UNIVERSITY
Anti-war students have alternative
By Meg Dedolph
Emerald Contributor
The situation in the Persian
Gulf and the possibility of a
draft is leading many students
to wonder if they could be con
sidered conscientious objectors
and thus ineligible for the
draft.
A conscientious objector is
anyone who objects to partici
pating in a war any because of
religious or moral beliefs.
Being a pacifist, or having
strong religious beliefs is no
longer necessary, said Marian
Malcolm, a member of Clergy
and laity Concerned, a Eugene
peace organization.
“You just have to he opposed
to participation in war in any
form that the U.S. can partici
pate in,” she said. "You need
to be able to prove that your
conscience would not allow
you rest if you were in the mili
tary."
Barbi Richardson, of the Se
lective Service Administration,
which oversees the registering
of men for the draft, said l>eing
opposed to a specific war is not
suitable qualification for con
scientious objector status, and
that to he considered a consci
entious objector, one must op
pose war on religious or ethical
grounds
To prove to a draft hoard that
one is a conscientious objector,
a file is usually recommended,
containing letters from famih
members, friends or clergymen
attesting to the person's anti
war position
Other items in the file < an in
clude anti war letters written to
Congressmen, or descriptions
of ways in which the person
has worked for peace, through
community service, or peace
groups.
Whether conscientious objei
tor status is actually granted
depends on the local draft
hoard considering the applica
tion. some boards being more
sympathetic to objectors than
others. Members of a draft
board are subjective. Malcolm
said.
"Some might think. "This
person is claiming to be a con
scientious objector to save him
self.' " she said.
The role of the Selective Ser
vice in the event of a draft is to
administer alternative service
programs for conscientious ob
jectors. and to provide raw
manpower to the Department of
Defense.
There are two types of con
scientious objectors as recog
nized by the Selective Service.
A conscientious objector can la
opposed to military duty but
willing to do civilian work, or
serve in a noncombatant posi
tion within the military The
government does not allow
people to refuse both civilian
and non-combatant military
work.
People who find themselves
opposed to some wars but not
to others may or may not re
ceive conscientious objector
status depending on the deci
sion of the local draft board
The type of const ientious oh
jector status a person is willing
to accept is a very individual
dei ision and one of personal
conscience. Malcolm said
If a person refuses to go into
the militarv and has not been
granted an exemption, the per
son is then classed as a dratt re
sister and ( an receive up to five
years in (ail and a $2at),IH)U
fine, although this is unlikely,
she said,
According to military litera
ture. the main problem with
applying for conscientious ob
jector status today is that a
draftee has only 10 days to file
for exemption status after re
driving a draft notice In prac
tice this could mean as few as
five or six days in which to put
together a conscientious objec
tor i laim. Previously, exemp
tions could be filed for on the
draft registration form
Hei ause of the limited time,
compiling a i nnscientious ob
jector file is something a person
should think about now. before
a draft is actually legislated.
Malcolm said.
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Among those considering ap
plication for conscientious ob
jector status is Dan Skinner, a
University sophomore
"I’ve always been a very
peaceful person, catching hugs
and .putting them outside in
stead of killing them, for exam
ple,” Skinner said "Ten of mv
fifteen years of education have
been in Catholic schools, and
I've been attending rallies and
No Gulf War Coalition meet
ings."
Skinner has considered alter
native service, but strictly in a
non-military capacity, as has
David Anderson, a graduali
st udent
"I know that I can't actually
pull the trigger." Anderson
said “But I feel that it I'm do
ing anything with the military.
even pushing papers. I'm sav
ing 'I can’t kill, but it's Ok if
other people do.'
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