"Good morning, good morning, my intrepid little ducklings ♥~~~," Shunsui sang from the discussion circle with his hot cocoa comfortably in his hands, lifting up his little mug in greeting and having a sip. "All this talk about passive-ism and self-defense and things of the like have gotten me thinking we're due for a discussion about the concept of being a conscientious objector ♥. A conscientious objector, you see, is an individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion ♥. Some countries will allow a conscientious objector serve through civilian services; some countries will allow them not at all...As far as this world goes, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights have roundly agreed that an individual has the right to be a conscientious objector to military service if it goes against his or her beliefs, something I rather wish my own world and my Captain-Commander would be more open to considering, but....alas... ♥."

Fleeing off to a different dimension to teach and run a general store was the closest thing Shunsui could get.



"However," he added with a bit of a wistful smile, "my first time living on this fair island, I was here in an effort to be a conscientious objector ♥. There is a war going on at the time that I did not agree with, nor did I care to participate in, so I decided to pursue my...own sort of...civilian service ♥. Many had argued that, especially since I hold the title of Captain and I am a leader of a division of service, I was neglecting my duties by conscientiously objecting...I, naturally, say that if I do not believe in the fight, that I should not fight, that a person who does not believe in the cause has no business fighting for it anyway...There are many perspectives, all of them valid, all of them opinions ♥.

"I considered myself terribly lucky, as well, that I should be able to find a nice little school to teach in while the strongest brunt of my conscientious objection comes from the glares of my beautiful Lieutenant &heaerts;. Historically, though, others have not been so fortunate: conciousous objectors have been met with imprisonment, legal penalization, even execution. If you are not with us, you are against us. Other who profess the inability to serve on the battlefield can find themselves incredibly helpful in other arenas: the medical fields and support systems, helping with supplies and services for victims and general grunt work. So though one does not wish to fight, there are still many ways in which a conscientious objector can support the cause without fighting.

"But is that good enough? And what if one does not support the cause at all, does not wish to be involved in any way, shape, or form? Should they still be expected to provide substantial services that help it along, or should they be allowed to conscientiously object to all aspects of the situation? Is punishment for complete objectors in fair order? Does this make them cowardly, unpatriotic, or troublesome? Let's say you were setting the criteria for conscientious objectors: how would you define the qualifications? Would you allow it at all?

"Naturally," he smiled lazily, "as I mentioned, I have a bias in this, which is why your opinions on the matter are especially important ♥.

"And I will finish out this introduction with a poem

"I shall finish out my introduction with a poem," and here he began to pass around sheets with the poem printed on them for the students to follow along with, "from the lovely Edna St. Vincent Millay, with the same title as our topic, Conscientious Objector ♥."

He cleared his throat, and then began to recite, relishing just a bit in the faint irony of a Shinigami reading a poem about Death:

"I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death.

I hear him leading his horse out of the stall; I hear the clatter on the barn-floor.
He is in haste; he has business in Cuba, business in the Balkans, many calls to make this morning.
But I will not hold the bridle while he clinches the girth.
And he may mount by himself: I will not give him a leg up.

Though he flick my shoulders with his whip, I will not tell him which way the fox ran.
With his hoof on my breast, I will not tell him where the black boy hides in the swamp.
I shall die, but that is all that I shall do for Death; I am not on his pay-roll.

I will not tell him the whereabout of my friends nor of my enemies either.
Though he promise me much, I will not map him the route to any man's door.
Am I a spy in the land of the living, that I should deliver men to Death?
Brother, the password and the plans of our city are safe with me; never through me
Shall you be overcome."



"And so ♥," Shunsui concluded, finishing with another smile, light and faint, "let's hear your own thoughts on the matter ♥. Or, of course, you can also choose to conscientiously object to the topic at hand, and simply keep your thoughts to yourself ♥."