Have been waiting to see what would become of Logan Laituri’s Christian conversion and subsequent convictions. They appear to be holding.
Spring 2005, back from the Iraqi front-lines, through the love and influence of his girlfriend’s family, Laituri became a Christian. He took the gospel seriously–especially the part about loving enemies–and was willing to go back to the front-lines but with the proviso that he would not carry a weapon.
Not surprisingly he was reprimanded by his superior as an enemy of America. Somewhat surprisingly, well, perhaps not, he was viewed by his girlfriend’s Christian-conservative father as misinterpreting the bible concerning war.
He tried applying for conscientious objector status but somehow the paper work kept getting stalled. Instead he was assigned to a detachment that would not deploy to a war zone. Then in October of 2006 his term of service ended. Today, he’s without the girlfriend but not without a voice.
A few weeks ago, in an open letter to his fellow Americans running for the office of the presidency, he wrote:
Over four years, 4 billion dollars, and 3,000 lives ago, our nation was drawn into a conflict that few of our number now believe was initiated with our collective interests or values in mind. As a proud and decorated veteran of this conflict, I have suffered for and served my country with distinction and honor. However, my dreams and quiet moments have been mercilessly violated by the voices of the victims of our national terrorism. In Iraq, their liberation has cost as many as 655,000 Iraqis their lives. Their cries, and those of their families, have been uttered amidst a flood of sweat, tears, and all too much of their own blood.
A voice is a small thing compared to a state war machine. But I still believe the world turns on small things.
Logan Laituri’s story was published last year in Geez
