Sanctuary for Deserters

(Portland, Oregon) The Portland City Council is being asked to declare Portland a sanctuary for U.S. military deserters and service members who are absent without leave (AWOL). Ostensibly, Portland would then be showing its support for men of noble conscience.

The idea would be for the council to tell police not to honor federal arrest warrants if the subject of a traffic stop or other infraction happened to be wanted by the military for desertion. Such a stance, the activists argue, is in line with the council's previously stated opposition to the Iraq War.

"The message from the Obama campaign was not to just sit and wait for change to come," said Kelly Campbell, peace director for the American Friends Service Committee in Portland. "We should consider what vision we bring and what changes we can make to our country."

It appears that the peace activists consider desertion from the military, the all volunteer military, to be consistent with the hope and change beliefs of Barack Obama. Nevertheless, council members have not, so far, expressed support for the proposal.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.