Our Way Home Reunion

This is the second annual gathering to celebrate war resisters in the greater Nelson area of British Columbia, Canada. Nelson is nicknamed Resisterville because of its role of welcoming Vietnam Era deserters, joined more recently by Iraq war veterans fleeing the United States for refugee asylum in Canada rather than return for additional tours of duty in Iraq.

Twice this evening speakers could not keep back tears in expressing their gratitude for the hospitality of this community as a refuge of peace in a war-driven world. The first was Corky Evans, an American who came to Canada at age 18 in the 1960s and went on to be elected to Parliament and to serve as a cabinet member. Having been rejected by family, church, and community for his decision not to serve in Vietnam, he clearly still bears the emotionally liberating welcome of the Canadian peace community.

The second was Tom Hayden, normally a pragmatic, good-humored, incisive critic of political issues, inspiring but not overly emotional, speaking with well researched and reasoned positions and anecdotes from a long career as a radical voice in the American landscape of political issues. He invited Americans to be more like Canadians and Canadians to be less like Americans, evoking a knowing laugh from the audience. But he could not complete his remarks with full composure. When it came to acknowledging his gratitude for Canada's willingness to take in war resisters throughout much of its history, and now again young men and women of conscience who will not continue to serve in the military, he sobbed. It was a sober moment in the evening's celebrations, and a widely shared sentiment.

Tomorrow Daniel Ellsberg and Leonard Weinglass will address the gathering.