To the Home Guard: What we need right now, this week, is letters to individual congressmen asking them why it takes one year for the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces to rule on such a simple question in the case of Spc. Michael New? The question before the court is simple, although important: "Does a soldier have the right to introduce evidence to the jury in his own defense?" The question before the congressman is also simple, "Why the stall?" Tell your congressman that you don't want his opinion on Michael New, you want an answer about CAAF, and ask him to inquire of the Clerk of the Court. If your Congressman gets a reply from CAAF, we want to see it. Please mail the original, or a copy, directly to: Daniel New, Project Manager Michael New Action Fund P.O. Box 100 Iredell, Texas 76649 To the Battalion: What we are asking the Home Guard to do, right now, this week, is to send letters to individual congressmen asking them why it takes one year for the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces to rule on such a simple question in the case of Spc. Michael New? The question before the court is simple, although important: "Does a soldier have the right to introduce evidence to the jury in his own defense?" The question before the congressman is also simple, "Why the stall?" Tell your congressman that you don't want his opinion on Michael New, you want an answer about CAAF, and ask him to inquire of the Clerk of the Court. As a member of the Battalion, you may feel free to write your congressman, but there is something you can do that may well drive this case deeper into the consciousness of the American veteran, and that is to approach at least one veterans' organization of which you are a member, and introduce a resolution demanding an answer. Write your own, and send it to us, or use the model below, and start the process now for this resolution to move from your local post to your state and national conventions this year. (You can see national resolutions passed by American Legion, American Gulf War Veterans Association, American Veterans in Domestic Defense, Rolling Thunder, Veterans of Foreign Wars, by going to http://www.mikenew.com/resolutions.html ) WHEREAS Army Spc. Michael New was court-martialed in January, 1996, for refusing to wear a United Nations uniform, and this organization has taken a similar stand (cite the resolution by name and number); and WHEREAS Spc. New was not allowed to introduce evidence in his own defense to the court-martial panel (jury); and WHEREAS Spc. New's appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has taken more than one year since final oral arguments were heard (February 4, 2000), indicating a deliberate stall at the highest levels of government; and WHEREAS it is fundamental law that without the element of defense, there can be no justice; and WHEREAS it is the role of Congress, in Article I, Section 8, to "make rules for the government of the land and naval forces"; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that: (Organization, post, etc.) calls upon all veterans everywhere to stand up in defense of all current and future active-duty military personnel and demand that Congress act immediately to resolve this impasse, and to protect the right of every member of our Armed Forces to present evidence in their own defense, a fundamental right of every citizen of the united States of America. If you can improve upon that, we'll gladly take your improvements. In fact, if you pass such a resolution, we'll announce it and post it here on this website, and tell all other veterans of your success.

Historical source: 4feb01update.html