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No Draft, No War: Prosecutions Falter

By VVAW

Many members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War have said that, when the hostiles swarm over the beaches of California, or attempt to seize New York City, we, as veterans will rejoin the military and do what we can to repulse the enemy. We will not have to be drafted—we'll do our patriotic duty and defend our homes and families with all the strength at our command.

At the heart of the issue of registration and the draft, this is why VVAW is so opposed to both: we know that if the government or the situation is such that we can see the need, we'll respond and so with others. If there is a just war that must be fought, even though we have no interest in fighting any kind of war at all, we will do it.

The government has not been doing so well with its registration for the draft in the last couple of months. After some initial "victories" (that's a hard word to describe jailing a young man who resists registration) the government has been having some problems. Most recently, a federal judge in Boston refused to jail resister Ed Hasbrouck; instead, Judge Davis S. Nelson sentenced the registration resister to a two-year probation and 1000 hours of community service (which will hopefully be used to further the cause of resisting registration). According to the Judge, "I cannot agree that this offense and the circumstances of this offense merit incarceration, unless I care to make a political statement."

Perhaps a more damaging case for the government's attempts at registration was decided in Los Angeles when David Wayte, a prominent local resister, had charges dismissed and the draft law declared invalid by Judge Terry Hatter Jr. Charges against the four resisters already convicted could be overturned if Judge Hatter's decision is upheld on appeal.

Among the features of the registration law that the Judge found objectionable was the obvious fact that Wayte, as an obvious and visible resister of registration, was picked out for selective prosecution. Further, the Reagan Administration failed to turn over government documents which would show how decisions on who to prosecute were arrived at. Further, White House counselor Edwin Meese was not a part of the trial as the government used executive privilege to keep Meese away from the trial and away from testifying how the Reagan Administration was deciding which of the nearly 1 million registration resisters should be prosecuted.

As of mid-January 1983, 6 registration resisters have come to trial; four have been convicted. But with the last two attempts being utter failures, the overall attempt of the government to scare others into registering has not been very successful. Even the government admits to 585,000 non-registrants, and most anti-registration observers believe the figure is much higher than that. The government's failure to bring in convictions against Wayte and Hasbrough will not make these non-registrants flock to their local registration points.

The Reagan Administration campaign to try to frighten American youth into registering ran into a number of obstacles. And first among them is Vietnam and the experience that Vietnam vets brought home with them.

While it's not easy to imagine, had vets come home from Vietnam and been given great public welcomes, thousands of dollars, tax breaks, guaranteed jobs—had been able to live in the lap of luxury, perhaps some of us would have changed our idea of Vietnam. But no; we saw how badly screwed up the war was and, to make it worse, we saw and experienced how badly vets were treated once we got home. The slogan about "Used once and then thrown away" was and is something more than a slogan—it was and is the truth,.

Many Vietnam veterans have willingly taken a strong stand against the draft and against registration (the "pre-draft") since many of us have already experienced what the draft can mean. But more important than the stand of veterans is the put-your-ass-on-the-line position taken by draft-age men and women. All of those prosecuted by the government at this point are those who have taken some of the strongest and loudest stands in opposition to registration. While vets (and VVAW) have done what we can to make suggestions and support the stand, and offered to do whatever else might be useful, we have learned from our own struggles that those immediately involved must finally lead their own fight.

There are plenty of reasons for opposition to registration over and above the fact that Reagan—who never bothered to get drafted at all—was all out against registration (until he was elected, of course). Anyone who says that registration does not lead directly to the draft is missing a cog: simple there is no other reason for registration. There's considerable doubt that even having all 19-year-olds registered would increase the speed of national readiness one iota. And even if registration would make it a week or two faster to get troops into training, there's little likelihood that this phenomenon would have any use whatever in the event of a national "emergency." A nuclear war is not likely to hinge on the speed with which troops can be moved to the battlefield months after the "war" has begun.

Despite government denial, registration points directly toward another Vietnam-type intervention, not toward any all-out conflict. And registration is a useful tool to keep track of 18-19 year olds and weed out potential trouble-makers. With registration, the 18-year old is at least reminded of the possibility of joining the military which, despite the loud applause for the success of the "all volunteer" military is still something that the government would like to see.

Opponents of the draft have, for years, pointed out that it is innately unfair, that the poor end up fighting the war for the rich. There were always all kinds of loopholes—going to divinity school (like David Stockman), going to college at all (which kept hundreds of thousands out of Vietnam), or involved in entertainment (like actor Reagan or macho-hero John Wayne). Not true, anymore, says the government; in any new draft there will be no exemptions. But even if this is true it will hardly make the draft "fair"—which Congressman's son is not going to have an in for a nice job in Washington instead of the jungles of El Salvador? Or which child of a millionaire corporate executive will not be able to buy the doctor to prove his disability?

Vietnam Veterans will continue our fight against registration and the draft, just as we continue our fight against registration and the draft, just as we continue our fight against more Vietnams. We will do what we can to add our voices and experience to those of draft-age men and women. And we will broadcast the recent victories to show that the government threats are empty.