Apocalypse Upon Us! Branum does some good for client, Hades currently -64C
Big win for the large neanderthal looking jackass from Oklahoma:
FORT HOOD, Texas – Sergeant Travis Bishop received word this week that he was given a 3 month suspension, of the 12 month sentence he received last year for refusing to deploy to Afghanistan based on his Christian religious beliefs against war.
Lt. General Robert Cone, commanding general of Fort Hood approved the sentence reduction on February 4th after considering Sgt. Bishop’s clemency application.
Sgt. Bishop’s clemency application included a legal brief (alleging problems at trial, problems with the processing of Bishop’s conscientious objector claim, and mistreatment at the Fort Lewis brig), a hand-written letter from Sgt. Bishop, and 433 letters (signed by a total of 538 people from 21 different countries) from members of Amnesty International calling for Sgt. Bishop to be released.
Now mind you, any other lawyer probably wouldn’t have had his client receive the maximum punishment allowed, but for Branum, this is colosal. You just know he didn’t write that press release, it is too well written.
Let’s review the record though, according to Branum, poor Bishop was the subject of a wretched trial, wretched detainment, and tortured by the horrible army. And their big win was to get a year sentence reduced to 9 months. You keep at ’em big fella! At this rate you might get an acquittal for jay walking in 2054.
Category: Politics
“alleging problems at trial”
You mean like having an idiot for counsel?
I don’t think writing a brief that says you suck as a lawyer can be considered a win.
Here’s what I’ve never understood. Bishop claims he was “refusing to deploy to Afghanistan based on his Christian religious beliefs against war.”
I don’t see anywhere in Christianity an opposition to war. It certainly isn’t the Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. That interpretation is only found in English-language bibles. In Aramaic, Greek, Hebrew and Latin, it translates as “Thou Shalt Not Murder”. Big difference there.
The Bible and the New Testament also support the absolute right to defend your life. In Luke, Jesus even tells his disciples that (paraphrasing here) “Those of you who have no sword, sell your garments or your purse and buy one.”
YMMV, of course, but I really fail to see where Bishop can use his Christian Teaching as a valid defense to abrogate his military obligation.
Respects,
Branum should not be taking any real credit for this. The credit goes to someone else.
There are very sincere Christian reasons to oppose war. Turn the other cheek, just to name one?
However, I think it’s BS that only religious beliefs count, not spiritual beliefs. I’ve known men with no one “religion” but with firm moral beliefs that oppose them to war in all its forms.
If we had a draft your points would make more sense.
And if you’re not familiar with him, look up Desmond T. Doss Sr.