[Seattle-editorial] Article: War, the Draft and CO Status

[typist at speakeasy.net]

This was approved by me several days ago. Posted today per 24 hour rule.  Finally.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sheelanagig at juno.com [mailto:sheelanagig at juno.com]
> Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 04:17 PM
> To: seattle-editorial at indymedia.org, sheelanagig at Juno.com
> Subject: [Seattle-editorial] Article: War, the Draft and CO Status
> 
> Proposed article:
> *************************************************************************
> *****
> Summary -
> 
> <P>War, the Draft and Conscientious Objector Status 
> <BR>by Kirsten Anderberg Copyright 2003
> 
> <P>America is at war, in a very colonialistic occupation. It is a very
> unpopular war. It is not a "liberation." And we have not even begun to
> deal with North Korea, and the international community, that now hates
> and distrusts us. I worry that if G.W. Bush is reelected, America will be
> in a perpetual war on the world, and I do not believe we can do that
> endlessly without the Draft being reinstated. They are going to require
> expendable bodies, eventually, for all this warring. I am the mother of a
> 19 year old male. And even though there is not an active Draft right now,
> my son was required by federal law to register for the Selective Service.
> Even though there is no Draft right now, we are still making men register
> for this system or branding them Federal criminals. Men not old enough to
> be allowed to buy alcohol, are registered to fight in wars. As America
> continues warring, and the need for soldiers grows, I believe the Draft
> will resurface as an issue. The biggest questions we all have are, "How
> does the Draft work?," and "How do you establish Conscientious Objector
> (CO) status?" This article outlines the CO system, STEP BY STEP, so you
> can prepare your file now. Once called up for the Draft, you may have 9,
> NINE, days to PROVE you are a CO or be shipped out. Preparedness is
> Patriotic!
> 
> *************************************************************************
> **********************************************************
> 
> <P>War, the Draft and Conscientious Objector Status 
> <BR>by Kirsten Anderberg Copyright 2003
> 
> <P>America is at war, in a very colonialistic occupation, no matter what
> fancy words we use. It is a very unpopular war. It is not a "liberation."
> And we have not even begun to deal with North Korea, and the
> international community, that now hates and distrusts us. I saw the
> American news today, touting victory at the Madrid conference, over our
> huge donations received from other countries to help us in the rebuilding
> of Iraq. But the television news left out one very important part of that
> story. A new agency had to be formed, to be run by the World Bank and the
> United Nations, independent of the American occupation, since other
> nations do not trust Americans with their money in Iraq, and do not want
> to appear to be in alliance with the occupation forces. The Coalition
> Provisional Authority (CPA) is an agency of American decision makers that
> the European nations do not want their money co-mingled with. And the
> Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) is run by occupation administrators
> (i.e., America) and Iraqis they choose, and was recognized by the U.N.
> Security Council in May 2003. The Iraqi Governing Council is a 25 member
> body picked by the American occupation. The U.N. International Advisory
> and Monitoring Board was supposed to work in tandem with the DFI, but
> that "has proved inadequate to assuage donors," the NYTimes said. An
> American "administration official" said "We had to act because the
> international community was stonewalling us on aid." "The donors all want
> a little distance from us," he said, according to the Times. The Times
> additionally said these administration officials said this new fund
> "would be the FIRST that had so many controls to keep it separate from
> the military forces running the country." (NYTimes, Oct. 20. 2003). 
> 
> <P>I worry that if G.W. Bush is reelected, America will be in a perpetual
> war on the world, and I do not believe we can do that endlessly without
> the Draft being reinstated. Just as Americans MUST pillage oil-rich
> countries to sustain their one-driver/one-car needs, they also are going
> to require expendable bodies, eventually, for all this warring. I am the
> mother of a 19 year old male. And even though there is not an active
> Draft right now, my son was required by federal law to register for the
> Selective Service System (SSS) (<a
> href="http://www.sss.gov">www.sss.gov</A>), aka "the Draft" as soon as he
> hit 18. He was also required to register for the Draft to receive
> financial aid in college. We decided that since it is a felony crime not
> to register, it was easiest to register, and then research alternatives.
> Some resist registration, and I applaud those efforts (<a
> href="http://www.draftresistance.org">www.draftresistance.org</A>). But
> for the rest of us, we need to know what our options are.
