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as they fight those who seek to destroy the freedom and liberty you profess to value so much. They will willingly leave their families to defend your freedom so that you don't have to do something against your beliefs.

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A 1971 United States Supreme Court decision broadened U.S. rules beyond religious belief but denied the inclusion of objections to specific wars as grounds for conscientious objection.Some, desiring to include the objection to specific wars, distinguish between wars of offensive aggression and wars of defense.Some contend that religious, moral, or ethical opposition to war need not be absolute or consistent but may depend on circumstance or political conviction.

Currently, the U.S. Selective Service System states, "Beliefs which qualify a registrant for conscientious objector status may be religious in nature, but don't have to be. Beliefs may be moral or ethical; however, a man's reasons for not wanting to participate in a war must not be based on politics, expediency, or self-interest. In general, the man's lifestyle prior to making his claim must reflect his current claims." In the US, this applies to primary claims, that is, those filed on initial SSS registration. On the other hand, those who apply after either having registered without filing, and/or having attempted or effected a deferral, are specifically required to demonstrate a discrete and documented change in belief, including a precipitant, that converted a non-CO to a CO. The male reference is due to the current "male only" basis for conscription in the United States.

In the United States, there are two main criteria for classification as a conscientious objector. First, the objector must be opposed to war in any form, Gillette v. United States, 401 U.S. 437. Second, the objection must be sincere, Witmer v. United States, 348 U.S. 375. That he must show that this opposition is based upon religious training and belief was no longer a criterion after cases broadened it to include non-religious moral belief, United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163 and Welsh v. United States, 398 U.S. 333. COs willing to perform non-combatant military functions are classed 1-A-O by the U.S.; those unwilling to serve at all are 1-O.

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Disabled men, clergymen, and men who believe themselves to be conscientiously opposed to war must register because there is no draft in effect, nor is there a program to classify men at this time. Should the Congress and the President reinstate a draft, a classification program would begin. Registrants would be examined to determine suitability for military service, and they would also have ample time to claim exemptions, deferments, or postponements. To be inducted, men would have to meet the physical, mental, and administrative standards established by the military services. Local Boards would meet in every American community to determine exemptions and deferments for clergymen, ministerial students, and men who file claims for reclassification as conscientious objectors.

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A conscientious objector is one who is opposed to serving in the armed forces and/or bearing arms on the grounds of moral or religious principles.

HOW TO APPLY
In general, once a man gets a notice that he has been found qualified for military service, he has the opportunity to make a claim for classification as a conscientious objector (CO). A registrant making a claim for Conscientious Objection is required to appear before his local board to explain his beliefs.

He may provide written documentation or include personal appearances by people he knows who can attest to his claims. His written statement might explain:

how he arrived at his beliefs; and

the influence his beliefs have had on how he lives his life.

The local board will decide whether to grant or deny a CO classification based on the evidence a registrant has presented.

A man may appeal a Local Board's decision to a Selective Service District Appeal Board. If the Appeal Board also denies his claim, but the vote is not unanimous, he may further appeal the decision to the National Appeal Board. See also Classifications.

WHO QUALIFIES?
Beliefs which qualify a registrant for CO status may be religious in nature, but don't have to be. Beliefs may be moral or ethical; however, a man's reasons for not wanting to participate in a war must not be based on politics, expediency, or self-interest. In general, the man's lifestyle prior to making his claim must reflect his current claims.

SERVICE AS A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
Two types of service are available to conscientious objectors, and the type assigned is determined by the individual's specific beliefs. The person who is opposed to any form of military service will be assigned to Alternative Service - described below. The person whose beliefs allow him to serve in the military but in a noncombatant capacity will serve in the Armed Forces but will not be assigned training or duties that include using weapons.
ALTERNATIVE SERVICE
Conscientious Objectors opposed to serving in the military will be placed in the Selective Service Alternative Service Program. This program attempts to match COs with local employers. Many types of jobs are available, however the job must be deemed to make a meaningful contribution to the maintenance of the national health, safety, and interest. Examples of Alternative Service are jobs in:

conservation

caring for the very young or very old

education

health care

Length of service in the program will equal the amount of time a man would have served in the military, usually 24 months.

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ORIGINAL: GodandGuns

i still dont see where the draft is at? last draft was close to 40 years ago. is there something brewing in the minds of the complete idiots in office today that some are privy to?

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Have you people ever heard of concientious objection?

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Sort of like, you must wear a seat belt, and if you choose not to, there are consequences.

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ORIGINAL: GraceyGirl
When you register for selective service, you have an opportunity then to register as a concientious objector.

