POV - Soldiers of Conscience | PBS 2008

By Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg

When is it right to kill? In the midst of war, is it right to refuse? Eight U.S. soldiers today, some who killed and some who said no, reveal their inner moral dilemmas in Soldiers of Conscience. Made with official permission of the U.S. Army, the film transcends politics to explore the tension between spiritual values and military orders. Soldiers follows the stories of both conscientious objectors and those who criticize them. Through this clash of views, the film discovers a surprising common ground: all soldiers are "soldiers of conscience," torn between the demands of duty and the call of conscience.

Find out more about this film:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/soldiersofconscience

P.O.V. Blog
http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog

Broadcast Date:
October 16, 2008

Clips and Trailers on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/pov2006

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http://www.amdoc.org/outreach_news.php

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Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• soldiers
• documentary
• trailer
• conscientious
• objectors
• morality
• U.S.
• Army
• Iraq
• Ryan
• Weimberg
• PBS
• P.O.V.
• war

[eva27ish]

I AM 68 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN SAYING SINCE I AM 17 YEARS OF AGE, THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS IF WE WANT TO CONSIDER OURSELVES A CIVILIZED SOCIETY. THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY, YOU WOULD BY NOW WE AS HUMAN BEINGS COULD COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY OF SETTLING OUR DIFFERENCES. YES THERE IS EVIL IN THE WORLD AND WE CAN DEFEAT IT, BUT NOT BY KILLING THE INNOCENT. OLD MEN START WARS, LET THEM FIGHT THE WARS AND LEAVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE LIVE THEIR LIVES IN PEACE.

[whereitsat309]

You see, I'd rather be and Idealist, than a "so-what-ist".

[lifequezt]

There have been many young brave men AND women I know who joined the Armed Forces to serve their country, and God. But when you're faced with an inner voice which speaks the truth, you're stuck. Shoutout to the REALLY brave men and women highlighted in these videos.

[chargamer]

Our troops aren't randomly killing innocents for fun people, I know i'm a Marine. We know what is right and wrong.

[MooseheadDrinker]

@babybritt1011 well it is necessary to kill when serving one's country! they should have expected this!! did they think they would sit in the barracks all day???

all they gotta do is turn on the TV/news to see that this country is on a war path!

[babybritt1011]

@MooseheadDrinker dude stfu fatass they just wanted to join the army to serve their country

[MooseheadDrinker]

If you don't want to kill, don't join the military IDIOTS!!!!!

[smallyb2009]

@justonefyx;Well im sorry you feel that way but i stand by everything ive said,Theres to many video,s on youtube that show mentally unstable american soldiers Murdering innocent civilians in Iraq & Afghanistan to believe that only a few u.s troops are evil blood thirsty Murderer,s.

[justonefyx]

@smallyb2009 I was in the American military and I filed for conscientious objector status because I learned while in there that I hate war and violence. Having said that, I think your comment is full of hyperbole and doesn't describe the average person in the military. You are just as stupid and ignorant of people you are building a straw-man of.

[napper2009]

@whereitsat309 Great comment mate.

[iseeuat100yds]

@smallyb2009 every country teaches soldiers how to be soldiers. meaning they teach them how to kill and be lethal. war is war, soldiers are soldiers.