I am confused as to how any veteran or member of a veteran's family can vote for Bernie.
I'm not sure where Bernie stands, but considering the Democratic stance on things like equal access, universal health care, mental health issues, education (etc.) and the fact that Dems have reliably done more to take care of vets than Republicans, it's not that hard for me. Every single man in my family has served in the armed forces, I'm an Air Force brat myself. Even the most staunch reactionaries who are veterans in my family have zero issue with Sander's CO status. My grandfather was a Lieutenant in the US Army and spent his entire service behind enemy lines a recon scout in Korea. He was a democrat. And honestly, given the fact that his demeanor would turn sharp any time he was asked about Korea, he probably was a firm believer in CO status.
but I just do not understand how you can vote for someone who applied for conscientious objector status (which officially means opposed to war under any and all conditions, even self-defense) to act as commander of the armed forces.
Are you serious?
The only possible action for someone who is truly a conscientious objector would be to disband the armed forces entirely.
No, that's not how it works at all. CO status means that you, personally as an individual, do not believe in becoming a soldier in war. It absolutely does not mean that you believe in abolishing the military, nor does it require that someone who has selected CO status believe so, either. There is a difference between saying "I do not personally want to be involved in this war" and "I believe we should abolish the US military."
I can't just sit back and wait for another Rwanda, either. It's not really moral to stand by and watch people get massacred
This is what we already do. This is what we are currently doing, and have done since the inception of the United States.
For fuck's sake, we were STAUNCHLY against WWII (despite the holocaust) until we, ourselves, were attacked at Pearl Harbor.
I was raised to join the military. Joining the AS is still one of my end goals, if I ever become in shape enough to pass PT. However, it does not affect my perception of Bernie Sanders at ALL, and I say this as a loyal Clinton supporter.