International Conscientious Objectors’ Day

Courtesy of the Peace Abbey, Millis MA.

Material submitted by Lewis Randa, who received an honorable discharge as a conscientious objector from the military during the Vietnam War in 1971.

CO Memorial Stone at Cambridge Friends Meeting, Cambridge, MA. A gift from the Peace Abbey Foundation

May 15 is International Conscientious Objectors Day. Although conscientious objection to war is not a hot media topic today, respect, admiration, and appreciation for conscientious objectors (COs) will be expressed (mostly distally) around the world this Friday May 15; see here, for example.

The Peace Abbey, in Sherborn, MA, maintains a site that provides numerous materials regarding concientious objection, including historical information, a copy of the  National Registry form , and a rich discussion of pacifism, reprinted here:

Pacifism is opposition to war and violence. The word pacifism was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud (1864–1921) and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ahimsa (to do no harm), which is a core philosophy in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. While modern connotations are recent, having been explicated since the 19th century, ancient references abound.

In Christianity, Jesus Christ‘s injunction to “love your enemies” and asking for forgiveness for his crucifiers “for they know not what they do” have been interpreted as calling for pacifism. In modern times, interest was revived by Leo Tolstoy in his late works, particularly in The Kingdom of God Is Within YouMohandas Gandhi (1869–1948) propounded the practice of steadfast nonviolent opposition which he called “satyagraha“, instrumental in its role in the Indian Independence Movement. Its effectiveness served as inspiration to Martin Luther King Jr.James LawsonJames Bevel,[2] Thich Nhat Hanh[3] and many others in the 1950s and 1960s American Civil Rights Movement. Pacifism was widely associated with the much publicized image of Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989 with the “Tank Man“, where one protester stood in nonviolent opposition to a column of tanks.

Pacifism covers a spectrum of views, including the belief that international disputes can and should be peacefully resolved, calls for the abolition of the institutions of the military and war, opposition to any organization of society through governmental force (anarchist or libertarian pacifism), rejection of the use of physical violence to obtain political, economic or social goals, the obliteration of force, and opposition to violence under any circumstance, even defence of self and others. Historians of pacifism Peter Brock and Thomas Paul Socknat define pacifism “in the sense generally accepted in English-speaking areas” as “an unconditional rejection of all forms of warfare”.[4] Philosopher Jenny Teichman defines the main form of pacifism as “anti-warism”, the rejection of all forms of warfare.[5] Teichman’s beliefs have been summarized by Brian Orend as …’A pacifist rejects war and believes there are no moral grounds which can justify resorting to war. War, for the pacifist, is always wrong.’ In a sense the philosophy is based on the idea that the ends do not justify the means.[6]

Lewis Randa is a Quaker, pacifist, vegan, educator, and social change activist. He is the founder and director of The Life Experience School for children with disabilities (1972); The Peace Abbey, an Interfaith Center for the study and practice of Nonviolence and Pacifism (1988); The Special Peace Corps., an organization that provides community service programs for adults with mental challenges (1990); The Courage of Conscience Award, an international peace award for nonviolent contributions to peace and justice (1991); The National Registry for Conscientious Objection, a register for people of all ages to publicly state their refusal to participate in armed conflict (1992); The Pacifist Memorial, a national monument honoring pacifists throughout history (1994); The Veganpeace Animal Sanctuary, a safe haven for animals that have escaped from slaughterhouses following the rescue of Emily the Cow (1995); Stonewalk, a global peace walk that involves physically pulling a two-ton memorial stone for Unknown Civilians Killed in War (Documentary shown on PBS) (1999 – 2005); Citycare, an empowerment program for the homeless (2000); R.A.T.C., the college-based Reserve Activist Training Corps; and The Lavender House, a Group Home for adults with disabilities (2002).

Look what’s happening right in MA

Anti-nuclear Protest, Boston, MA, USA. 1977. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Derzsi Elekes Andor.

By  Cole Harrison, Massachusetts Peace Action

Note from Kathie MM: Massachusetts Peace Action is very active on behalf of peace and social justice. Here are some of their upcoming activities.

