Required (Military) Service (for all High School Students)?

FOX ^ | Monday, February 04, 2002 | The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[vannrox]

This partial transcript from

[dread78645]

If you've seen the movie, STARSHIP TROOPERS, the future is very near, it appears.

Read the book and it's old hat.

"The young boy or girl who is of German nationality and is a subject of the German State is bound to complete the period of school education which is obligatory for every German. Thereby he submits to the system of training which will make him conscious of his race and a member of the folk-community. Then he has to fulfil all those requirements laid down by the State in regard to physical training after he has left school; and finally he enters the army. The training in the army is of a general kind. It must be given to each individual German and will render him competent to fulfil the physical and mental requirements of military service. The rights of citizenship shall be conferred on every young man whose health and character have been certified as good, after having completed his period of military service. This act of inauguration in citizenship shall be a solemn ceremony. And the diploma conferring the rights of citizenship will be preserved by the young man as the most precious testimonial of his whole life. It entitles him to exercise all the rights of a citizen and to enjoy all the privileges attached thereto."
-- Mien Kampt

[Rain-maker]

So you were agains the draft during WWII then....pascifism is for cowards!

[LN2Campy]

John Wayne was a 4F piece of crap

[RJCogburn]

pascifism is for cowards!

What rational thought process leads one to the conclusion that opposition to mandatory national service equates with pacifism?

[arly]

I'll send my kids right after the Klintoons and the Bushes send all of theres!

[weikel]

But the military in Starship Troopers( the book and the movie) was all volunteer. Not only that you could quit at any time the only negative conseqauence being you never got a chance to be a citizen again.

[Nateman]

STARSHIP TROOPERS, the future is very near, it appears...

I like the idea of only letting veterans vote. It sure would keep out scum like Ted Kennedy and Clinton from ever holding office. The down side is that gives government the power to select those who got to vote by screening who gets to serve.

[Nitro]

"Freedom. I like the sound of the word. It means people can come and go, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose."

John Wayne....The Alamo

I have seen the movie many times and I love it...

Now remember when he said it, he was sure that all his buds would stand by!!

In other words, they all had the same passion for freedom that he had!!!

These days kids think a free ride is the same as Freedom and they are wrong!!!!!

And in the end they are guaranteed to lose it!!

[Norwell]

Sorry folks, but with over 50% of pregnant females in the service unmarried, the military is becoming a baby-sitting service in any case. Commanders, NCO’s, Petty Officers already are wasting their time worrying about day care centers and the status of their pregnant troops.

I’d heighten the standards and make the program last for two years: benefits do not come until the end of those two years. That way the slugs could be gotten rid off without getting any benefits. Assure that colleges could not take any veterans benefits...or even ask about them...when calculating financial aid.

One more tact to heighten the value of military service would be to compel localities receiving federal dollars to implement genuine veterans’ preference. For instance, specify the preference given veterans must be at least three times more than any other preference: you get 5 points on the civil service exam if you come from the town hiring…well than you get 15 points on your exam for 2 years in the Army.

[Nateman]

STARSHIP TROOPERS, the future is very near, it appears...

I like the idea of only letting veterans vote. It sure would keep out scum like Ted Kennedy and Clinton from ever holding office. The down side is that gives government the power to select those who got to vote by screening who gets to serve.

[Captain Shady]

But the military in Starship Troopers( the book and the movie) was all volunteer. Not only that you could quit at any time the only negative conseqauence being you never got a chance to be a citizen again.

Yes , the volunteer aspect was cool.

[Little John]

The rationalizations by the phonies and cowards on this subject turn my stomach. I've seen very few Freepers report they were joining to help defend our country .... most don't seem to notice or acknowlege that we are at war ..... How sad so many of our "conservative" keyboard warriors are quite comfortable with others going in harms way.

Regards

[Captain Shady]

I like the idea of only letting veterans vote. It sure would keep out scum like Ted Kennedy and Clinton from ever holding office. The down side is that gives government the power to select those who got to vote by screening who gets to serve.

Our government has done some of that in times past. We've had veterans denied their voting rights in some locales because of race.I guess there is no idea ever created by someone that can't be messed up by someone else.

[toenail]

"I say YES."

FR would be much more valuable if it didn't require constant games of whack-a-mole with closet fascists and statist control freaks. Exactly who do you think you are to want to steal time from someone else's kids?

[ET(end tyranny)]

I remember before the election, during one of the debates, that Alan Keyes suggested young people spend some time in community service, or peace corps or something of that nature. The idea got shot down, loud and long around FR....

[rwfromkansas]

I say no. Love of country is not fostered by forced service. However, I have to say I am a high school student myself and so I only hope that my selfish interest and concern about my safety are not the major reasons for opposing forced military service. I am sure someone will just assume that is the case and call me a spoiled teenager who does not know what sacrifice means, so the military would be good for me. But, frankly, while I might get attacked from such people, I am curious how many of them have signed up themselves.

[El Gato]

I guess all those dead white men of the early days of the Republic must have not been the creators of a "free" republic then. They believed in mandatory military training and service... Just not in a standing army. Their vision of the militia, much like the current and then existing Swiss system, would have everyone train in their local community, but to standards set by the federal government. Not so very long ago, two years of ROTC was mandatory at all land grand colleges.

In fact the original purpose of ROTC was to create a pool of officer cannidates for the state militias to appoint officers out of, and only secondarily to produce officers for the federal military. With the vast majority of the citizenry, for I would include women in this too, having at least rudimentry military training, including weapons training, we'd have less to worry about when it came tyrnany in government or invasion either.

[Little John]

The question you might want to ask yourself involves your personal self respect ..... and whether you are the type of person who is quite happy avoiding any heavy lifting and wants others to protect you. You face the same question that Clinton faced ....... No matter the rationalization or technicalities, all the arguments against service are quite clear. IMO, avoiding service makes you no different than Clinton.

I'd also suggest reading Starship Troopers rather than relying on Hollywood to relate Heinlein's philosophy on citizenship.

[Nateman]

A big no to forced military service, but a big yes to necessary military service for voting rights. Those who do not risk their lives in defense of the country have no business selecting anybody who has the power to risk those lives.