Supporting Resistors and Conscientious Objectors
Around the world,
support has been growing to recognize conscientious
objection as a human right. Already, UN resolutions
recognize an individual’s right to conscientious
objection.
For instance, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights
in 1987 declared "conscientious objection to
military service to be a legitimate exercise of the
right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion
set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights." However, these resolutions, backed by
the United States, are not legally binding on governments.
In many countries, conscientious objectors face severe
consequences.
In your community, you can begin raising these issues
and declaring your support for present or potential
members of the military who resist war:
- The legal process of supporting draft or military
resisters/conscientious objectors is quite complicated.
There are organizations (see resource section)
that can help provide training if you are interested
in becoming a counselor.
- It is critical that COs and other military resisters
have support beyond the few people trained as
counselors. Raising questions with young people
before they ever join the military is one way
of doing this. Let them know that there are alternatives.
- If the United States goes to war against Iraq,
people within the military opposed to the war
will have an extremely difficult time. Do outreach
to the media and to your community, raising issues
around conscientious objection, letting the public
know that military resisters are not traitors
or cowards.
- Become informed on what Catholic teaching (and
other faiths) say about conscientious objection.
Share this information with your parish, through
leaflets or announcements in the bulletin.
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