Palestine to Detroit-Flint Photo Exhibit

PARALLELS EXIST BETWEEN THE REGIONS of Palestine and two Michigan cities regarding water rights, namely access, testing, purity, pricing, sanitation, distribution, and disposal….Find out more »

March 25 @ 12:15 pm – April 30 @ 12:15 pm

Cambridge Friends Meeting, 5 Longfellow Park  Cambridge,  Google Map

 

 

The World Is Over-Armed and Peace Is Under-Funded

April 14 @ 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

Walpole Common, 5 West st  Walpole, MA United States + Google Map

Walpole Tax Day Rally for Peace and Economic Justice:  the   will hold a Tax Day Rally at the Gazebo on the Walpole Common. Find out more »

Tax Day Rally

April 14 @ 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Cambridge Common, Garden Street and Appian Way  Cambridge, MA 02138 + Google Map

Time to stand up for our values and priorities! President Trump’s tax bill is ensuring billions of dollars in profits to large corporations– and peanuts to working people…. Find out more »

Rethinking the Nuclear Weapons Issue

April 15 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

First Church in Cambridge – Harter Room, 11 Garden Street  Cambridge, MA 02138 + Google Map

Come and hear a stimulating talk on a life-and-death issue. Dr. Elaine Scarry will present a basic review of the current US policy on nuclear issues.… Find out more »

Discussion of the Poor People’s Campaign

April 15 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St  Watertown, MA 02472 + Google Map

What is the Poor People’s Campaign? Why is there A National Call for Moral Revival? Find out more »

Shout Heard Round the World

April 16 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Lexington Common National Historic Site, 1875 Massachusetts Avenue  Lexington, MA United States + Google Map

SHOUT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD Or just a whisper at Hanscom Field as drums and fifes sound patriotic tunes elsewhere this coming Patriots Day?  …Find out more »

Recognizing Ourselves in Today’s Migrants and Refugees: The Need to Take Action Against Racism and Xenophobia

April 22 @ 1:00 pm

Cambridge Friends Meeting, 5 Longfellow Park  Cambridge, + Google Map

A Talk with Oscar A. Chacón, Executive Director, Alianza Americas….Find out more »

Rally for Palestine!–Education Under Occupation

April 22 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Boston Common – Park St, Tremont & Park Streets  Boston, MA 02108 United States + Google Map

As students living in the United States on the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, we raise our voices and our fists in solidarity with our student counterparts in Palestine….Find out more »

Walk for Water 5K in Support of Palestinian Refugees

April 28 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

450 Kendall St, Cambridge, MA

In times of crisis, a healthy environment provides a sense of stability. 1for3 is a Boston-based non-profit organization working to promote health, education, and the environment for Palestinian refugees….Find out more »

Combatants for Peace

April 28 @ 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Belmont/Watertown United Methodist Church, 421 Common St  Belmont, MA 02478 + Google Map

In 2006, Israeli and Palestinian former combatants laid down their weapons and established Combatants for Peace….. Combatants for Peace were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, 2017. Two Combatants… Find out more »

Workshop on Nuclear Ban Treaty Compliance

May 6 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

14 Sterling St, Newton, MA

Good news!  There’s a new Nobel Peace Prize-winning Nuclear Ban Treaty, already agreed by 122 countries, that makes these WMDs illegal.  Come learn how YOU can compel divestment, legislation, and enforcement here in the US. For more information: Call Joan Ecklein: 617 244-8054  Find out more »

Peace Partners 2018: 22nd Annual Mother’s Day Walk

May 13 @ 8:00 am

Town Field Park, 1520 Dorchester Avenue  Dorchester, MA 02122 United States + Google Map

22ND ANNUAL MOTHER’S DAY WALK FOR PEACE DIGNITY AND COMPASSION FOR ALL MAPA/WILPF registrants: Follow this registration link and find “Peace Partners 2018” in the Teams field. Contact Claire Gosselin at claireg53@gmail.com for questions.   Donation Page: https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/lbdpeace/campaign.jsp?campaign=33&fundraiser=26525&  The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace is a celebration of our potential to create more peaceful communities. Find out more »

Visit our website to learn more about joining the organization.

Massachusetts Peace Action, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 617-354-2169  • info@masspeaceaction.org • Follow us on Facebook or Twitter