Thomas E. O'Donnell (draft opponent)
Thomas E. O'Donnell was an American activist and community organizer known primarily for his opposition to the military draft during the Vietnam War. Details about his life and background are relatively scarce, but his prominent role within the anti-draft movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s is well documented. O'Donnell was a vocal critic of the Selective Service System and the perceived injustices of the draft, arguing that it disproportionately affected poor and working-class Americans while shielding the privileged. He actively encouraged draft resistance, counseling young men on their rights and options for avoiding military service, which included conscientious objection, seeking exemptions, or facing prosecution for refusing induction. He often participated in demonstrations and organized protests against the war and the draft, becoming a recognizable figure within the peace movement. O'Donnell's arguments and activism focused on both the legality and the morality of conscription, emphasizing individual liberty and the right to choose whether or not to participate in armed conflict.