Despite post-Sept. 11 patriotism, many college students would evade draft

knight ridder newspapers | Jun. 20, 2002 | Cassio Furtado

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

Posted on Thu, Jun. 20, 2002

Despite post-Sept. 11 patriotism, many college students would evade draft
By Cassio Furtado
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Thirty-seven percent of American college students would try to evade the draft if one were called today, according to a nationwide poll released Thursday.

The survey by Republican pollster Frank Luntz, which comes nine months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted a surge in American patriotism, also shows that 79 percent of students do not think Western culture is superior to Arab culture.

Asked whether they would accept being drafted into military service, another 35 percent said they would be willing to serve anywhere in the world, while 21 percent said they would serve only if stationed in the United States.

Males were more willing to heed their country's call. Only 26 percent of men said they would "likely try to evade the draft," but 48 percent of women said they would.

Luntz said there was a direct correlation between religion and willingness to serve in the military.

"Those who attend church are much more likely to serve," Luntz said at a breakfast conference. He cited no data to support that. He also said students who were better informed about the U.S.-led war on terrorism were more supportive of the military.

Many college students opposed the draft during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and `70s. Even in the first months after Sept. 11, there were signs that such sentiments remained popular on campuses. In October, a student poll at the University of Houston found that while 90 percent of the university's students supported military intervention in Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime, only 20 percent would support a draft.

In Luntz's poll, 60 percent of students agreed that developing an understanding of the values and history of other cultures and nations is a better way to prevent terrorism than investing in strong military and defense capabilities. In contrast, 79 percent supported removing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein from power, including 58 percent of those who said they probably would evade a draft.

Claude E. Welch, Jr., a professor of political science at the State University of New York at Buffalo, said the poll showed that many students were starting to understand the complexity of the conflict the United States was facing, even though colleges often did not require students to study other cultures in depth.

"Understanding other cultures is something all of them should undertake," he said.

College students are unfamiliar with many top federal officials, the telephone survey also showed. Only 19 percent knew that Condoleezza Rice is President Bush's national security adviser, and only 32 percent knew that Donald H. Rumsfeld is secretary of defense; one student awarded that Cabinet post to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, on the other hand, was recognized by 55 percent.

The poll of 634 students from 96 four-year colleges was sponsored by Americans for Victory Over Terrorism, a project of Empower.org, a conservative group led by William Bennett, who was a top government official in the Reagan and George Bush administrations.

"College students ... need to know many things better: the virtues of American democracy, the role we play in the world and the names of players in that role," said Bennett. "This shows that we - parents, teachers, professors, and leaders - have a great deal of work to do."

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

Only 19 percent knew that Condoleezza Rice is President Bush's national security adviser, and only 32 percent knew that Donald H. Rumsfeld is secretary of defense; one student awarded that Cabinet post to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

this nation is in deep s**t

[WellsFargo94]

"Understanding other cultures is something all of them should undertake,"

What does understanding other cultures have to do with defending your country? How many of you Vietnam vets understood that culture before you proudly put on the uniform of the U.S.?

By the way thank you and God bless you!!!!

[meenie]

The educational system in conjunction with the socialist organizations have spent forty years knocking duty and honor. I am really surprised that the percentage of students ready to serve is this high. In fact, it shows they have been rather ineffective and the level of responsibility of the students is positive. Recognition should be given to the students for being more conservative than they are given credit for.

[chachacha]

After seeing some of these college professors on Tv spewing their anti American garbage. What do you expect. If I were a parent today I think I would pay closer attention to where my children go to college. Why, we even have Al Queda type Professors teaching in College. Like the one in Florida. Good Grief

Remember the OJ trial? I couldn't believe some of these Professors showing up on TV and commenting on the trial were teaching Law. What Law? What Country? If I had Student under one of those Law professors I would have pulled him the next day.. Our Colleges are in Terrible Moral Decay. It's called LIBERALISM. Judges, Teachers, Lawyers, Dems, Most minorities, Womens Lib, Soccer Moms, Pro Abortion, etc,etcs.

[The Duke]

The educational system in conjunction with the socialist organizations have spent forty years knocking duty and honor.

Why would I support my children's decision to throw away their lives defending such a pathetic socialist nation? It's not that I don't advocate defending a great nation, it's just that I look about me and fail to see that great nation.

[LouD]

effing ignorant cowards...

[steve-b]

Males were more willing to heed their country's call. Only 26 percent of men said they would "likely try to evade the draft," but 48 percent of women said they would.

