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This feature is taken from E.A.9.11, Group 5.
See the entire discussion: Draft?.
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Sergei |
05:00pm Mar 27, 2002 EST |
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Although top officials are assuring us that they can't foresee one, there've been questions about a draft since the War on Terrorism began. A draft would prove whether this is going to be a generation that proudly marches off to war like in World War II, or a generation of rebellious draft dodgers who call from freedom as we got during the Vietnam War. Would YOU die in war for your country? Where does our generation stand in this? I'm mainly interested in hearing what the boys on this forum have to say, but girls can write in too with their beliefs.
No way! I would never go in and fight "for the glories of America"! Ecchhh! I get born into a country I didn't ask to live in, and now I'm supposed to surender to it uncondiitionally because I was born here! This is punishment for being male, if I were born female I wouldn't have any problem. But instead, every male born in the United States whose the ripe age at the time is hunted down by the government to "protect your country". MY LIFE is more important than this fascist hellpit. This country has made me live in fear of my life with my drug habits, this country has refused to listen when I spoke, refused to change the laws, and now you want me THANKING you for itt by defending. *Bzzzzz* No way. I am not oging to war for this war or any other war.
When you think about the draft that gives the anti-war protestors a new meaning. Would you still support the war is they had decided to resort to a draft? Well I didn't support Bush and his pigs' war from the beginning so maybe I don't count, but I sure believe that a lot of people who say OK to a volunteer war would say no if they made it into a drafter like Vie tnam.
I really didn't support going to war in the first place. As I've said many times, violence really ISN'T the way to solve violence. I don't have to worry about getting drafted because so far females don't get drafted. However, my brother will be 18 in September, and several more of my friends will be 18 within less than 4 years. If this "war" goes on long enough, they could ALL get drafted. I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about my friends and my family.
I'm scared to death that the draft is going to happen. I know for a fact that my brother wouldn't go. He'd rather serve time in jail instead of going. He disagrees with a lot of the stuff that happens within our government, and with a lot of the stuff that our government does. We've had this discussion several times, and out of the 12 of my guy friends who were participating in that conversation, only Scott, his brother Randy, and my friend Darren would be willing to go fight for their country. That means only 1/4 of our youth population who would be eligible to go would be willing to. I think that puts a vote toward another Vietnam War sentiment.
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andrew |
10:09pm Mar 28, 2002 EST |
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A draft is never going to happen for two reasons. 1) The American public doesn’t like to see a body count. (Which, I have to say, is pretty stupid. What the hell are the armed forced for?) 2) Wars are not fought with divisions and armies anymore. They are fought with elite, well trained, small groups of men.
Personally, if there was a draft I would defend this country.
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Paul F |
08:06pm Mar 29, 2002 EST |
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It has become very clear to me right now that the majority of my generation has been unpatriotic, even if not pacifistic. These kids are NOT rallying behind the president, rallying behind the flag. In Government class we talked about the government calls to "get behind" the president. All the students were talking about how moronically stupid the suggestion was, and there were very few dissenters.
[My school] tried to hold a pep rally that involved a flag salute and "Star-spangled Banner", and, in fact, many of the students actually responded by turning their backs to the flag.
The liberals are still liberal, the conservatives are still conservative. They talk about America and its government not having done anything for them, not being a free nation for teens, even having put some people they know and love in jail. I know a student who is fighting to get social security disbanded, students who are protesting globalism, students who protest for animal rights, students who are fighting to get the curfew abolished, students who protest the police.
Some of these kids have been approached by older people (our parents' age) who ask them appalledly how they could be doing such a thing in this time of war and when we need unity, etc. The kids feel no shame doing it and describe these adults and cowardly, brainless and without morals (I agree). Why SHOULD an attack change the fact that the things America does are unfair and should not have to be tolerated?
Some have wondered whether it is in our generation's nature to behave like this and just fight for our country, but I don't see why. Five months after the attacks, no more of this year's seniors are planning on going into the military than the seniors the year before (last year the roster enumerated 4). It looks like it's going to be more a generation reliving Vietnam (if a draft were to occur) with resistance, belief in freedom and an exciting pop culture and ideology than a clean-cut World War II generation with calls of "honor, duty and country!"
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Sergei |
11:13pm Mar 29, 2002 EST |
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It's interesting that people are talking about a draft even though the military experts themselves are saying they can't foresee one and that they really doubt this is going to be a draft war. Maybe people have Vietnam too much on their minds as the current American perception on what a war is about? Mix Vietnam with the Persian Gulf War and you have what baby boomers and younger Americans have come to expect from the new war. Personally, I have no problem defying the government and refusing to go to war if there's a draft (and that's a big if). I'm not going to be pretending like it's a "dishonorable" thing or anything.
Paul says:
"Some of these kids have been approached by older people (our parents' age) who ask them appalledly how they could be doing such a thing in this time of war and when we need unity, etc. The kids feel no shame doing it and describe these adults and cowardly, brainless and without morals (I agree). Why SHOULD an attack change the fact that the things America does are unfair and should not have to be tolerated?"
Agreed completely! Way to go everyone!
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