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Title: I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector
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Manufacturer: Broken Rifle Press
List Price: $27.50
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| I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector by Broken Rifle Press Everyone considering serving in the armed forces should read | | Having read "I Refuse" was a mother's dream-come-true. Every so often, while reading, you get a glimpse of something in which God had to channel through the author--such was the case in "life is a gift we nurture in harmony with all God's creations. Opposite is war. The sin is pride--We believe ourselves in charge of life." If ever they consider all the hours mom spends in raising sons--they might ask mom, "do you mind if your son is used for war?" In this case, the book's author would be a mom's dream come true. Great Book!!! Well written, and not too much drama--just a casual, self-assurance that rejecting to be used as part of the governmental war machine is just the right thing to do. I would require it as a high school textbook--it could prove to be a massive life saver. | | I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector by Broken Rifle Press Don't refuse to read it | | Donald Simons' "I Refuse" is a personal memoir of one man's attempt to declare himself a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, and the consequences of his decision. One of the signs of excellent narrative writing is the ability to keep the reader turning the pages, and Simons manages this admirably well, building up and dramatizing each step of his confrontation with the local draft board and his subsequent trial. In doing so, he demonstrates a kind of courage different from that normally associated with war - the courage of conviction. One of the strongpoints of the book is that the author never tries to convince the reader that his beliefs are absolutely right. He merely presents his story as if to say "I felt this way, I found myself in this situation, and this is what I decided to do." Even those who disagree with his decision can still understand and sympathize with his plight. The focus remains on the human reactions to the circumstances, and the effect on him and his family. The author does a good job of describing the historical circumstances of the era, firmly rooting his personal story into a greater context. The excellent preface also gives a short history of coscientious objectors and the consequences they have faced, providing a more detailed historical backdrop to the scenes described in the book. For those interested in the Vietnam War era, this book represents a forgotten piece of the puzzle. | | I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector by Broken Rifle Press Don't refuse to read it | | A relation of one man's struggle to declare himself a conscientious objector to the Vietnam war, "I Refuse" is a compelling and unique reflection on a turbulent era. The sign of a good narrative writer is the ability to keep the reader turning the pages, and Simons does this admirably well, building up and dramatizing each step in his confrontation with the local draft board and his subsequent trial. In doing so, the author illustrates a different kind of courage than that normally associated with war - moral courage. One of the strengths of Mr. Simons' excellent memoir is that at no point in time does he attempt to persuade the reader that his beliefs about war are absolutely true. Rather, he presents his story by essentially saying, "This is how I felt, this is the situation I was in, and this is what I decided to do." Even those who completely disagree with his viewpoint can still sympathize with his predicament. This lack of ideological preaching allows the reader to focus in on the human side of the equation: how the events impact him and his family. The author also does an excellent job of detailing the history of the era and rooting his story in this history, showing how his life becomes intertwined with events outside his control. The excellent preface gives a history of conscientious objectors and provides additional background, placing Simons' very personal narrative within a historical context. For anyone interested in the Vietnam draft era, this book provides an often neglected piece of the puzzle. | | I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector by Broken Rifle Press A Book for Our Times | | Although now a decade old, Donald Simons' I Refuse continues to be instructive for our times. This is a nonfiction account of a Vietnam War objector's experiences as he faced the prospect of being drafted into a war he found morally indefensible. His problem was doubly complicated by the fact that his home state of West Virginia, unlike other states, didn't recognize philosophical conscientious objection. The book is fascinating as Simons wrestles with tough moral decisions that have a direct impact on his life. He is no armchair philosopher pondering otherworldly concerns, but a person driven by his conscience, even when the personal consequences are life-changing. I Refuse is a page-turner that grips the reader intellectually and emotionally, and I strongly recommend it. | | I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector by Broken Rifle Press Send Somebody Else | | Mr. Simons paid money to a quack doctor to fraudulently invent a heart ailment for him in an attempt to avoid service during the Vietnam War. This was after he had hidden behind a student deferment for as long as he could but before he had ordained himself a minister in a mail-order religion. None of these things kept the draft at bay so-Santa Baranza!-he realized that all along he was a conscientious objector and applied for c.o. status with his draft board. They were duly unimpressed and Mr. Simons then fled to Canada before he could be sentenced following his conviction for draft evasion. He came back, of course, once a general amnesty was declared. His book is basically a whining recapitulation of how hard, how very awful the Vietnam War was for him while he was in Canada. The writing is beyond flat; you can actually hear it drone. All attempts to infuse drama into his mundane tale go nowhere. Will he or won't he have enough pocket change to pay the toll into Canada? Who would care? The only notable thing about "I Refuse" is that it probably set some sort of record for use of the word "albeit". | | I Refuse: Memories of a Vietnam War Objector by Broken Rifle Press Book Description | | Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, I REFUSE details the author's attempts to obtain recognition as a conscientious objector from the Selective Service System. After being unjustly denied conscientious objector status, the author refused to enter the military, was convicted of violating federal law and lived in exile for several years. I REFUSE is an important primary source of information on conscientious objection and draft resistance during the Vietnam era. It is not a how-to book on conscientious objection; rather, this is a compelling description of what resistance is like for the mainstream individual who opposes forced government service. Donald Simons speaks to us on many levels--the intellectual, the emotional and the spiritual--as he walks us through the key historical events of that troubled time. I REFUSE reminds us that opposition to forced government service, military or civilian, runs deep in the American spirit. The book challenges readers--especially the young--to examine their hearts and to act on their convictions. I REFUSE. 184 pages, Introduction, Appendix, Bibliography |
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