks of 9-11 were still an unimaginable horror. But the Iraq war forced him to reassess his values.

"It's a political decision, which as a soldier I'm not really entitled to have," he said. "But I feel that if I had gone to Iraq I would be in a sense putting myself into a criminal enterprise and becoming a criminal because it's a war--or an act of aggression. I don't think it can be called a war--based on false pretenses in terms of weapons of mass destruction, the links to al Qaeda and bringing democracy to Iraq.

"Because if democracy was to happen in Iraq, the Shiites would take power, and they would by no means be a friendly government towards the U.S. or its interests. So I don't want to risk my life for that, and I don't think the government should risk the lives of our country's young for that, and also to line the pockets of big corporations. I mean the obvious example is Haliburton.

"It's kind of, to me, messed up to go destroy a country's infrastructure and then have an auction to see who can rebuild it. It just smells bad to me, and I don't want to be part of it, nor do I want to kill people or be some place where I wasn't wanted. There are a lot of governments and leaders in the world that we don't necessarily like, but we're not going there. For example, Zimbabwe--we don't do anything about Robert Mugabe. I mean he's just as bad a tyrant as Saddam Hussein was, but why aren't we there? It's obviously about economics. I don't want to be a pawn in that game."

Hinzman, a native of Rapid City, S.D., admits he was not a typical soldier. A Catholic convert who also follows Buddhist teachings and enjoys the silent worship of Quakers, Hinzman was a military misfit from the get-go. His fellow soldiers were weirded out by his meditation regimen and his choice to not eat meat.

For the most part, Hinzman said he kept his political and moral views to himself, "although I won't deny I was known as the liberal, and this is in a culture where everybody watches Fox News. There aren't very many vegetarians in the Army, so that would open up a whole bag of tricks."

Hinzman's peers would ask a logical question: "Well, if you can't eat an animal or if you can't kill an animal, how can you kill a human?"

"They did ask those kind of questions, and it did raise their eyebrows," Hinzman said. "That's one of the reasons that got me thinking that I was in the wrong place. If you think logically, that makes sense. If you can't kill an animal, how can you kill a human?"

Hinzman also felt uncomfortable with the Army mindset that encouraged misogyny and violence. Particularly, he remembers the indoctrination of the troops during basic training. During exercises, the new recruits would drill using macabre chants.

"When we were marching around chanting songs like, "Train to kill. Kill we will,' or during bayonet training they'd ask, "What makes the grass grow?' and we'd say "Blood, blood, bright red blood.'

"When we would thrust [the bayonet], the drill sergeant would yell that, and we'd have to scream back. People would actually get hoarse yelling this crap. I could never really get into that stuff. Some people ate it up because I think there is an opportunity in groups to kind of let go of your inhibitions and do wanton things...

"It's all presented, at least on the surface, as, "Oh, it's just in humor, and no one's around listening to it,' but I think that really does put that mindset in a soldier that they're killers."

The atmosphere was surreal, he said. "It's what you think about when you think of a dystopian novel, just all these mindless drones walking around, and the sad thing is that they were individuals with thoughts and feelings, and, at least when they're at work, that's lost much of the time."

The military mindset also fosters a rejection of feminist/maternal values, Hinzman said.

"It's a very misogynistic place to be in," he said. "Everyday conversation, it's like a gangsta rap song the way women are referred to by people you would never suspect of talking that way. There is a lot of domestic violence in the Army, and marriages don't work and women are objectified."

The circumstances required enormous self-discipline, Hinzman said. "I would have this constant dialogue with myself," he said, "and sometimes I'd have to force it because when you're around something enough, when you're in an environment enough, you do tend to become a product of that environment.

"Like for instance, I swore all the time, and I would have to make these resolutions that I'm not going to swear because that's the first step on the road to losing yourself; your autonomy. It's almost expected that you're going to refer to women and the enemy in negative terms, objectifying the people you fight against so they no longer have humanity. I had to bite my tongue constantly."

While he would occasionally have meaningful conversations with his peers, for the most part, Hinzman kept to himself.

"When you're at work you put on your game face, especially as a lower enlisted person," he said. "You don't really talk about the moral ramifications of what you're doing. Everyday discussion is kind of stultified."

In Part 2 of this report, Hinzman tells about his failed effort to be placed in a noncombat assignment as a conscientious objector, and what the future looks like for him and his family in Canada.

[Mark17]

Bona fide US Army deserters are deported back to the US. This guy did not do his homework. Perhaps he should flee to Cuba or Mexico.

I thought you were right. Running to Canada, to avoid being drafted, during Vietnam, is different that being a deserter. He may get deported sooner than he thinks.

