1. Conscientious Objector
December 31, 2020
Warriors have always been needed to defend against
those who want to take away our freedoms. Those who
volunteer are to receive our deepest blessings and
support. From my formative years, I have always been an
advocate for free expression and speech, but that which is
mindful of individual ‘ego’s’, although being increasingly
provocative to the collective receiver with one of the intents being to encourage all to not be
imprisoned in the mind by negative interpretation of words. Having been for years doing free
speech displays, I’ve noticed that even with 3 words or less, most are hypnotized into a
negative reactionary state.
During the Vietnam war years when I was in college, I clearly did not take lightly to being forced
to kill people, especially when I did not understand why. Today, and for many years, I’ve found
it difficult to understand why people have chosen the decision to be part of harming or killing
thousands of lives. As perpetrators in Vietnam and losing 50,000 plus of our own, not to
mention ‘theirs’, plus years of lingering trauma to others, be they relatives, friends or strangers,
countless have been saddled with grief and helplessness.
At 18, I made the decision that I wanted no part of violence if it could be
avoided, especially that which I was ordered to do. For 4 years I attempted
to let my feelings be known to the government. I was told,
the possibilities were not good, and many thousands had
wanted to pursue that but were discouraged. Finally, I got a
hearing in a private room with military men of four armed
services. My wonderful dad, who was a WW 11 veteran of
the Navy, came to sit out in the lobby while not being too
sure of why I wanted the recognition. Shortly thereafter,
against a lot of odds, I received the status of Conscientious
Objector to not bear arms.
After 4 years, and legal counseling at the University of Oregon as well as a
medical clearance, I was called for induction in Portland, Or. That night I went
home to Eugene free to be me. All legal. If at all possible, each of us has choices. I
followed a more loving and open path that was a lot about freedom of choice. In spite of not
choosing military service, I do, greatly appreciate those who have defended our country so that
we have freedom of speech and expression. In a sense, I regard the continuing 27 years of
public free speech displays as being a ‘warrior for free speech’.
Whether in private or public, we all need to be more open, interactive, informed, positive and
loving, etc., in this greatest time of life, right now and here. Each of us is on stage to choose to
be a ‘superconscious human being’ leading others into the light of a new man and woman. All
limits have been lifted except to ones not in your imagination. Time to be free and open with
mindfulness and heart-fulness!
Arhata~
