[news] Portrait in Courage: Conscientious Objector to Gulf War

[Pat S]

Portrait in Courage: Conscientious Objector to Gulf War Turns Self In at San 
Jose Reserve Unit

http://jeff.paterson.net/funk.htm


Marine Corps Reservist Stephen Funk publicly declared his conscientious 
objection to war, before turning himself over to the U.S. military 
authorities on Tuesday morning, April 1, 2003. He explained his decision to 
the media at the 1st Beach Terminal Operations, 4th Landing Support 
Battalion, located at 901 E. Mission Street in San Jose. Funk, who grew up 
in Seattle, is one of an unknown number of reservists and active duty 
service members to declare themselves Conscientious Objectors in current 
Iraqi conflict and any other war.

"I refuse to kill," says the twenty-year-old reservist. "It is scary to 
confront the military, because the military teaches you to submit to orders 
even when you object. I may not be a hero, but I know that it takes courage 
to disobey. I know that it demands courage to say "no" in the face of 
coercion."

Funk enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2002 and easily made it 
through six months of Marine boot camp where he specialized in assisting 
helicopters land. But as he trained in the use of weapons and how to kill 
with a bayonet, Funk became increasingly uneasy about what his new career 
really meant. According to his attorney Stephen Collier, Funk went on 
Unauthorized Absence (UA) early this year, but has always intended to turn 
himself in.

This reservist’s refusal to kill and join in the militaristic fervor of a 
wartime nation is part of a long and honorable tradition in the United 
States. There have always been American conscientious objectors, no matter 
what the nature of the conflict. There were an estimated 3,500 in World War 
I, 37,000 in World War II, 4,300 in the Korean War, over 200,000 in the 
Vietnam War and 111 in Gulf War I according to Center on Conscience and War 
in Washington D.C..

"I cannot in good conscience take part in war. I object to war because I 
believe that it is impossible to achieve peace through violence," says Funk, 
who added, "I hope that other soldiers will find the courage to follow their 
beliefs. I hope other soldiers will listen to the voice of their conscience 
and come, in their own ways, to question the "logic" of war. I hope other 
soldiers will come to see that they are more than cogs in the machinery of 
war, but free individuals with the unconquerable power of free will."

It seems that the reservist may not be alone in his concern. Calls to the 
G.I. Rights Hotline, a group that counsels soldiers about their legal 
rights, have spiked recently, doubling since 2002. 3,582 calls were recorded 
in January and 3,118 in February, 2003. There were 1,585 calls in September 
of 2002. The number for the G.I. Rights Hotline is (800) 394-9544.

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Support the IWW Vancouver's organizing efforts and AWOL magazine. AWOL hip 
hop magazine (http://awol.objector.org/) and cds (produced by the folks from 
the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors) available online 
(http://vancouver.iww.ca/merchandise.htm) as well as Spartacus Books (311 
West Hastings, Vancouver BC) and People's Co-op Books (1931 Commercial 
Drive, Vancouver BC).

All funds raised for the IWW Vancouver branch help with local organizing 
efforts such as the "Messengers are Revolting", "Know Your Rights" 
(http://vancouver.iww.ca/news/20020520knowyourrights.htm) and "Sex Workers 
UNITE!" (http://vancouver.iww.ca/news/20020505video.htm) orgainzing 
workshops.

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