May 15th is Conscientous Objectors Day! Support the right to refuse war!

[Tom Joad]

International Conscientious Objectors' Day.
See resisters to Bush's Wars of Terror and their stories, here
http://tomjoad.org/WarHeroes.htm

For over 20 years May 15 has been celebrated as International Conscientious Objectors' Day, a tradition of struggle spearheaded by groups affiiliated with War Resisters’ International. Each year activities are focused in a country where C.O.'s and objectors are being harassed or persecuted. This year the international focus is on the United States' denial of the right of soldiers to object to war.

Conscientious Objectors, GI resisters and dissent within the military deserve our support as they stand up for human rights and dignity, democratic rights, and international law.

Widespread public support and pressure can help protect these courageous individuals from feelings of isolation and from repression of them and their rights.

War resister Jimmy Massey:
"I’m not going to kill innocent civilians for no government. ... I was taught and raised by parents and relatives that there are certain things you don’t do, and killing innocent civilians is one of them."

Camilo Mejia:
"I am only a regular person that got tired of being afraid to follow his own conscience. For far too long I allowed others to direct my actions even when I knew that they were wrong...."

Sergeant Patrick Hart, 9 year veteran, now resides in Canada, an exile and real patriot.
He found he could not answer straight the questions of those young men in his charge:
“‘What’s it like, Sergeant Hart?’ ‘Why are we going over there? There’s no weapons of mass destruction, and Saddam Hussein’s out of power two years now.’ ‘Osama bin Laden’s in Afghanistan, he ain’t in Iraq, Sergeant Hart. What the hell?’” He found that he didn’t have any good answers for his men. “What could I tell them?” Pat says. “‘Shut up and do your job, because I’m an NCO and you’re a private, and you’re going to listen to me?’ That doesn’t hold much water when people’s lives are at stake.”

[William Seger]

1. Cool, didn't know that

I was the first person given a Conscientious Objector discharge from the Virginia National Guard. I had a low draft lottery number in '69 when I lost my student deferment, so I signed up. Up until 1971, a CO status required "moral, ethical, and religious" reasons, where "religious" meant you had to be a member of a short list of specific churches. There was a Supreme Court decision in '71 that overturned that requirement, so I applied, and after about a year of hassling, I final got a discharge.

[Tom Joad]

2. Thanks for your story.