Western Front - 1980 February 22

              VOL. 72, NO. 12 WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1980
Registration is protested
with a petition and song;
• 'And it's one, two, three,
What're we fightin'for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a
damn,
Next stop's Afghanistan.
And it's five, six, seven, open
up the pearly gates
Ain't no time to wonder
why, <
Whoopee! We're all gonna
die.'
Approximately 130 people
protesting President Carter's
proposed draft registration
gathered in Red Square last
Friday then marched to down­town
Bellingham to deliver a
letter presenting their views to
U.S. Congressman Al Swift's
office:
Swift is the Democratic 2nd
District representative.
The protestors gathered at
the front door of the Federal
building and sang, "Ail we are
saying is give peace a chance,"
the chorus from ex-Beatle John
Lennon's song, "Give Peace A
Chance."
The protestors were greeted
by Bill McDonald, Swift's
north district director.
Student Edwin Loftus then
read the letter aloud: "We the
undersigned, with all sincerity,
wish to register our opposition
to the proposed mandatory reg­istration
of any of our people in
preparation for compulsory
military service.
"We will sacrifice willingly
for the cause of peace. But we
will not, nor will we call upon
anyone else to sacrifice even a
part of their lives in unwilling
service to the machine of war."
The crowd cheered when
Loftus finished. They quieted
as Loftus gave the letter to
McDonald.
"I thank you for your devo­tion
and orderliness getting
down here, and I will give the
letter to Al Swift," McDonald
said.
The letter was signed by 171
people at the rally prior to the
march.
At 2:45 p.m. 16 young men
and women stood around
Fisher Fountain and started to
sing.
They had sung about three
songs and began the "Fixin' to
Die Rag" as 2 p.m. classes were
over.
Soon many people gathered
and .sang an updated version of
the song:
And it's one, two, three,
What're wefightin'for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a
damn,
Next stop's Afghanistan.
And it's five, six, seven, open
up the pearly gates •
Ain 't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! We'reall gonna die'.
Then Peter Fromm, a con­scientious
objector, spoke. He
said he was granted conscien­tious
objector status during the
Vietnam war by writing IStters
to government officials saying
he would rather go to jail than
serve.
"It's not an easy thing to do
when a country is taking your
peers to war," Fromm said, ref­erring
to his attempt to gain-conscientious
objector status.
He said if people felt they
should help their country, they
should do so without remorse.
The choice should be left up
to the individual, he said.
—Jon Larson
ANTI-DRAFT REGISTRA­TION
petition (above) is signed
in Red Square last Friday, then
delivered to Bill McDonald by
Edwin Loftus (above left). A por­tion
of the 130 protesters (right)
march down Holly Street, (pho­tos
by Charles Loop)
CCM offers draft counsel for students
Students confused by the recent an­nouncement
of a proposed draft rein­statement
by President Carter may be
searching for answers to moral ques­tions
about the draft and war. A local
organization provides the resources to
help answer those questions.
Campus Christian Ministry (CCM)
offers information and help with the
moral aspects of the draft. Also.offered
is knowledge on how to obtain
conscientious objector status.
Counselors at CCM emphasize that
now is the time to establish a position
or way of thinking on what actions to
take in the event the draft does occur.
"For those who want to establish
conscientious objector status, the
sooner they start establishing their sta­tus
the better," said Mary Beth O'Neill
of CCM. She advised a notarized letter
declaring CO. status and additional let­ters
of support from relatives and oth­ers
indicating that the person had pre­viously
been opposed to war in
thought and speech.
"The more unlikely the source of the
letter the better," she said. She sug­gested
that a letter from a person in
disagreement, such as a military officer,
would be ideal.
O'Neill also suggested that status
should be filed at a home church, or at
CCM for those without church
affiliation.
Steve Meineke of CCM, a conscien­tious
objector during the Vietnam War,
stressed the importance of establishing
a position concerning the draft.
"Everyone owes it to themselves to
"You've got to know exactly how to
present a case to the board," Meineke
said. "You need to know to What extent
you would use violence to defend your­self."
Being a pacifist and a conscienti­ous
objector are not necessarily the
same thing, he said. Someone may be
'Everyone owes it to themselves
to think through the issues,
regardless of whether there is a
draft or not.9
think through the issues," regardless of
whether there is a draft or not," Mei­neke
said.
Even if a person decides to fight, he
should know why, Meineke said. He
added that more is at stake than the
:;draft issue. He said it was a challenge
for him and an opportunity to figure
out who he was and to defend what he
found.
Meineke rejected non-combatant sta­tus
after deciding that he could not help
someone merely to return to his
destructive duties.
against war if he is a CO. but still use
'violence to defend his family or
property.
People should ask themselves
whether they would participate in a war
and if so, to what extent, Meineke said.
"You can be ready and willing to
tackle these issues any time," he said.
Meineke said his brother did not
make up his mind not to fight in the
Vietnam War, and is now suffering
emotional problems because he failedto
come to a decision.
Don Werner of CCM said the minis­try
is counseling several people a day
with questions'concerning the draft.
Information now is lacking, Werner
said, "but we are trying to pool our
resources."
He said some information is being •
supplied by the Seattle Draft Counsel­ling
Center, but unless the draft takes
effect, it will be difficult to get addi­tional
details.
"My interest is in taking a neutral po­sition
in counseling," Werner said. He
said he will challenge people regardless
(of whether they decide to fight or
obtain CO. status.
; Werner urges people to make deci­sions
right now before the draft takes
effect.
' "Some students won't believe they're
going to be drafted until their friends
.are," he said. "Others are angry because
jthey feel their plans are being
(interrupted."
1 Werner advised students unsure
! about what is happening, that an organ­ization
called Students Concerned
about The Draft exists at Western,
i Werner suggested students talk to Greg
ISobel of Associated Students about the
(organization.
I —Bill Gibson