> 
> <P>The biggest questions we all have are, "How does the Draft work?," and
> "How do you establish Conscientious Objector (CO) status?" 
> 
> <P>HOW DOES THE DRAFT WORK?
> Before a draft can be enacted, Congress and the President have to
> authorize the draft calls. Under current laws, the draft will start with
> men who turn 20 years old in the year the draft was enacted. They will be
> placed in the famous "lottery" system. If your name is called up in the
> lottery, you have 10 DAYS to report to the Military Entrance Processing
> Station (MEPS), unless you file a claim for a deferment or exemption.
> Once called up for service, you file your CO claim with the military.
> Once your claim is filed, your induction date will be postponed while the
> draft board investigates the claim. If your claim is rejected, you
> receive a new induction date. (Seems like EVERYONE should at least use
> this to buy time!) The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (<a
> href="http://www.objector.org">www.objector.org</A>) will help you find
> legal aid and resources so you can get through the long appeals process.
> You can claim all classifications that apply to you. Currently, the
> exemptions from the draft are: 
> <BR>* a minister or divinity student
> <BR>* sole surviving son of a family whose mother, father or siblings
> have died as a result of military action
> <BR>* sole financial or other support to family members who are
> dependent, elderly, disabled and/or ill
> <BR>* physically or mentally incapable of being in the military
> <BR>* homosexual or bisexual
> <BR>* a Conscientious Objector
> 
> <P>The legal definition of "Conscientious Objector" is: "a person who
> objects to participation in all forms of war, and whose belief is based
> on a religious, moral or ethical belief system." You do not need to be
> "religious," or even believe in god, to qualify as a CO. You have to
> oppose organized killing and war, due to religious, moral or ethical
> conviction. Under the current legal definitions, you cannot selectively
> oppose certain wars, but must oppose ALL wars.
> 
> <P>The 6 types of CO actions currently recognized are: CO's, Noncombatant
> CO's, Taxpayer Resistors, Selective War Objectors, Nuclear Pacifists, and
> Noncooperation with the Draft. Only the first two categories, CO and
> Noncombatant CO, are recognized by the federal laws for draft or war duty
> exemptions.
> 
> <P>* CO - A CO is someone, who by reason of religious, ethical, or moral
> belief are "conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form."
> CO's will be exempt from military service but may be required to perform
> civilian tasks.
> <BR>* Noncombatant CO - A CO who does not object to noncombatant military
> duties, such as medic. These CO's are trained without weapons and
> assigned to non-combatant duty.
> <BR>* Tax Resistors - These are people who refuse to pay the military
> portion of their taxes due to their CO beliefs. For more information,
> contact the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund at 1-888-PEACETAX.
> <BR>* Selective Objectors - This type of CO feels that they would fight a
> just war, but not an unjust war, thus their CO status varies, depending
> on the war's circumstances.
> <BR>* Nuclear Pacifists - These are people who refuse to participate in
> nuclear war, or what could become a nuclear war. Some feel that any war
> fought today would lead to nuclear war and thus object to all war as
> nuclear pacifists.
> <BR>* Noncooperation with the Draft - These people refuse to cooperate
> with the draft laws, i.e., they do not register for the draft, or they do
> not respond when called up, or become "draft dodgers."
> 
> 
> <P>HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS?
> 
> <P>STEP ONE - STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
> <BR>The first step is to write "Conscientious Objector" on the bottom of
> the card you send in to register with the SSS. If you missed the chance
> for that or registered online, don't worry. There are things you can do
> NOW. The reason that you need to make a CO file NOW is that once a draft
> is enacted, you could have 9 days to get a file together on your behalf!
> I SAID NINE DAYS! Do it now, and the older and longer you have a file on
> this, the more success you will have at an exemption.
