Conscientious Objectors Day and Opposition to War

Conscientious Objectors Day and Opposition to War Today, 15 May 2022 is Conscientious Objectors Day when we remember all those brave men and women who have refused to kill their fellow beings. It takes great courage to stand out against the crowd and to say NO when everyone around you is calling upon you to support your Nation against those who are seen as your Nation’s enemy. The mass fall into line, even though it may be against their own long term interests. The International working class has no interest in killing each other. There is an alternative. As Marx urged upon people “Workers of the World Unite, You have nothing to lose but your chains” There was a time when to be king, you had to be a Warrior King, to lead your troops into battle, to be the bravest amongst the brave. Now the leaders of all Countries send their troops to do the fighting, they are nowhere near the battle lines. War changed during the Second World War when civilians became the front line of battle. Civilians, especially women, have always been victims of war, often in horrible circumstances, but the extent to which they were affected changed when cities such as London, Coventry, Dresden and Hamburg were saturation bombed during that War. The full horror of the attack on civilians was shown at Hiroshima and Nagasaki when, quite unnecessarily, because the War was virtually over, the atomic bombs were dropped on these cities, causing complete destruction. For this, there can be no excuse. Thus we see that the pattern of war was set by the Countries of the West. Subsequently we have witnessed the wars in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, the continuing war as Israel punishes the Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories. There is universal condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, quite rightly so. But this war could have been prevented if agreements reached at Minsk had been observed. The Russian people suffered greatly under the Natzi attack during World War Two, just as they had under Napoleon. They have reason to fear their vulnerability. But War is never the answer. So, today, we remember that small group of people who have stood up and said “No to War”. May their message go forth that life is more precious than anything else. It is said that we only pass this way once. In passing may we use all our endeavours to make life livable for all the people on this earth. SCRIBAR 15.5.22