Listics

…but unable to keep my big blog shut, I must relate my trepidation as the registration deadline draws near for the Conscientious Objector Counselor Training session I’m helping with this Saturday. They’re coming out of the woodwork — people who one might consider somewhat, ummm - marginalized.

There are thirty seats in the class. We’ve been preparing for this since August. This shit is as serious as it gets, particularly in the Ashcroft Gtmo Abu Ghraib era. So it’s good to know that most of the people in the class are bringing earnest intentions and experience to the effort. But in the last few days, as time runs out, I’ve had the opportunity to sign up the procrastinators… you know who you are… the socialist former mayoral candidate, the single mom with the teen-age kids hoping to parlay the training into a J-O-B… won’t happen, we discussed it, but she’s an optimist and we need those. Optimists. The guy who wants to “get all the facts together so he can hold workshops at the Rainbow - World Peace Earth Healing Gathering…” I talked to his message machine… deep voice, kind of scary in a way… I think I agree with what Liz Ditz had to say about these gatherings… mess up more habitat than they protect…. can’t find that post right now…

When we started taking registrations I thought that I’d screen people. And indeed I’ve talked with each of the applicants, but how do you screen out the “marginalized” when what conscientious objection is all about is being marginalized?

I was pleased to learn that if you’re a young man who has refused to register for the draft going to a Mennonite college, there will likely be student loans available to offset the Pell grants that you disqualify yourself from by not registering.

Marginalized people. I think I hold the record for the lowest ranking honorable discharge from the US Marine Corps: Private - E1. No pay grade lower. I got out though. And I may have trained as a US government killer but happily I never had to ply the trade. But I was thoroughly marginalized.

Now I’m a serial contractor.