Incident 2 Military Draft Analysis
Event 2: Military Draft
1) What was your reaction to the draft and the possibility of being drafted? How did you view your future?
I was scared shitless, nervous, oh god so scared. I didn’t ever think of my future. My God, there wasn’t even time to think more then a week into the future. Can you imagine having to think about the possibility of becoming a murder against all your beliefs, God, how badly I thought about it at night and how scared it made me.
2) How did you avoid being drafted?
I appeal numerous draft notices for several years thru my student deferment.
When I received the 2 draft notices in a week, & the draft board took away my student deferment, my parents suggested I go to live in Canada with my cousin.
3) What was your attitude on war before you were threatened with being drafted? …show more content…
I wasn’t really aware.
It took me being drafted to really know I guess. When I was in high school I guess I can’t recall the war I didn’t pay attention cause it didn’t effect me which is kind of ironic seem I got so big in protest at a later point in time. I remember "The Ballad of the Green Berets" being on the damn radio though. I registered with the draft on my 18th birthday, a few weeks after graduating high school. Then I moved south. Then I remember having to apply for my student deferment. That’s when my attitude of the war at least became known to myself, I was scared and angry.
4) Do you believe that your life would have been different had the draft not happened?
Well, yeah. I’m sure everyone thinks
that.
The draft caused a lot of things to happen. Even if you were not drafted you life was effected by it. Everything about the time changed.
One cant even being to imagine how their lives could have been different.
I remember thinking I would be something like my secret dreams of being a doctor but I wasn’t smart enough for that I think so maybe that would never have happen anyways. Some dreams are meant to stay dreams. Heck, if you ever accomplish one of your “dreams” realize that you took a moment to make a decision in make that dream a goal and you sought out the opportunities to make it happen. Dreams mostly just stay dreams.
I think I got off track.
Well, so I thought I was on this great path you know college career and everything. Maybe I would have been a teacher, I think I could have done that. But my life became, I don’t know, alienated. Wrong. Nothing like being a middle class college kid and ending up a hippie with out a home. I was a dirt worker garbage man type job. Not what I picture for myself at all. But I ended up there. That was my life. I was confused. I was a hippie, making me an outcast which means getting a normal job was not going to happen. You probably think this is crazy.
Event 3: Civil Rights Injustice:
1) With in our brief discussion to pick the three topics you mentioned you also stood behind and supported civil right in the 60’s. Being aware of black lives matter happening now do you feel there is a parallel to that during the 60s, and do you support it?
I have to say, I think its different. I guess maybe I don’t know because I’m not directly apart of it, I’m not as lively now then when I was young but, it feels different. I do admire the cause and courage of these young people of today. But the approach, from what I have seen on the television, I disagree with. You know, we had these larger figures that rose that influenced us. Martin Luther King jr.of course being one. We were non violent. NON violent, change by love and coming together. It worked. I wish the people today can learn from history. History is repeating itself, so take the same approach. Violence is going to make it worse. Its going to cause damage to all that my generation work hard to change. Non violent wasn’t easy but….
God I don’t even know what to say…. I Just wish the people standing up today weren’t ignoring what history taught. I saw burning and looting going on in my television, was is that going to do, what is that going to change other then ruining towns and lives of people that are innocent. Heck boycott, we boycotted we didn’t set things into flames. I had a friend who led protest by prayer and spirituals. Maybe that could be the next priorities of Black lives matter. Instead of destruction and bad language and violence. Maybe some will just call me old fashioned but it worked once, it should work again. People just don’t value things the same today. Things are going to get so bad before people start opening their eyes.
I can go on and on.
People should stand up for change, but not in the way they are.
Value the human life.
2) To what extend do you believe the civil rights movement was shaped by college students, like myself in todays world?
Don’t take this the wrong way but, people were way less selfish. I remember it like people dropping their person aspirations and goals to really come together for one unified cause. You can say you guys do the same but it wasn’t this weekend contribution to change. No, it was apart of your being to make the change happen, you thought about it daily, you were apart of organizing something. People left there studies and came together with local leaders to organize a change. I’m not exaggerating, people put themselves a side to work at something greater. Imagine if we had all continued to do that over the years and today. So yeah, the young college student sure the heck made a difference. I like to think that the sacrifices made by college student at this, hopefully later shaped their careers. 3) Do you think many young people in the time of civil rights injustice wanted to take part, if so, why do think so many young people decided to become activist?
