True Bravery
Michael Smith | 12/11/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This film is a powerful, sensitive, and even handed portrayal of four very different men who go to Iraq and then decide to apply for conscientious objector status. The men are very generous in sharing their experiences and I came away from the film in awe of their humility and bravery, and inspired by their example.
Please see this film."
The Most Conscientious Documentary on Soldiering I've Seen
Lou Quacious | New York, NY | 11/05/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have watched Soldiers of Conscience three times now. It is one of the most pragmatic, optimistic, eloquent and fairly-conceived projects about the personal conscience of American men given guns and license to kill that I've ever seen. I am sustained by the thought that 75% of the men who see combat never pull the trigger. I pray for peace of mind for the remaining 25%. The choice between defending an ideal you believe in with all your heart and recognizing the sanctity of any and every human life has to be a decision wrought with anguish and dread for every man. We would not be human otherwise."
Soldiers of Conscience Hits the Mark
Kate Dahlstedt | Albany, NY | 12/08/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As Co-Director of Soldier's Heart, a veterans' healing initiative, I heartily applaud this film. So many of the troops I have worked with and heard from are suffering from the wound of having fought in a war they did not believe in. Our military ideals are meant to forge the finest young men and women. But the realities on the battlefield so violate these values that they leave our sons and daughters in a moral and ethical hell that they live with for the rest of their lives. Soldiers of Conscience is an inspiring exploration of the moral act of saying no to the military and is proof of the true integrity of our serving men and women. This film is a courageous and essential statement, a message that needs to be heard. If you are interested in more about this topic, War and the Soul, by Edward Tick is a great exploration.War and the Soul: Healing Our Nation's Veterans from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"
Thought Provoking and well-balanced documentary
Donna Brodsky | 12/07/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I saw this documentary and thought it should be "required viewing" in all high schools where you hear young men and women state how anxious they are to go kill the enemy. This documentary shows the uneven penalty given to five very different and brave men who file for CO (conscientious objecter) after having served their country in Iraq and discovered that, like Vietnam, they are there for very different reasons than what they signed up for. This is a story that will leave you with doubts about current military training and compassion for the decision these men made to save their sanity."