Sasway States Views

I would like to take a moment to clarify some of the points that seem to have been confused in an interview that I had with Catherine M. Spearnak, which formed the basis of the Jan. 30 article “Sasway in Limbo.”

Ms. Spearnak concludes that, based on that interview, I have changed since I was indicted, prosecuted and jailed for refusing to register for the draft beginning in 1982. She sees bitterness, cynicism and alienation in this new Ben Sasway. Perhaps there is some truth to her perspective, but much has not changed.

I still strongly believe that the American military posture is grossly misdirected and that it propels the world to even greater confrontation. I’m still convinced that state violence is immoral, and I continue to believe that people must resist a government that ignores their best interests while it manipulates them and sends them--or their loved ones--to die.

None of my basic values have changed in the past eight years, and I certainly don’t regret the stand I took.

Though the last eight years have meant a continuous, and sometimes agonizing, process of self-analysis, I still conclude that my refusal to register for the draft was an act of profound self-affirmation and a meaningful affirmation of life.

In 1985, I left the anti-draft movement to pursue some personal goals. I left the anti-draft movement; it did not abandon me! The people who organized with me and who supported me and other draft resisters continue to struggle for peace and social justice, even today. They will always be my friends, and I will always respect their dedication and tenacity.

If I have changed since the summer of 1980, if I have become “cynical” or “bitter,” perhaps it is because I have lived longer and seen more agony--here and all over the world. I have found that the problems we face run deeper, and that the solutions are more remote and complicated than I anticipated.

I have lived through another presidential election, which seemed more meaningless than the last. Crucial political issues are still denied public hearings. Large segments of the population continue to be disregarded in the political process. The American government continues to abuse the rights of people all over the world.

I am not bitter because I had to run the political and legal gauntlet. I always viewed this as an acceptable part of the process. Perhaps I am a little cynical because things change so slowly; yet I am not un-optimistic about the future. I will continue to work toward a more humane future for everybody, in a way that is compatible with my personal needs.

BENJAMIN H. SASWAY

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