[Constitution Day]

Argh! I meant "college", of course. >:(

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: These cowards crack me up. I guess he signed up for the military for the "college money"

That... and the condos... you know, the ones by the sailboats...

[paul51]

He could go to Iraq--an option both he and Nguyen rejected

Option is an interesting choice of words here and one I would take exception with. When you join the service, you don't maintain an option to do what you want or come and go as you please. You can always make a choice on your own to desert, but that is quite a different thing than exercising an option.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Argh! I meant "college", of course. >:(

Quick! Check the back of that diploma for a warranty! :)

[NorthOf45]

'Cowardice is pretty much down there.'

Not sure what you mean here.

'Canada will make a hero out of him - or at least another issue to gossip against the U.S.for the next day or so... for their "cruel treatment" of this couple.'

Nope. I can't say he'll be sent back (seeing as I'm no immigration lawyer), but he won't be any hero.

[imintrouble]

"AWOL soldier didn't want to 'Aim High'" ... taken from the second edition of the article.

My remark was that he certainly didn't aim high at all, that cowardice (or deserting) is pretty much "down" rather than "high".

I hope Canada at large will not make him too welcome, they lately they seem to fasten onto anything against the Bush administration as worthy of complimentary discussion.

I generalize, but I have read it with my own eyes.

[Constitution Day]

:P

Good thang I weren't no English majer.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Thank you, I am so happy that he made it home okay. There were so many that didn't....

[BlueLancer]

"Good thang I weren't no English majer."

I is. Purti gud spelr two!

[NorthOf45]

'I hope Canada at large will not make him too welcome'

Same here, same here. We have enough problems.

'I generalize, but I have read it with my own eyes.'

Admitting you generalize indicates a higher level of cognitive thought than many I've seen. I have read it myself as well, but it's not as wide spread as our misguided media/government indicates.

[imintrouble]

Do you think Canada will allow them asylum? They continue to compare this situation the U.S. and the members of the coalition with VietNam, and harboring a fleeing military man would fit the image that Canada seems to want to portray with the "good old days" of draft dodgers finding a welcoming country.

Peacekeeping is fine - an honorable task - but I wonder if this particular situation will become another symbol representative of their disagreement with and overt dislike of the U.S.

I feel it is escalating to ridiculous proportions, thus ending the good relationships of 4,000 miles between cousins with similar goals and desires lasting over 200 years. Much in keeping with the border fighting which Europe has experienced throughout its history, I see Canadians turning their faces west to Europe as their desired goal and devaluing the excellent neighbor-sharing which has been historical throughout the existence of the two nations.

To give succor to anyone calling down the United States military gives many Canadians what they feel is righteous anger (even if displaced).

[Constitution Day]

BTTT

[NorthOf45]

You know what? I don't know what the hell Canada is going to do anymore. There are so many things up in the air right now. We need to get a grip on our issues so that we can progress. Right now we keep shooting ourselves in the foot. I say "us", but really I mean the gov't and the damn media. Sure there are some who show dislike for the U.S., but I am confident they are a minority.

As for the deserter, it's my understanding that there is an agreement between our two countries not to harbour those who go AWOL and to extradite them. But again, I am no lawyer.

'I see Canadians turning their faces west to Europe as their desired goal and devaluing the excellent neighbor-sharing which has been historical throughout the existence of the two nations.'

If what you say is true, then these individuals are mislead. We mean nothing to the Brits. All we are to them is $30 million a year. I don't even want the Queen on our currency anymore.

[imintrouble]

You know I think the British connection, plus the French connection, plus the ongoing Native extortion, the ever-challenging U.S. proximity, the never-ending influx of immigrants which Canada of necessity requires to keep that huge land operating have all been contributors to the lack of a confident identity from which many fine Canadians suffer from.

This utter "not quite" ideation has split Canadians, not only among the French, the Native, the Anglo, the Euro, the Asian, the Muslim, and the other members of a diverse population of immigrants, nobody has that forged identity which is the original heritage of the United States.

The U.S. has no problem with expecting people join for strength, rather than politely keeping all separate. Separate traditions are celebrated and honored.
But ALL are American or they leave dissatisfied with their lives in the "land of plenty".

As "recently" as the 30s and 40s, Canadians were not identifying themselves as "Canadian", but were required to list: Scottish, Irish, Polish, British (or English in those days), French,Chinese, Pakistani, Danish, Italian, etc. NOBODY was offering that wonderful word Canadian and being accepted by official documentation.

Even today Canadians lack the identification with country.
Nobody's fault, but in bending towards ALL ancestries the politically correct have all but wiped out the nature of being "Canadian". As if it is a dirty word! How insulting.

