Faith Based Initiative

You won't find it in the online version of the local rag, but a friend of mine told me that the newsprint copy has the story of Blake Lemoine, a soldier from Moreauville (near Marksville), who wants out of the army after a stint in Iraq. The L.A. Times (subscription required) provides a few details:

Spc. Blake Lemoine, who returned to Germany in May 2004, said he wanted to quit the Army because of religious beliefs.

The special military court in Darmstadt, south of Frankfurt, sentenced Lemoine to seven months' confinement, reduction in rank to private and a bad-conduct discharge.

Lemoine, from Moreauville, La., has spoken out against U.S. soldiers' treatment of Iraqis, saying, "Iraqi civilians are often treated worse than animals."

As noted, the online Advocate seems to be missing the story--but, according to my friend, some details emerge regarding his religious persuasion:

"He also argued that his duties as an ordained pagan minister (my italics-michael) are in conflict with his job in the U.S. Army.” Which helps explain the dog-collar necklace his wife is wearing in the photo.

War News o'the Day provides a few additional details:

Specialist...Lemoine, 23, who served in Iraq last year, sent his chain of command a letter this year, announcing all the reasons he should be allowed to quit: the Army conflicts with his religious beliefs and rituals; he and his wife are not monogamous, counter to military policy; he is bisexual.

Well, he sure does sound like he's from Louisiana--a regular hedonist (although I didn't know true hedonists lived so close to the border between north and south Loosiana, which, given the general differences, might as well require a passport).

Is Lemoine really pagan and bisexual? I dunno--he says he is (and I might have to check out the paper copy, if only for a glance at the dog-collar necklace his wife was wearing). But at any rate, I'll certainly give Mr. Lemoine credit for having a--unique reason for declining additional military "service," (quotes deliberate--the last thing the military is doing in Iraq is "service," unless you count the greater glory of the dauphin qualifying). And this is further proof that the "war" in Iraq is OVER. Whatever Spc. Lemoine's true beliefs, the fact is that he and plenty of others are opting out of what they correctly see as Operation Go Cheney Ourselves, with the potential for real damage for those caught over there (aside: last night C-Span had a pretty poignant piece about veterans at Walter Reed Hospital learning how to use their new artificial limbs). Anyway, Lemoine is simply following in the footsteps of others who opted out of Vietnam--and his reason for avoiding service is a hell of a lot more, um sanitary than say, Ted Nugent's.

So, good luck Spc. Lemoine.