It was the 1960s ” and throughout the United States, opposition to the War in Vietnam was growing. The Draft forced young men to make a choice about their own participation in the war. And many chose to resist.
Over the course of the war, 2.6 million went to fight in Vietnam. More than 15 million were exempt or disqualified from military service. And over 200,000 officially defied the draft. Today, the US military is made up of those who enlist. What does it take ” in the absence of an official draft ” to build resistance to war and empire among the very people charged with fighting for it?
Featuring:
Draft Resistors: Bruce Cutler, Bruce Dancis, Joseph Gerson, Larry Gossett, Pete Knutson, Mike Rotkin, Phil Stahlman, and Sam Yamashita. Camilo Mejia, former Staff Sergeant, Iraq Veterans Against The War.
Credits:
Host: Marie Choi
The Draft and The Vietnam Generation Producer, Video Editor, Director: Beth Sanders
Camilo Mejia speech Recordist and Video Editor: Charles Jenks
Special thanks to the Traprock Center for Peace and Justice and to Camilo Mejia for allowing us to share it.
Producers: Monica Lopez, Marie Choi, RJ Lozada, Anita Johnson
Executive Director: Lisa Rudman
Web Editor and Audience Engagement Director: Sabine Blaizin
Development Associate: Vera Tykulsker
The speeches were originally recorded and produced by Carly Forbes for Migrant Matters, a Rabble.ca podcast.
Photo Credits: flickr
For More information
The Draft and the Vietnam Generation http://www.thedraftproject.com/
Iraq Veterans Against the War https://ivaw.org/
VIDEO SERIES: IVAW Winter Soldier Testimonies on Racism and Dehumanization of the Enemy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbfL8eaF7kQ&list=PLC184F50861366AE3
VIDEO: Camilo Mejia on GI Resistance to the War in Iraq https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q290evMczw
Please call us if you carry us-510-459-8558-and we will list your station on our website. If you excerpt, please credit early and often.