Northampton
Friends Meeting
of
the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)
43 Center Street, Northampton, MA 01060
Minute regarding registration for selective service
Our
commitment to non-violence and the free exercise of religion impels us to make
plain our objection to the proposed bill # 1275. before the Massachusetts
Senate.�� This law would deny a driver�s
license to any Massachusetts man between the ages of 18 and 26 who can not with
a clear conscience register for Selective Service.
Faith
and Practice, the book of discipline of New England Yearly Meeting (the wider
Quaker group of which we are a part) reads:
�Every human being is a child
of God with a measure of God�s Light. War and other instruments of violence and
oppression ignore this reality and violate our relation with God. � Friends are
urged to support those who witness to their governments and take personal risks
in the cause of peace, who choose not to participate in war as soldiers nor to
contribute to its preparations with their taxes. Let us support in all possible
ways the development of international order, justice, and understanding.�
We
are aware that young men who fail to register with Selective Service, whether
for reasons of conscience or from lack of information, are subject to a growing
number of penalties, including automatic denial of certain federal and state
benefits. We regard such penalties as part of an effort to coerce young men
into registering for Selective Service without opportunity to reflect on the
moral implications that service in the military entails.
We
view with alarm the expansion and increasing severity of state and federal
measures to penalize non-registrants who are religious conscientious objectors.
We emphasize the responsibility of governments to uphold the free exercise of
religion guaranteed by the United States Constitution, and the human right of
conscientious objection recognized as derived from freedom of religion and
conscience by the United� Nations.
We
reaffirm our loving support of those who are faithful to our peace testimony in
the face of these challenges.
Draft
discussed at the regular Meeting for Business, April 13, 2003
Diedrick Snoek, Clerk
Minute
2003.50 Automatic Draft Registration�� A bill has
been proposed in the Massachusetts State Senate which would implement automatic
draft registration for 18-26 year old males who apply for driver�s
licenses.� Frances Crowe will go to
Boston to testify against this on 4/15/03.��
A copy of a minute approved by NY Yearly Meeting opposing similar
legislation introduced in New York State was circulated. Elias Sanchez-Eppler
was appointed to go with Frances to Boston to testify against the proposed
bill. Friends empowered Diedrick Snoek and Bruce Hawkins, on behalf of
Northampton Monthly Meeting, to draft a similar minute.� This minute along with the amended State of
the Society report will be presented at a special called meeting at the rise of
Meeting for Worship on 4/27/03.
Minute
2003.63 Report Regarding Conscientious Objection to War������� The report was given by Nolan Gardner, age 15.� He and Elias Sanchez-Eppler, age 14, went
with Frances Crowe and Eric Wasileski�
(members of Mt. Toby Meeting) to testify on April 15 at the State House
in Boston against the bill 1275 before the Massachusetts Senate.� The bill would automatically register with
Selective Service any young man between the ages of 18 and 26 who applies for,
or renews, a driver�s license.� Nolan
said the hearing was chaired by Senator Jarrett Barrios, whose procedure was to
take the PRO testimony first and the CON testimony afterwards.� Quite a few people spoke PRO, including a
representative of the Selective Service.�
Nolan, Elias, Eric and Frances all had an opportunity to speak at the
microphone and all testified against the bill.�
They presented the minute of Northampton Friends Meeting which speaks
against this bill, and carried a letter from Travis Root of Mt. Toby which also
spoke against it.�
����������������������� December 14, 2003
2003.132: Senate Bill 1275 (Minute
2003.50):
Bruce Hawkins reported that conversations with Senator Rosenberg and his
negotiations with the sponsor have led to this bill being modified to allow
applicants the option of not having their name sent to Selective Service. The
concern of the bill�s sponsor, Senator Barrios, is that minority young men need
to be aware of the penalties that they may be subject to. We would prefer that
they be informed of the obligation and penalties in some other manner. We are
troubled by the state being asked to do the Federal Government�s work. Our
primary concern is that penalties be minimized for a policy (the draft) to
which we fundamentally object.
2003.133:
Action
on Senate Bill 1275:
We appreciate the modifications that Senator Rosenberg and Senator Barrios have
agreed upon, but we would still prefer that the bill not be reported out of
committee. Our faith calls us to remind governments that there are other ways
of serving the nation than through military service. We continue to oppose the
government requiring Selective Service registration to receive the benefits of
citizenship. Friends approved the minute and directed the clerk to convey this
in a letter to Senator Barrios office.