"I don't know how I'm going to live with myself if I don't stay true to what I believe."
Those were the words uttered by Medal-of-Honor recipient Desmond Doss in the 2016 hit film Hacksaw Ridge.
Why am I able to relate to this quote so well? What do Desmond Doss and myself have in common?
We're both Conscientious Objectors, and this is my story.
Joining the military can be a decision that is flooded with pride. Whenever I joined in 2015, I was quickly reminded that I was part of less than 1% of the American population that will join. It was a title that I was eager to accept. I was lead to believe that what I was doing was virtuous and was for a greater good. Any questions about the nature of war and the loss of life were quickly swept under the rug.
After finishing basic training, myself and my peers were shown a video of a drone strike in the Middle East that took the lives of at least several innocent civilians. It was an experience that I will never forget.
A burst of thoughts and emotions were flowing through me. Is it really okay for things like that to take place? Did those people really deserve to die? Can we really just dismiss it as "collateral damage"?
These were the thoughts that were running in the background when I was introduced to the Non-Aggression Principle. The foundation of Libertarianism.
Through speakers and writers such as Ron Paul, Stefan Molyneux, and Murray Rothbard, I was introduced to the principles of Libertarianism. Self-ownership, Non-Aggression, and property rights became part of my automatic thinking. The implications this had for my military service were staggering.
War is a state of armed conflict between states or countries, not individual people. As a result, it is inevitable that individual people within those states or countries will have violence initiated against them. This remains true even if they are completely innocent. The moral principles that I believe in are incompatible with supporting war.
Looking back, learning about the moral principles that underlie Libertarianism simply gave words to what I already knew in my heart: The institution and mission that I was supporting was wrong.
In February 2016, I submitted my application for Conscientious Objector status. Met with resistance and many hoops to jump through, I persevered and my application was just approved last week. I am being honorably discharged. It is quite possibly the happiest moment of my life.
A victory for myself and a victory for freedom.
Today I heard this and I want to pass it through it to you.
Thank you for your service to humanity (by quitting)
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wonderful film and wonderful message. a few films I saw recently inspired these thoughts on my part.
There will not be another Jesus, Gandhi, John Lennon, JFK or Mother Theresa. No one will come to answer the questions, to take responsibility from other people on their own fragile shoulders. No one will be there suffering for others to save them.
Times have changed. We have all the answers now if we have the courage to accept them. Thanks to the Internet, anyone who really wants to find them can find them. It is neither honest nor realistic for anyone to expect the government, a neighbor or any public figure to solve all our problems or lead the way.
Because they once lived among us, all of them ~ Jesus, Gandhii, Mother Theresa, et al are a part of us. It is up to us, then, as individuals to be the provider of our own answers and to avoid the attempts of others to manipulate us by fear or intimidation.
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Thank you for the great reply.
Can you tell me which film you mean?
Because I heard someone say it in his speech. And it was not in a film. Now I'm curious :)
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Number of films. JFK then “Jackie” with Natalie Portman and her discussion with the priest when she was in search of answers. I wrote this bit to NSJour before probably you could read there but mainly all these thoughts are in the air. :) Also Depeche Mode Personal Jesus song. We can have one inside if to listen to.I appreciate this article @ibeagoodman
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