Yes, I do think so. Because so many people were apart of it. I mean It drew even young children like 12, teenagers, and young adults into it. Why did so many young people decide to become activists ?.... well I think we were shaped by our elders in many cases, not me though. That and in a way it was exciting to be apart of. Sound kind of odd but it was. It was an exciting time to be apart of even though it was sad and scary too. A side from it being exciting I think people opened there eyes and accepted to see what was wrong and saw that coming together can make a difference and that it was time to make a difference.
Back to you saying people were shaped by their elders, you said not you, why did you say that?
For me I came to it on my own, I don’t really remember how but I’m glad I did and I was apart of it. I lost my father over it. He didn’t approve of my decision in that.
My granddaughter is in an interracial relationship in todays time where it is accepted much more. I don’t mind it at all but I always think on how my father would have reacted to something like that. Even if I didn’t agree I couldn’t imagine losing my daughter over it I cant believe my father wouldn’t speak to me for years and years
You know, I loved that my wife made sure one of the first songs my grandchildren learn when babies was “Jesus loves the little children, red and yellow, black and white.” Silly, I know but its still and issue today and I don’t want them to have the wrong mind about people.
4) While people lives were being threated during this time, and as you believed in non violence, do you think there had to be balance between nonviolence philosophy and self defense? Or can you speak about your thoughts on that?
Um, well I guess I never really thought about that before. I like to believe the success came from civil rights people that stood by nonviolent protest in the masses. Literally loving your enemy at this time. Being peaceful in all circumstances. Of course there were other people that didn’t agree with that. I mean lives were threaten just as you said. There use to be news articles about polices dogs attacking small children that took part in the peaceful sit ins…. 12 year olds. Some people us as trying to win them over with gaining sympathy and HOPEFULLY changing attitude of those who attacked us.. Nonviolence…. How do you grapple with it in the face of our lives being threatened. I don’t know. I guess we hope the other side would do the right thing the other side being the force. People thought non violence wouldn’t work, I think it did. Maybe that what people today think, that it won’t work. I’m sure their were people that armed their selves for self protection, that wasn’t uncommon specially in the south at this time. But that not the answer today because people don't care enough not to use a gun without thinking today.
1) What was your reaction to the draft and the possibility of being drafted? How did you view your future?
I was scared shitless, nervous, oh god so scared. I didn’t ever think of my future. My God, there wasn’t even time to think more then a week into the future. Can you imagine having to think about the possibility of becoming a murder against all your beliefs, God, how badly I thought about it at night and how scared it made me.
2) How did you avoid being drafted?
I appeal numerous draft notices for several years thru my student deferment.
When I received the 2 draft notices in a week, & the draft board took away my student deferment, my parents suggested I go to live in Canada with my cousin.
3) What was your attitude on war before you were threatened with being drafted? …show more content…
I wasn’t really aware.
It took me being drafted to really know I guess. When I was in high school I guess I can’t recall the war I didn’t pay attention cause it didn’t effect me which is kind of ironic seem I got so big in protest at a later point in time. I remember "The Ballad of the Green Berets" being on the damn radio though. I registered with the draft on my 18th birthday, a few weeks after graduating high school. Then I moved south. Then I remember having to apply for my student deferment. That’s when my attitude of the war at least became known to myself, I was scared and angry.
4) Do you believe that your life would have been different had the draft not happened?
Well, yeah. I’m sure everyone thinks
that.
The draft caused a lot of things to happen. Even if you were not drafted you life was effected by it. Everything about the time changed.
One cant even being to imagine how their lives could have been different.
I remember thinking I would be something like my secret dreams of being a doctor but I wasn’t smart enough for that I think so maybe that would never have happen anyways. Some dreams are meant to stay dreams. Heck, if you ever accomplish one of your “dreams” realize that you took a moment to make a decision in make that dream a goal and you sought out the opportunities to make it happen. Dreams mostly just stay dreams.
I think I got off track.
Well, so I thought I was on this great path you know college career and everything. Maybe I would have been a teacher, I think I could have done that. But my life became, I don’t know, alienated. Wrong. Nothing like being a middle class college kid and ending up a hippie with out a home. I was a dirt worker garbage man type job. Not what I picture for myself at all. But I ended up there. That was my life. I was confused. I was a hippie, making me an outcast which means getting a normal job was not going to happen. You probably think this is crazy.
