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

[Centurion2000]

First, should every male high school graduate be required to serve in the military?

I don't. One, an all volunteer force is more motivated to win. Two, I wouldn't want anyone in my fighting hole/tank/ ony my ship that did not want to be there. Three, with some of these retards that graduate not knowing how to read (thinks like a manual); you think I'd trust them to shoot machine guns, Dragon missiles, and grenade launchers straight ??

The final argument is that slave soldiers will not keep a country strong.

And yes draftees would be slaves in my eyes.

[Centurion2000]

Additional note though: I'm ALL for the idea of a veteran body-politic with limited franchise.

Anyone willing to die for their country should be able to vote in the country. Anyone that doesn't have the courage to lay it on the line should not.

[rwfromkansas]

First, for me not to call you a hypocrite, have you been in the military? If not, have you forced any older kids, if you have any, to be? If you say yes to the first question (and second if you have kids of that age), I will consider your opinion seriously.

[Nateman]

To anyone who thinks forced military service is a good idea I have one question for you: Would you have trusted Clinton with this power?

[Little John]

The no vote without service works for me ..... but I believe requiring all to serve a short time is proper and would benefit the nation. I see no downside for the country ..... except perhaps the damage done by the screams and loud wailing from the spoiled and the fearful. It would also probably put a crimp in the "dual citizen" scams.

[El Gato]

But the military in Starship Troopers( the book and the movie) was all volunteer

And you didn't have to serve in the military, most did not. However once you volunteered you had no choice in the matter, IIRC.

[weikel]

No I read the book they even let you quit right before a drop( in the MI anyway). The only time you couldn't was if you were being court martialed or you were in combat at the time.

[El Gato]

DRAFT me in times of dire need of national defense, and I will consent.

Might be kind of late to get trained when the enemy is at the gate.

[Little John]

Yes I served ..... and so did my son. At best your questions show your immaturity, and at worst your ignorance. The goal in raising children is to teach them to think for themselves and to be honorable and meet their responsibilities. If a child can be "forced" at age 18 the parent has failed.

[Aric2000]

No the government could NOT pick and choose, they had to take ANYONE who volunteered, if a man was blind, he could NOT be refused, the government was obligated to find some sort of job for him to obtain his citizenship, it wouldn't matter if your legs were off at the knees, your right hand was gone deaf in one ear and bling in an eye. You had to be given the chance to earn your franchise.

I believe that this indeed should be the way it is, you MUST volunteer for military service in order to get your franchise, you also CANNOT choose your job, you can tell them what you would LIKE to do, but they get to choose the job you get. You are volunteering to serve your country, not your country to serve you.

The service was not easy, and it was made that way on purpose. Your citizenship must be EARNED, it cannot be given, you can see where that has gottem us today. I loved the book Starship Troopers. LOL

When they gave the vote to everyone and thier retarded son, this country was on its way down. Bread and circus', when this country was turned into a democracy, that is when it all went downhill. This country is NOT a republic anymore, and it will end up in our destruction, which is a real pisser to me!!

Sorry, going off a sideroad here, military service should be voluntary, ALWAYS, we are not slaves to our country, and that is what mandatory service tells everyone. YOU ARE OWNED by the country, and your life is not your own, you are a SLAVE!! Volunteers ONLY, those are the ones who can be highly trained, will be HIGHLY motivated, and will get the job done. Draftees are cannon fodder, that's all they would be good for, a blanket of bodies for the real soldiers to walk over.

[El Gato]

gives government the power to select those who got to vote by screening who gets to serve.

I believe they had to take you, for something, although they got to choose what it was.

[Little John]

Yes .... during a national crisis it would be just plain stupid to deny such power to any President. If the power was abused then congress and the supremes would have to earn their money.

Your question looks to me to be merely another slick rationalization.

[Little John]

.... Draftees are cannon fodder, that's all they would be good for, a blanket of bodies for the real soldiers to walk over.....

How sad that in the end you try to make your point by insulting and degrading the millions of draftees who served bravely and honorably and in many, many cases contributed far more than the volunteer lifers. I suspect that a review of the MOHs, SSs, BSs etc awarded to draftees stacks up quite honorably with those awarded to volunteers.

[El Gato]

No I read the book they even let you quit right before a drop( in the MI anyway). The only time you couldn't was if you were being court martialed or you were in combat at the time.

You misunderstood, I meant they, the government, got to choose where you served, not if you would serve. Yes I know you could quit, whether you were a drop trooper, a pilot, or a scientist in a lab somewhere. I too have read the book, more than once. It's been a while though. The movie was the pits, IMHO.

[weikel]

I dunno I saw the movie 1st I thought it was pretty cool( BTW you ever lay starcraft the Terran ending in the brood wars expansion was a complete starship troopers ripoff).

[Shooter 2.5]

" I've seen very few Freepers report they were joining to help defend our country "

How young do you think we are? My son was two months out of the Navy and he turned around and enlisted in the Marines three weeks ago. My wife and I volunteered at the Red Cross until they didn't need us anymore. I carried concealed every day I was there. We did the phone banks, worked in the warehouse and did data entry on the missing. And we gave blood.

[Michael Barnes]

Chesty Puller would be proud of your boy...(And for what it's worth, your boy is going the original route to becoming a Marine: ala pre 1775 stuff).

[PatrioticAmerican]

Stalin and Hitler would be proud. Nothing like state indoctrination.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Weren't these the same arguments for conscription that the Romans used?

[Little John]

I'm really not sure of your point. For what it is worth, I think that a large number of Freepers are 18 to 25 years old and that there are very few who have joined since 9/11. The "reasons" and arguments these keyboard warrior self described "conservatives" post against serving make me sick.

.... I carried concealed every day....

If you actually came here to NY and did that I hope you had the appropriate ticket as NY just don't play concealed carry permits for civilians.

I salute your son.

Regards