Comments on: Belknap College Military Veterans https://www.belknapcollege.com For Belknap College Alumni and Staff, and by Belknap College Alumni and Staff Fri, 18 May 2018 13:56:35 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 By: Kirk Shriver https://www.belknapcollege.com/belknap-college-military-veterans#comment-30 Wed, 11 Nov 2015 03:23:57 +0000 http://www.belknapcollege.com/?page_id=7853#comment-30 I can’t speak for others but I was a draft dodger, I just didn’t know it. I had no intention of doing military service. I was 19 years old and trying to figure out what I was going to do the next day, next week and next month, with little idea of what would be happening next year. I knew that going to college gave me a draft deferment and I was just happy to have it. No deep philosophical thought entered into this decision.

As a new college student I was way too busy trying to figure out when and where to eat, what time to catch the bus, what classes to take, when to find time to study, and what is this place anyway. I think for most people you have to be a little privileged to be against something that doesn’t seem to have any affect on your daily life. I know it’s possible to care deeply about abstract issues but my mind at that time was more concerned with the the civil rights movement than the anti-war movement.

After leaving BC I got my draft notice but avoided the draft by enlisting (for better options). After serving my three years I joined the anti-war movement and marched on Washington twice in the early 70’s. Too many of my friends came home in boxes. Too many lies came out of the White House. Too many good people were persecuted. I fully understand and remember those times when my own father had a bumper sticker on a car, “America, Love it or Leave It”. I hope I never say anything that stupid. And the best thing is that the first amendment permits me to say stupid things by accident which I will inevitably do.

Kirk

]]>