I am proud to be a conscientious objector! Today is International Conscientious Objectors' Day. Its annual celebration began in 1982. This year's special emphasis is support for war resisters in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The history of official conscientious objection traces back to 295 CE, when Maximilian claimed that his Christian faith prevented him from serving in the Roman military. I was not aware of my own pacifist views when I registered with the Selective Service around 1971, but I wish now that I had certified myself as a "CO." In the absence of a military draft there is no particular reason to worry about affirming this status, but it must be understood as both a statement against participating in armed conflict and as a justification for rejecting Selective Service registration at all. My tie is decorated in red/white/blue peace symbols and a dove of peace.
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