Why I am a Conscientious Objector/Pacifist?

Those who know me understand that I despise war. Over the years, at least forty in fact, my views on any military conflict is negative. In a word, war is simply legalized murder. Homicide is a crime in all countries across the globe. The notion of “war” or “defense” as a justification to slaughter one's fellow human beings, for any reason, for me, is a crime. Therefore I have made a moral stand against all forms of war. One can label me a conscientious objector; however, the more accurate term would be pacifist.

 The name, Conscientious Objector is certainly not a term you hear or often read these days. Its proper definition is...a male or female who refuses on moral or religious grounds to serve in the armed forces or to bear arms in a military conflict. A pacifist believes that all war is morally reprehensible and believes any “conflict” can be resolved through negotiation. Another term we do not hear often is “Diplomacy”. It is the notion that through cultural understanding and communication, any conflict between two nations can be settled. Since WWII, diplomacy has gone straight out the window, and countries respond with only sable rattling and bombs. This must stop.

 I discovered in one of the last conversations I had with my father that we come from a long line of Conscientious Objectors. The Bregenza brothers, my father's uncles, emigrated from Heidelberg, Germany to Australia at the outbreak of WWI.  Both men were university students at the time, protesting the fascism of Kaiser Wilhelm II and his tendencies to topple the Royal families of Europe and Russia. Refusing to enlist, they took passage through the Middle East, landing in Australia, far away from the conflict...or so they thought. On the Middleton side, my grandfather despised war and believed the whole conflict was a set-up, a mere disagreement between the Royal families and the rich, and wouldn’t have anything to do with it. He received a “white feather” in the mail, signifying his cowardice in the face of war.

Nevertheless, he stood his ground and avoided jail time. As luck would have it, my father was born when his body was not needed in any conflict, thus avoiding any military service. My father was also a pacifist.

 During my teaching period, we spent some time on Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. Since WWII, Australia will follow the US into any war without question; as a country, we know that if it were not for the “Yanks,” we would all be speaking Japanese. That being said, through various contacts, I had two Vietnam vets come to talk to my year 10 classes. One of the men was a conscientious objector. He explained to the students that he did not believe in war, particularly this one, and refused to go. The man was jailed for a year. The other man, a vet, described that war as a “circus of death” where no one knew who the enemy was, and the killing of men, women, and children felt free for all. This man, even after so many years, continued to have PTSD from his experiences.

 If you ask most Vets about their experiences, they refuse to talk about it. Since 9/11, following the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Veteran suicides are out the roof...not only in the US but Australia. Once these young men realize that their not “freeing” the people from tyranny, but intervening in sovereign nations for profit, understandably, their minds go...

 Fortunately, like my father, I was born when my assistance in these crimes was not needed. But yes, if confronted by conscription, I would gladly go to jail.

Peace is the only way to ensure the health and longevity of our planet.

War is a Crime.