The National Peace Museum
of Conscientious Objection
and Anti-war Activism

In these days of yet another war of choice, based on misinformation and ideological goals instead of matters of national security, we feel that it is critically important to establish, for the first time in America, a museum honoring conscientious objection and anti-war activism within and outside the military.  

In order to prosecute any war, a nation must call on its young men and women to be willing to lay down their lives in service to their country. Whether they know it or not, each individual member of the military must make their personal decision to participate in that war. Many times the rationalization for the war has been distorted by the government, and the individual cannot know the true cause and motives of their country.  

Sometimes an individual will have deep moral grounds for objecting to all wars, seeing that corrupt policies and inattention to the misery of others is the root cause of war. They say that peace can never be the result of war.

Other times an individual will find themselves in the midst of war, and realize that the basis for it is false, or that the tactics will violate international war crime laws.  

To honor those who have taken a moral stand, whether against all wars, some wars, or specific tactics, we propose that a museum be established to archive their stories and present to the public their alternative views of military service.  

We further propose that the museum be located in the stockade building of the Presidio of San Francisco - the site of notable protests in the 1960s and imprisonment of many of those active duty army personnel who opposed the Vietnam War.  

The former military base is now managed by the Presidio Trust, governed by a board of directors. It is our hope to gather enough supporters to submit a proposal to the Presidio Trust to reserve the building, for the eventual establishment of the museum.