Rather they were a recognition of the responsibility that comes with this undeserved privilege, and a stand of solidarity with those around the world who are robbed, tortured and killed in order to deliver this privilege to our door. Yes, many of these folks are pacifists. If the action guidelines are too strict to bear, then there are 363 other days of the year in which anyone can visit Ft. Benning using whatever means they like. Most of the 200,000 murdered indigenous people in Guatemala were civilians.
Counterinsurgency is civilian-targeted warfare.
But of course SOA Watch acknowledges that SOA soldiers also fight against armed guerilla groups. At no time was this ever mentioned. Benning would not stand in solidarity with SOA victims simply because they weren't pacifists. While I was talking with the black bloc on the day of the action, I gave a rushed history of SOA Watch and of the changes over the past year. So I take some responsibility for the inaccuracies in the Barricada's reporting.