Posted on 08/04/2002 3:08:09 PM PDT by The Duke
Lately, even as I hear the war drums incessantly beating with regard to Iraq, I've heard numerous radio ads reminding all "young men" that registration for "selective service" is "the law".
Could it possibly be that a ressurection of the draft is being contemplated? And if so will this draft be "selective" in the sense that it won't "select" the children of our national leaders(?) (as apparently was the case with Vietnam?)
My own three boys are a few years from being eligable for such a draft, and I've shared with them my belief that the integrity of our leadership (Democrat and Republican alike) is highly suspect. I've also shared with them that the eight years prior to the current administration was proof that one can dodge the draft and even get elected President.
I would like to know what other Freepers think of the prospect of resurrecting the draft?
Add to that their insensitivity to death and destruction which the games instill and I'd say that we've got potentially the most vicious and relentless warrior class in history.
In a high-tech shooting war, our teenagers would reek total annihilation against any distant enemy.
Won't do any good. Canada will send them back. But if they want to leave and go somewhere else, Delta has flights leaving everyday. Take a poll among the young men you know and see who would dodge the draft - buy them a ticket now and take them to the airport in order to avoid the rush.
I have no respect for anyone who would run away. My cousin was a conscientious objector during Vietnam. He went down, let the recruiter know he was a CO, and enlisted in the Army as a medic. He served two tours in Vietnam as a medic. He didn't run away, he ran to the sound of the guns. He has my utmost respect. The people I saw protesting in DC after dad got stationed there (after he came home from Vietnam) - I have no respect for them - they deserve none.
It sure sounds like you've reached a decision to me, if not, that a lot of perfectly good paraniod thought gone to waste.
my intent was to solicit discussion - and attempt which seems to have been successful.
Looking back, most of the discussion is about cynicism, not the draft. And not one of the few posts that do discuss the draft agree with you.
Not much of a discussion.
I didn't say President Bush was a fool. In fact, I wouldn't have called "president" Clinton a fool either.
Now, as far as "liar" goes - all I can say is that both are politicians.
Then I'll restate: "While it seems I've spent the last 6 months disagreeing with President Bush more than agreeing with him, to call him a fool OR a liar is vile."
I would suggest that you don't think of a war with Iraq as necessarily being conveniently located "over there". One might do well to anticipate, for example, entire US cities quaranteened due to biowarfare within our own borders. In fact, the sailors at sea might be the lucky ones.
What does that have to do with what I said?
The fact remains that morale in the armed forces is high and reenlistments are up (rendering your "question" about the draft useless).
However, if we do decide to oust Hussein, it will, in fact, be necessary to GO to Iraq, despite what may happen over here. It might also be pointed out that by admitting Iraq may have biolgical weapons and the inclination to use them against a civilian population, you make going to Iraq less of "war drums incessantly beating" and more of a necessary evil.
We ain't living in Kansas no more Dorothy, and try as you might, clicking those ruby red slippers together ain't gonna help once certain genies are out of the bottle.
Very clever. But what are you talking about?
Why should anybody believe you? You've run Bush down since the day he was inaugurated. The only people who care what you think are your fellow Bush-haters.
I damn sure don't.
I pity your children. Forced to grow up trusting no one and nothing. Tought to fear and probably hate. Its not bad enough that there are things in this world to fear, you now have them cringing under their beds about biowarfare too? Congratulations Dad.
AMEN to that brother.
All of that is very respectable and I agree with such a message. None of it, so far as I can see, addresses the question of obedience to authority, at least not directly.
I am not advocating teaching cynicism to children, especially young children. But children at some point need to be taught how to think for themselves, or else they may be taught to let others think for them.
Children need to be taught never to blindly trust those in power -- our representatives in government, in particular -- but to use the reason that parents hopefully instill and nurture in them to judge good from bad, and good men from bad men. Failure to encourage reason will lead to a dependence on emotion, which can easily be manipulated by the unscrupulous.
A liberal education once meant an education which frees the mind so that it can make rational decisions based on logic and reason, and not purely on emotion. It seems that today it is starting to mean the reverse.
There is a middle ground between blind trust and absolute cynicism, but if I were to have to stray towards one side or the other, I would choose cynicism, as that seems closer to the truth these days than whatever blind idealism that liberals or statists manufactor for us.
Tuor
'Splain to me why you think a military draft is immoral.
And probably inefficient.
I agree there.
"In my opinion, you would be extremely fortunate if you get this man to fight for you...."
Perhaps because you are not privy to intelligence briefings. Earth to The Duke: You are not the center of the universe.
In the not too distant past, kings and princes fought and died in the wars they started. These days, the "kings and princes" probably don't even have a second cousin in uniform. That's a recipe for disater. Bring back the draft, with no deferments.
They don't have to register and we would not need to draft them.
No wonder you're proud of him. In WWII, medics were scorned in training, since many of them were conscientious objectors. When the bullets started flying, their comrades in arms began to understand that they were actually the bravest of the brave.
The New York Fire Department requires the same physical abilities of both male and female applicants. The results? In a department of over 14,000 fire fighters, only 37 are female. Enough said.
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