Analogy of 16th Century Anabaptists and 1960s Draft-card Burning
              http://www.cob-net.org/anabaptism.htm

  This brief comparison is made to reflect how the governments in 
Switzerland, France, and Germany perceived 16th century Anabaptists
- not how the latter perceived themselves. It is not intended to 
legitimize draft-card burning nor to denigrate Anabaptist martyrdom, but 
only to illustrate the severe cost that is required of those who follow
their beliefs when in direct opposition to the government.


16TH CENTURY ANABAPTISTS            1960s DRAFT-CARD BURNERS
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Rebaptism was an illegal act        Draft-card burning was an illegal act

They knew is was illegal            They knew it was illegal

Often done in public                Often done in public

Anabaptists considered their        Draft-card burners considered their
  motives to be genuine                 motives to be genuine

Govt's called them lawbreakers      Govt's called them lawbreakers

They knew the governments           They knew the governments
  perception of them, yet they        perception of them, yet they
  resisted the authorities            resisted the authorities

'Some' Anabaptists conspired        'Some' card burners conspired
  against the government              against the government

The government aggressively         The government aggressively
  hunted them down                    hunted them down

The government usually wanted       The government usually wanted
  to kill them                        to incarcerate them

Many fled to other countries to     Many fled to other countries to
  avoid prosecution                   avoid prosecution

Some never returned                 Some never returned

Anabaptists paid a dear price       Draft-card burners paid a dear price
  for what they believed              for what they believed

Anabaptists were motivated by       Draft-card burners were motivated by
  'non-political' reasons             'non-theological' reasons


  Comparing these two ideologies will breakdown at the point of judicial 
process because draftcard burners were imprisoned while Anabaptist were 
routinely executed. Täufenjagern (baptist hunters) were special groups that 
systematically and persistently tracked and arrested these intractable saints.