From the SSS site:

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Disabled men, clergymen, and men who believe themselves to be conscientiously opposed to war must register because there is no draft in effect, nor is there a program to classify men at this time. Should the Congress and the President reinstate a draft, a classification program would begin. Registrants would be examined to determine suitability for military service, and they would also have ample time to claim exemptions, deferments, or postponements. To be inducted, men would have to meet the physical, mental, and administrative standards established by the military services. Local Boards would meet in every American community to determine exemptions and deferments for clergymen, ministerial students, and men who file claims for reclassification as conscientious objectors.

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ORIGINAL: Tarox




Posts: 638
Joined: 2/18/2009
Status: online Draft? No thanks.

I like the US, but not enough to die for it. A lot of hooplah gets made about how soldiers sacrifice themselves for our rights to speak out against the country, and I don't think I want to throw my life away for the rights of people like Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, etc.

No, I'm not a patriot, obviously. I don't think that's a character flaw. I just have different values.

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ORIGINAL: rcjames

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ORIGINAL: Tarox




Posts: 638
Joined: 2/18/2009
Status: online Draft? No thanks.

I like the US, but not enough to die for it. A lot of hooplah gets made about how soldiers sacrifice themselves for our rights to speak out against the country, and I don't think I want to throw my life away for the rights of people like Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, etc.

No, I'm not a patriot, obviously. I don't think that's a character flaw. I just have different values.

Evidently you do not believe in free speech, so what values do you have?


Thanks
RC

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Tarox
Draft? No thanks.

I like the US, but not enough to die for it. A lot of hooplah gets made about how soldiers sacrifice themselves for our rights to speak out against the country, and I don't think I want to throw my life away for the rights of people like Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, etc.

No, I'm not a patriot, obviously. I don't think that's a character flaw. I just have different values.

I would probably move to a different country as opposed to going to jail.

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as for you wanting out because you feel the war in iraq is wrong. you apparently wasnt around to see the people hugging soldiers because of getting a genocidal maniac out of control. never had the kids play pick up soccer games. nah they werent happy.

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ORIGINAL: Saltlight_2188

That "piece of wasted air" is still your commander in chief. Like it or not. Respect the position, if you can't respect the man.

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You can thank thousands, no millions of America soldiers for fighting and dying to give you the right to publically speak your mind.

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ORIGINAL: RJR_fan

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You can thank thousands, no millions of America soldiers for fighting and dying to give you the right to publically speak your mind.

I'm sorry, I missed something here. How did Americans dying in Europe's tribal squabbles connect in any way to my freedom of speech? Isn't the converse usually true? Isn't freedom of speech restricted when the war makers decide it's time to enrich themselves a little more at our expense? At the price of the expendable, disposable, lives, limbs, families and minds of us non-elite suckers?

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You're right. You missed it. Thanks to the elitist left, self esteem espousing educators, you missed it.

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WAR is a racket. It always has been.

It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.

In the World War [I] a mere handful garnered the profits of the conflict. At least 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires were made in the United States during the World War. That many admitted their huge blood gains in their income tax returns. How many other war millionaires falsified their tax returns no one knows.

How many of these war millionaires shouldered a rifle? How many of them dug a trench? How many of them knew what it meant to go hungry in a rat-infested dug-out? How many of them spent sleepless, frightened nights, ducking shells and shrapnel and machine gun bullets? How many of them parried a bayonet thrust of an enemy? How many of them were wounded or killed in battle?

Out of war nations acquire additional territory, if they are victorious. They just take it. This newly acquired territory promptly is exploited by the few – the selfsame few who wrung dollars out of blood in the war. The general public shoulders the bill.

And what is this bill?

This bill renders a horrible accounting. Newly placed gravestones. Mangled bodies. Shattered minds. Broken hearts and homes. Economic instability. Depression and all its attendant miseries. Back-breaking taxation for generations and generations.

For a great many years, as a soldier, I had a suspicion that war was a racket; not until I retired to civil life did I fully realize it. Now that I see the international war clouds gathering, as they are today, I must face it and speak out.

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Only the grossly naïve still think that those fighting and dying in Iraq are doing so for our freedoms or to keep us safe from terrorism. The truth is rather that since the war on terrorism began our freedoms have steadily deteriorated and we have created more terrorists.

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ORIGINAL: CT23

If Selective Service exists and men are forced to sign up for it at 18, women should too.

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If Selective Service exists and men are forced to sign up for it at 18, women should too.

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ORIGINAL: RJR_fan

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If Selective Service exists and men are forced to sign up for it at 18, women should too.

IS a country that hides behind the skirts of its mothers, daughters, and sisters worth defending?