Almost on a cyclic basis, I see lists of "You Are A Canadian if ....." extolling Timbits and Toques... I think you get my drift. I find it singularly sad they have to keep listing all their recognizable "differences". Isn't Canadian enough?

No wonder the cousins to the north dislike Americans with their symbolism and fierce pride and anthems, hands over hearts, and "arrogance", as it is put forth, seeing ugliness in what Americans enjoy as definition of themselves. I have even seen whole essays on the stupidity of the eagle, Mt. Rushmore, who originated basketball, and so on.

These are grade school arguments but they remain ingrained in the Canadian psyche. Why? No Canadian identity, safely secure in their heads and hearts.

It seems everything Canadians "do" on a national level is in competition or derision of the United States. Why?

Identity, were it "allowed" in Canada, might create a more secure feeling of worth. But no, everyone has to tiptoe around, terrified of hurting feelings, accommodating other lands, other cultures, other religions, other political beliefs, until the concept of CANADIAN IDENTITY has become fractured to the point of apology.

Don't just blame it on the Brits. The French, the Native, and all the huge more recent populations have combined to shred and separate instead of share and succeed as one.

To immigrate to a country, one should never question assimilation, but be proud of the ability to join and contribute and be welcomed on that basis alone.

Why immigrate and try to separate? Insist on Canada adopting YOUR culture, when you have just deserted that culture? Why not find a comfortable medium of connection?

Then when I watch the Canadian parliament on CSPAN if I can catch them on occasion, I have to suffer through French and translation, and wonder what that great land is trying to prove? That they believe separation is the way? Nonsense.
You have a festering French colony right in your own backyard. Do you think they are for "Canadians"? Of course not. They are extorting hard earned money funneling into Quebec from the backs of hard working people who are not French. Let 'em fill up Paris if they want France.

In response to your U.K. obligatory "membership" and honorarium to the Queen. Dump it. Empires are from an ancient time of conquest, profit, and caste systems - comprising slavery of peoples (not just the U.K. but many colonialists). Canada is an independent nation. Begin that identity now or drift trying to please all. It cannot be done unless your government realizes it serves ALL CANADIANS, not those from Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Trinidad, Jerusalem, Yugoslavia, Georgia, Venice, and so on.

There are pockets of this same problem in the United States, and I will be the first to admit that. Nobody is perfect. I detest "hypenated" identity. Either a person is American or not. The racial pride in putting their ancestry BEFORE their country is ridiculous. Many African Americans were here long before those who call themselves "American" but the obvious identification which they think is "prideful" continues with many groups. Down with splits in recognizion and thought.

I welcome your commentary - I view this from afar. I am not an expert, nor a scholar, but an observer only.

[NorthOf45]

I can't argue with a damn thing you said. LOL You are 100% on the mark and I welcome your input as well.

[imintrouble]

LOL - I am going to print that response out as a first in my life as a forum participant!!!!

Thanks!

I didn't find pleasure in knocking a group of fine people, but I am exasperated at the growing differences between the two great countries, living in refreshing cohabitation.

So unique, perhaps making other countries jealous with their walls, their DMZs, their economic divisions, and their wars.

We will lose a valuble economic and cultural situation, unless people on both sides work to balance the feelings again, if possible.

[NorthOf45]

See, here's the thing ... I didn't take what you said as a knock ... at all. You were stating the truth and critiquing ... in a constructive manner. That's what is needed, not the crap that's now flying from both sides.

Imagine what would happen if our differences were cleared up? It's Utopian to think we'd agree on everything. But there is a optimum level of comfort and trust that could be attained.

Then again, what would we have to talk about?

[imintrouble]

LOL - how about France? Or the Royals? :o)

There will always be differences and I see that as a bonus.
Who wants to travel across an international border and find the same old things? I still haven't found a sausage roll in the U.S. after I was introduced to that Canadian treat... haha!

I would celebrate our differences if they weren't born of frustration or chided out of anger.

Criticism which offers positive ascendancy is the only kind of debate which is worth time and effort.

I read from Canadians too much negative energy as if it the demise of the United States has become the national sport, fast overtaking hockey.

The CBC is no doubt leading this oppressive mindset, followed by many of the other carefully regulated media. Do you not feel the people of Canada are only getting half a glass?

In truth, what would become of Canada if there was a complete separation? Your tremendous exports to the U.S. would necessitate options which would be far more expensive having to be shipped over water in most cases. I don't mean this to sound a threat, but I have great concern that many of those who have such a hate going are taking their fellow countrymen on a journey into trouble.

This is depressing. I apologize.