> 
> <P>Form 22 of the current Selective Service Documentation form for CO's
> ask several questions that you need to think about and answer on file
> now. It asks you to "describe your beliefs which are the reasons for your
> claiming conscientious objection to combatant military training and
> service or to all military training and service." You want to make a
> statement on paper NOW that includes these concepts. Write your own
> statement about why you object to the war. Start by saying that you are
> conscientiously opposed to war, then describe what beliefs lead you to
> that stance. Be clear about whether you are a CO or a noncombatant CO. If
> you want a full exemption, be clear about why noncombatant service would
> violate your conscience. Although the CO and noncombatant CO status' are
> the only CO status' recognized currently for draft exemptions, it is
> worthwhile to also file your other CO status descriptions in your claim
> in case the other CO status' become recognized later. For instance, if
> you are a CO tax resistor, document it now, in case later that qualifies
> for draft exemption. If you are a nuclear pacifist or a selective CO,
> document it anyway. If you are not cooperating with the draft or
> registration with the SSS, record the reasons why on paper.
> 
> <P>Form 22 also says, "Describe how and when you acquired these beliefs."
> Write down a list of events, people, experiences, and influences that
> have lead you to these beliefs. Include classes, travel, religious
> experiences, teachings, volunteer work, activism, anything that has
> helped influence you to be a CO. It is important to establish your
> beliefs as a higher, conventional value, since unconventional and mere
> political beliefs do not make the cut. An arbitrary personal belief will
> not stand. It has to be based on "a religious, moral or ethical belief
> system." Or in other words, you need to tailor your argument to fit a
> traditional anti-war "SYSTEM." A "system" is more than one person. A
> "system" is "established." Take the time to construct a solid, logical
> statement based on facts and traditions, rather than making an illusive
> free-spirit argument.
> 
> <P>Form 22 also says, "Explain what most clearly shows that your beliefs
> are deeply held. You may wish to include a description of how your
> beliefs affect the way you live." If you do not have alot of experience
> to cite here as proof of your convictions, you can use your FUTURE plans
> to illustrate your convictions. Talk about previous classes or future
> career plans that relate to your CO status. Describe letters to editors,
> essays from school, anything that shows your commitment as a CO. Talk
> about how your life is lived in accordance with your CO beliefs. Use this
> opportunity to show your sincerity re your claims.
> 
> <P>STEP TWO - LETTERS OF SUPPORT
> <BR>Once you have composed your CO statement, explaining why you believe
> what you do and how it affects your ability to fight in a war, send it to
> people who know you, and ask them to write a letter of support. These
> people will read your statement and attest to the sincerity of your
> statement, based on their experiences with you. Especially good are
> letters from clergy, teachers, and  professional relations. The best
> letters are from people who disagree with CO status, but believe your
> statement regarding your own beliefs. You should solicit 3-4 letters,
> then pick the best 2-3 and keep them on record. You may also want to
> compose a list of people to testify on your behalf at the draft hearing
> and keep that on file too.
> 
> <P>STEP THREE - RECORDING YOUR FILES
> <BR>Once you have written the statement of beliefs and gathered the
> letters of support and witnesses, you need to make three separate CO
> files. Keep the original copies of the statement and the letters of
> support in a file at your own home. Send copies of the letters and
> statement to the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (<a
> href="http://www.objector.org">www.objector.org</A>) so that an unrelated
> third party has your file. And then give a third copy of the materials to
> a community leader, a member of clergy, any leader who can vouch for your
> sincerity later. 
> 
> <P>STEP FOUR - KEEP INFORMED
> <BR>The internet allows us exceptional opportunities for information
> sharing and updates. Join some of the email lists with action updates to
> stay informed. Visit the websites dedicated to this work. 
> <BR>* Center for Conscientious Objectors - <a
> href="http://www.objector.org">www.objector.org</A>
> <BR>* National Council of Churches - <a
> href="http://www.ncccusa.org">www.ncccusa.org</A>
> <BR>* A group working to end registration and the draft - <a
> href="http://www.nixbco.org">www.nisbco.org</A>   
> <BR>* Unitarian Universalist Association - <a
> href="http://www.uua.org">www.uua.org</A>
> <BR>* Interview with a Vietnam War Draft dodger, 35 yrs later -
> <a
> href="http://www.alt.venus.co.uk/weed/cricket/vietnam.htm">www.alt.venus.
> co.uk/weed/cricket/vietnam.htm</A>
> 
> *************************************************************************
> *********************
> For near-daily political ramblings from Kirsten, visit her blog at
> www.kanderberg.blogspot.com 
> or go to her writing website at www.kirstenanderberg.com
> 
> 
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