Event 3: Civil Rights Injustice:
1) With in our brief discussion to pick the three topics you mentioned you also stood behind and supported civil right in the 60’s. Being aware of black lives matter happening now do you feel there is a parallel to that during the 60s, and do you support it?
I have to say, I think its different. I guess maybe I don’t know because I’m not directly apart of it, I’m not as lively now then when I was young but, it feels different. I do admire the cause and courage of these young people of today. But the approach, from what I have seen on the television, I disagree with. You know, we had these larger figures that rose that influenced us. Martin Luther King jr.of course being one. We were non violent. NON violent, change by love and coming together. It worked. I wish the people today can learn from history. History is repeating itself, so take the same approach. Violence is going to make it worse. Its going to cause damage to all that my generation work hard to change. Non violent wasn’t easy but….
God I don’t even know what to say…. I Just wish the people standing up today weren’t ignoring what history taught. I saw burning and looting going on in my television, was is that going to do, what is that going to change other then ruining towns and lives of people that are innocent. Heck boycott, we boycotted we didn’t set things into flames. I had a friend who led protest by prayer and spirituals. Maybe that could be the next priorities of Black lives matter. Instead of destruction and bad language and violence. Maybe some will just call me old fashioned but it worked once, it should work again. People just don’t value things the same today. Things are going to get so bad before people start opening their eyes.
I can go on and on.
People should stand up for change, but not in the way they are.
Value the human life.
2) To what extend do you believe the civil rights movement was shaped by college students, like myself in todays world?
Don’t take this the wrong way but, people were way less selfish. I remember it like people dropping their person aspirations and goals to really come together for one unified cause. You can say you guys do the same but it wasn’t this weekend contribution to change. No, it was apart of your being to make the change happen, you thought about it daily, you were apart of organizing something. People left there studies and came together with local leaders to organize a change. I’m not exaggerating, people put themselves a side to work at something greater. Imagine if we had all continued to do that over the years and today. So yeah, the young college student sure the heck made a difference. I like to think that the sacrifices made by college student at this, hopefully later shaped their careers. 3) Do you think many young people in the time of civil rights injustice wanted to take part, if so, why do think so many young people decided to become activist?
Yes, I do think so. Because so many people were apart of it. I mean It drew even young children like 12, teenagers, and young adults into it. Why did so many young people decide to become activists ?.... well I think we were shaped by our elders in many cases, not me though. That and in a way it was exciting to be apart of. Sound kind of odd but it was. It was an exciting time to be apart of even though it was sad and scary too. A side from it being exciting I think people opened there eyes and accepted to see what was wrong and saw that coming together can make a difference and that it was time to make a difference.
Back to you saying people were shaped by their elders, you said not you, why did you say that?
For me I came to it on my own, I don’t really remember how but I’m glad I did and I was apart of it. I lost my father over it. He didn’t approve of my decision in that.
My granddaughter is in an interracial relationship in todays time where it is accepted much more. I don’t mind it at all but I always think on how my father would have reacted to something like that. Even if I didn’t agree I couldn’t imagine losing my daughter over it I cant believe my father wouldn’t speak to me for years and years
You know, I loved that my wife made sure one of the first songs my grandchildren learn when babies was “Jesus loves the little children, red and yellow, black and white.” Silly, I know but its still and issue today and I don’t want them to have the wrong mind about people.
4) While people lives were being threated during this time, and as you believed in non violence, do you think there had to be balance between nonviolence philosophy and self defense? Or can you speak about your thoughts on that?
Um, well I guess I never really thought about that before. I like to believe the success came from civil rights people that stood by nonviolent protest in the masses. Literally loving your enemy at this time. Being peaceful in all circumstances. Of course there were other people that didn’t agree with that. I mean lives were threaten just as you said. There use to be news articles about polices dogs attacking small children that took part in the peaceful sit ins…. 12 year olds. Some people us as trying to win them over with gaining sympathy and HOPEFULLY changing attitude of those who attacked us.. Nonviolence…. How do you grapple with it in the face of our lives being threatened. I don’t know. I guess we hope the other side would do the right thing the other side being the force. People thought non violence wouldn’t work, I think it did. Maybe that what people today think, that it won’t work. I’m sure their were people that armed their selves for self protection, that wasn’t uncommon specially in the south at this time. But that not the answer today because people don't care enough not to use a gun without thinking today.