Short Essay on Felon for Peace

By: Kevin Scanlon

            Jerry Elmer’s long term commitment working in the non-violent peace movement started when he was a student in high school. During that time, Elmer was a rather unmotivated student and did rather poorly when it came to his grades for that reason. He was very intelligent and witty, however, when it came to challenging existing rules and regulations that he did not agree with. Elmer had a strong drive to try to change the status quo and to motivate others to join his cause. In addition, he had strong moral objections to violence against other human beings and considered human life to be sacred. He openly considered himself a pacifist. This could be associated with that fact that Jerry Elmer’s parents were both Nazi concentration camp survivors from the holocaust in World War II. In the late 1960’s, the United States involvement with the War in Vietnam really bothered Jerry. He was outraged by the reports of innocent civilians, including children, being killed horribly on a daily basis by things like napalm fire bombings. Furthermore, he was outraged by the fact that young Americans like himself were being drafted by the Army and sent overseas to partake in these atrocities. Jerry decided to dedicate his time and effort and to jeopardize his own freedom to evoke meaningful changes in the minds of Americans, as well as the policies of the United States.

            When Jerry Elmer was a ninth grader he first took part in personal witness. He did this by wearing a button to class that read “Peace in Vietnam”. Jerry knew that wearing the button would not have any significant effect on the war, but he wore it anyway to witness against it.

            Jerry also took part in another type of nonviolent action as part of his peace effort known as legal direct action. This involved organizing public vigils, fasting, and going door to door to raise public support for the peace movement. The eight week Tiger Cage Vigil and Fast in 1974 is one example of an effective legal direct action that Jerry was involved with

            On Jerry’s 18^th birthday he openly refused to register for the draft. At the time, all 18 year old males were required to fill out forms at their local draft board in order to receive their draft card. This card was to be carried with them at all times. Failure to comply was punishable by law. Males that had moral objections to the war could apply for conscientious objector status. Some males were able to get doctors notes saying they were unable to fight. The entire system, Jerry felt, was wrong and favored the wealthy. Jerry Elmer wasn’t just opposed to this war; he was opposed to all wars. For these reasons, Jerry felt that the best thing to do with a system you don’t agree with is to not participate in it at all. This is called non-cooperation.

            Jerry Elmer worked with fellow peace activists take part in plans that involved non-violent destruction of property. They spent months planning and executing elaborate raids on various draft boards. They would gain entry to the draft boards during the weekends late at night and destroy draft registration files. They focused on A-1 status files which belonged to people immediately available to be drafted. They also took the care to destroy duplicates and backup files. Every precaution was taken to ensure that there would be no one injured during the raids. Elmer and his accomplices’ primary goal was to render these draft boards inoperable.

            I felt that Jerry Elmer took action to peruse what he believed to be the most effective course of action to bring about change. His arguments were all valid, I feel, and many of his arguments are relevant today with regards to the ongoing war in Iraq. It is essential for a democratic civilization like the United States to have people like Jerry Elmer that are driven by their morals and beliefs. It is necessary for citizens to take part in public decent against the government when it no longer seems like the government is acting in the best interest of its populace.