As on many campuses
across the nation there were students at St. Bonaventure that burned their
draft card in protest to the war and the mandatory draft. How many
students did burn their draft card like this student to the left in the
picture is not recorded.
Instead St. Bonaventure and the Bona Venture focused
on other ways to avoid the draft for peace. The October 10, 1969 issue
of the Bona Venture wrote about David James Edward Aud, a 1969 St.
Bonaventure graduate and former Student President. David believed that war
and killing was immoral. Because of his anti-violent beliefs he felt
that he could not fulfill his military duty.
David applied for conscientious objector status.
An officer review board in Ft. Benjamin Harris Ind. turned down his appeal.
Since his appeal was denied David decided to go into peace work. "He
intends to 'wait it out' in Boston, until he receives a draft notice and
then faces arrest" (BV Oct '69). Focusing on David's story and not the
students burning draft cards really shows St. Bonaventure's emphasis on
peace, rather then anti-Vietnam.