This is one reason why the whole subject is pointless. (One of the others is that the gay-straight percentage of males in that age bracket would reverse.)

[Pining_4_TX]

Why would anyone want to be in the military today? First Clinton, and now Bush, are sending our troops to every Godforsaken hell-hole in the world. Risk your life to defend Bosnia, or climb into booby-trapped caves in Afghanistan when we should have just nuked the whole rotten country? I don't think so! Our poor service people are being abused because our leaders lack the spine to fight a real war. We'll end up in these crappy countries for years, with our soldiers being picked off occasionally, and nothing substantive will ever be accomplished.

[Britton J Wingfield]

You are full of it. Afghanistan was fought extremely well. Nuking then entire country? You can nuke a city, but using enough nukes to level that mountainous area would screw every country in that hemisphere, allies included. The fact that it would kill millions of innocents is a whole different story.

Bush's use of troops in the Philipines is also a great policy. If I have any fault with it, is that we don't have more on the ground there, but that is up to the Philipinos.

American fighting men volunteer for missions like this. They know the risks and do it anyway. We don't need to hide behind nukes.

[WellsFargo94]

"The educational system in conjunction with the socialist organizations have spent forty years knocking duty and honor. I am really surprised that the percentage of students ready to serve is this high."

You make a good point.

Although I have to say I find it funny that "21 percent said they would serve only if stationed in the United States." Recruiters will enjoy signing these folks up!

[Britton J Wingfield]

A recruiter could guarranty that they be stationed on a ship or in a unit that is based in the US. Nothing says that said unit will not deploy... :)

[section9]

Once a draft law was passed by Congress, I will bet you that 90-95 percent of these whiners would show up.

Why?

You don't show up, it's a black mark on an employment record, sort of like a dishonorable discharge. Besides, most of the weenies don't want to spend time in the slammer.

Next to Bruce.

The Dirt Road King.

Look, no one likes the Draft, but it may become necessary as we begin to adjust to a more "Israeli" approach to terrorism (basically, we take a leaf out of Mao's book and turn this into a "people's war"). If it becomes necessary, it will happen.

Need I remind you all here that polls in both England and America indicated that many would refuse to serve if a Second World War against Germany broke out?

Well, it did. And they showed up.

No, girls will not be drafted.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Pining_4_TX]

Sure, we don't have enough troops in the Phillipines! In fact, we don't have them in enough places around the world. We should have US troops stationed in every country in the world, and lots of them, right? As for Afghanistan, when it makes the evening news that we've killed 8 or so at a time, you know this is going to be a long, drawn out mess. Are we gonna win this thing, or just stay there for 50 years as we've done in Korea? Our politicians are a bunch of weenies who don't mind misusing our service people.

[Britton J Wingfield]

We should have US troops stationed in every country in the world, and lots of them, right?

No, I said 'in the Philipines'. I did not say 'every country on earth'. Personally, I'd pull them out of Europe in a heartbeat. Putting outrageous words in my mouth will get you nowhere.

We have troops for a reason, though, and currently they are doing a fine job in Afghanistan and the Philipines. We are using ground troops because they are appropriate. I don't use an antitank rocket on a roach in my bathroom, and we don't use nuclear weapons on terrorists.

The Philipines is a valuable ally, and we are helping them achieve goals important to the both of us. How would you go about it?

[WellsFargo94]

"A recruiter could guarranty that they be stationed on a ship or in a unit that is based in the US. Nothing says that said unit will not deploy... :)"

That recruiter would TELL them anything to sign on the dotted line, and then after basic and AIT, it's up to Uncle Sam. They can promise the moon, but if it's not on your agreement - it doesn't exist.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Ping from our previous conversation.

Thirty-seven percent of American college students would try to evade the draft if one were called today, according to a nationwide poll released Thursday.

There ya go. Americans are not willing to defend America.

The survey by Republican pollster Frank Luntz, which comes nine months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted a surge in American patriotism, also shows that 79 percent of students do not think Western culture is superior to Arab culture.

And there we go again. Americans do not think America is worth defending; therefore, it won't be defended.

[usadave]

Thanks for your ping in your post #18 about the attitudes of many American college students in regard to their apparent lack of patriotism. If these numbers are truly reflective of many of today's young Americans, we may indeed be in for an uncertain future.

[Lexington Green]

“Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it.”

— Learned Hand, Supreme Court Justice