If you're against war, get it on record!! Just being against war won't save you. You need to have told other people that you won't kill and they need to be able to vouch for you. And you needn't be opposed to war for religious reasons, though the Quakers are more than happy to help you. Not the oatmeal Quakers, but the people who quake.

 

Personally, in addition to being against war in any form, I don't trust Little Bush or Grumpy Grampy Rumsfeld when they say they're against the draft. I started writing my conscientious objector papers before the start of the Second Gulf War, but put off finishing them for some reason. Now that I've started up the process again, I thought I'd pass along what's been helpful to me.

 

Which one are you?

 

--Currently Registered for the Draft: You'll need letters of support on file. If a draft were to begin today, call-ups could begin in as little as eight days, so don't think you can put this off. Read this about Letters of Support for Conscientious Objector Claims from the Center on Consciousness and War.

 

--Currently enlisted or against the Military and ROTC's "Poverty Draft" aimed at recruiting lower income folks should check out the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors at www.objector.org

 

--Those Looking to Be Appalled should check out the stock photos on the Selective Service System's website (www.sss.gov). Those boys remind me of my little brother and his friends. Plus, this site has information on how to obtain your selective service registration number, which you'll need on your letters of reference.

The Selective Service's Records department for quick SSS number lookup.

 

You've been warned!! And I've been warned! I'd better get my letters in! And you should too, even if you're not American! Peaceniks, make your voices heard!