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| My name is Joy. I’m writing to you on Veterans’ Day as a conscientious objector and proud member of Christians for a Free Palestine. After graduating from the Air Force Academy, my conscience and faith led me away from military service to apply as a conscientious objector, in protest of the genocide in Gaza and the flagrant violence being spread by the U.S. military at large. To say that the U.S. and Israel reflect each other in their love of warfare would be an understatement. In so many ways, the State of Israel is a reflection of the U.S.’ genocidal, colonial start. This is indicative in the change of what was originally Armistice Day — the celebration of the end of the largest war in human history — to Veterans’ Day, which celebrates the unending generations of U.S. veterans coming home from imperialist wars and, in many circumstances, funded by the very companies profiting from this bloodshed. As a U.S. veteran, I have a couple requests of everyone: 1) that we dedicate ourselves to the old moniker of WWI — the war to end all wars — and look forward to a future where we all work together to stand with the oppressed and liberate the enslaved, some of whom are citizens of victims of U.S., Israeli, and the western world’s greed: Sudan, the Congo, and Palestine. And 2) that everyone call their representatives and speak out against the deadly merger of the U.S. and Israeli militaries. |
| Two of the most destructive, violent militaries in the world are seeking to share intelligence in their continued dominance of the Middle East. We can put a stop to this, but we must act now. Thank you for your love, support, and sumud. The fight is not over until the last guns fall silent. This Veterans’ Day, I implore for everyone’s support in ensuring that the generation after me no longer has to celebrate their siblings going to fight and die in endless wars. Thank you all, Former 2d Lt Joy Metzler, conscientious objector |