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What’s
Chelsea’s address if I want to write to her?
A supporter in Payday's Network wrote... 10 Feb 2017 Hello Chelsea, I thought I would send you an email as I’m a 54 year old man who comes from a military family, I myself was the only person out of my family who refused to go into the military after seeing my mother sign the papers for my brother to join the Navy at 16 years of age for the minimum time of 5 years (as he couldn’t by law sign himself into the Navy until he was 18 years of age). We were both told that we had to be sea cadets as soon as we were the age to do this. It was my mother’s way, I found out later, to get us into the Navy as she had to serve in the army during the 2nd world war. I’ve seen how the military and being trained to kill has altered members of my family and how having served in the military has damaged them sometimes physically often emotionally and mentally. I also knew that I would be dishonourably discharged from the Navy as I was trying to live as dyke (as I couldn’t call myself a lesbian) & now I’m living my life true to who I am a transman. I’m writing to you as I believe that it can be helpful to receive emails and or letters or contact from folk who are thinking about you while you are serving time in prison. I also do believe that you have done the right thing by speaking up and by telling the truth and speaking out when things are not right and that the only way that things can change is for folk in the military and everywhere is to open our mouths and speak out about things. I do have an understanding that there’s an emphasis and taught culture of ‘see but don’t tell’ or question your ‘superiors’ or military personnel that are giving orders & that it takes personal commitment also a dash of courage to speak up/out about what you see is wrong. Plus I’ve mentioned my small point about refusing to go into the services, but, this left me in a position that I could see no other choice but to have to leave home at 16 years old & I lived on the streets as I couldn’t go against my belief that it’s wrong to kill people and that wars do not bring peace although this is maybe a temporary peace because of fear but again later there will be more violence as violence doesn’t bring peace. Chelsea, I have to mention that I’m pleased to hear that you are due to be released from Prison. I feel that this hasn’t come quickly enough for you, but, this is in the pipe line for happening for you. Just one last thing that I will mention is that I do not understand the official secrets act that says even if you are ordering military supplies that it’s against the official secrets act to say how many toilet rolls are ordered. Yours sincerely Robin A Brook, London |