Objection sustained

[NNN0LHI]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/mondaymag/stories/050103ellis.shtml

Perry O'Brien went to war.

Then he said no.

America's campaign against the spread of terrorism has been divisive over the last three years, beginning with the invasion of Afghanistan, the hunt for Osama bin Laden and later the war in Iraq.

It has split families and friends, become fuel for media pundits and classroom discussion, and made soldiers out of another generation.

Perry O'Brien, 22, has the kind of background typical of soldiers in today's military: He's from a good family, is full of ideas and wants to serve his country.

In another way he's not so typical. Three years into a four-year enlistment in the Army, after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he said no. Perry O'Brien became a conscientious objector.

"I had trouble justifying what we were doing in Afghanistan," he said recently.

He's back after being honorably discharged from the Army. Now life has returned to some kind of normal for the Peaks Island native. He is one of a relatively small group of people to ever ask for - and receive - conscientious-objector status.

more

[bin.dare]

1. and what "makes him like many other 22-year-olds "?

"I'm looking for a job," he said.

[Psephos]

2. Awesome. My kind of guy. n/t

[NNN0LHI]

3. He is smart

If I had a teenager right now I would be teaching him how to play the Christian conscientious-objector status card just in case. I would be bringing him in to plenty of different clergymen to "discuss" his religious objections to going off to kill. And I would make sure he was making some generous donations to the church too. And I would start young too. Like in high school. Yea, I would. That should take care of that.

Don