Conscientious
Objection to War
we
can not simultaneously avoid and prepare for war… (einstein)
This site is
designed as an informational guide for those who oppose war and are interested
in the power of conscientious objection.
The contents are based on my personal convictions and experience in the
military.
I'm tired of the
assumption that mass genocide is a viable and sane option for an otherwise
intelligent and rational world. If you disagree, and feel you may be upset or
angered by the contents of this site, the "back" button on your
browser may be your best move. Otherwise, I hope that what you find below is
both interesting and helpful.
Contents
What is Conscientious Objection?
How to file for CO status if you are in the military
Alternatives to the military for scholarships, job training & world
travel
Draft Registration, questions & answers
Links providing further information
My story, personal account of CO
application
Exercise your conscience; TAKE
ACTION!
Conscientious Objection: A self-test questionnaire
An essay on Conscience & the State
Conscientious
Objection Under the Law in the US
Brief History: Conscientious objection has
a unique place in United States history. In fact, the tradition of refusing military
service - and the recognition of that right - can be traced back to America's
founding fathers, some of whom were pacifists fleeing oppression for their
beliefs in Europe. Several of the original colonies, including Pennsylvania,
Delaware and New Jersey, were founded by the Quaker pacifist William Penn.
The framers of the U.S. Constitution even considered
including an exemption from military service for conscientious objectors in the
Second Amendment. This clause was omitted because they did not envision the
need for creating a standing army.
At the onset of the Revolutionary War, George
Washington issued a draft order, which was a call to "all young men of
suitable age to be drafted, except those with conscientious scruples against
war."
During the American Civil War, the conscription law
of the North provided the opportunity for religious objectors and others to buy
their way out of the draft. Those who refused or could not afford that option
were treated harshly under military law. Four thousand men served in the
military as unarmed legal conscientious objectors (COs).
World War I ushered in the first draft since the
Civil War, and policies that were even less tolerant of conscientious
objectors. Seventeen draft resisters died of mistreatment in Alcatraz Prison
during World War I.
In World War II, a total of nearly 43,000 Americans
refused to fight for reasons of conscience: 12,000 served in Civilian Public
Service, 6,000 went to prison and 25,000 served in the military as
noncombatants. During the Vietnam War more than 170,000 men were officially
recognized as conscientious objectors. Thousands of other young men resisted by
burning their draft cards, serving jail sentences or leaving the country.
Though the military is currently an all-volunteer
organization, when the Gulf War broke out in 1991, 2,500 men and women
volunteers serving in the Armed Forces refused to serve in Saudi Arabia on the
basis of conscience. While draft opposition has been an individual decision
made by a minority in all U.S. wars, public opposition to wars such as the War
of 1812, the Mexican War, World War I and the Vietnam War sparked mass
movements that reached far beyond men of draft age.
From Section
6(j) of the Military Selective Service Act, which provides exemption for
conscientious objectors to war:
"Nothing
contained in this [Act] shall… require any person to be subject to combatant
training and service in the Armed forces on the United States who, by reason of
religious training or belief, is conscientiously opposed to participation in
war in any form. As used in this subsection, the term "religious training
and belief" does not include essentially political, sociological, or
philosophical views, or a merely personal moral code. Any person claiming exemption
from combatant training and service because of such conscientious objection
whose claim is sustained by the local board shall, if he is inducted into the
Armed Forces under this [Act], be assigned noncombatant service… or shall, if
he is found to be conscientiously opposed to such noncombatant service, in lieu
of induction, be ordered by his local board, subject to such regulations as the
President may prescribe, to perform for a period [of two years] … civilian work
contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or
interest."
What does this
mean?
Basic guidelines, a
CO must:
Be "religious," as
the Supreme Court has defined the word. This is not the same as our generally
assumed definition of "religious training or belief," rather one's
belief must be "a sincere and meaningful" belief that "occupies
a place in the life of its possessor parallel to that filled by [an] orthodox
belief in God."
Object to all wars; and
Be sincere in his or her
application.
Filing for CO status within the military
You don't have to go! Getting out of the Delayed
Enlistment Program is easy.
You're looking for information about a military discharge,
as a conscientious objector
ROTC scholarship information and alternatives
Alternatives to the military for college funding, job
training & travel
What the law requires when you turn eighteen
The selective service site on conscientious objection
The consequences of a refusal of registration
Conscientious Objection & related Peace and Justice
Links
American Friends Service
Commitee
CCCO, the Central Committee for Conscientious
Objectors
Education for Peace in Iraq Center (epic)
Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR)
International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now
to Stop War and Racism)
Mennonite Church, USA: Peace and Justice
Support Network
National Network to End the War
Against Iraq
NISBCO (National Interreligious Service
Board for Conscientious Objectors)
NISBCO's
"Proclamation Page" for a list of hundreds of objectors! ADD YOUR NAME!!
Pax Christi USA: the National Catholic
Peace Movement
PBS Special “The Good War” on WWII
CO’s
Resource Center for Nonviolence
Utne
Reader Online’s Anti-War Room
Several years ago,
I applied for CO status and requested a discharge from my college ROTC program
on religious grounds. My request was ultimately granted and I was given an
honorable discharge as a conscientious objector 1-0. My experience was somewhat grueling and drawn out,
but persistence paid off. Below I have set up links to sections from my
application. If you are interested in the details of the process, with a
personal twist, you may want to take a look.
Letter of notification to my superior officer
Excerpts from my responses to AFR 35-24 (the form for conscientious objection in the Air Force)
ACTION!!
War
in Afghanistan:
The current war we are waging in Afghanistan is wrought with deadly
mistakes and instances of inappropriate combat techniques. The US forces have been callous (and that’s
giving them the benefit of the doubt) with respect to civilian casualties. There are many sources online where you can
track these instances and abuses. Here
are a few, mixed with a few opportunities to affect change through action:
The Human
Rights Watch website is on top of the issue, with some startling photos and
statistics.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation has dedicated an entire section of
their site to this issue, including links to several “action” opportunities
United
Nations publications on US response to 9/11
War
on Iraq:
“Drop Bush Not Bombs”
“Iraq Didn’t Attack Us Sept 11”
“How Much
Blood For George?”
“The U.S.
Needs A Regime Change”
“Preemptive
Impeachment”
Okay, so now what
can we do to spread the word and resist the war machine? Today, this is an especially pressing issue. The current international and domestic
political climate is ripe for even more war, and everywhere we turn we seem to
see evidence of community support for the American War Machine against Iraq,
and anyone else who gets in our way (North Korea?). You can speak out, make your alternative beliefs known and maybe
help others to re-consider their stance.
Here are a few ways:
Write a letter to the president,
expressing your concern for his current course of action
Extremely comprehensive
toolkit page from epic (Education for Peace in Iraq Center) with many downloads including
placards, flyers, listings of House and Senate votes for the 2002 Iraq War
Resolution & much more….
Why War? This is an excellent site, including
detailed (mostly east-coast) event listings.
Good Peace &
Anti-Racism events listings around the world: Peace.Protest.Net
Peace Action is a growing organization
focusing on nuclear war & star wars, as well as general war alternatives.
Protest.net has a great listing of planned
protest events (by city) against war with Iraq, which you can find here
A good friend’s account of the October
26th 2002 protest against War in Iraq (in Washington D.C.)
Last Revised: October 14, 2005