A post that I wrote from 7/28/04 about the draft had a couple of comments that I felt the need to not only comment on, but post an entry to clarify what I actually meant in what I wrote. Here is my comment on the post. (Be sure to check out the actual post and comments if you so wish).
Well, I feel the need to clarify what I meant. Point blank: The draft is a bad idea for me. The draft is a bad idea for anyone who doesn’t believe in war, violence, and destruction as a means to secure or conquer anything. Surely there are other ways to save the world than to kill thousands of innocent people. And the people that are doing the killing are our military right now. People that, like Stephanie says, tend to be the poorer people, people that, in many cases, have no other choices to make it ahead in life, so they must join the military. Well, that stinks, and I agree with that. It sucks that the way our country is set up, is that many of the poor have no other way. But, I don’t believe in reinstating a draft that will most likely draft a majority of lower middle, middle, and upper middle class citizens into wars that they may or may not believe in, after all, that is the bulk of the country, right? Many, like myself, see this war as totally unnecessary (i.e. the “reason” we went was to find and destroy WMD… right? yet none are there.), and see it as more of an agenda to further the financial gains of certain chosen companies, as well as to procure supplies of oil (as many people who drive have begun to notice that our supply is getting a little low).
So in summation, I just want to clarify… the draft WOULD eliminate the problem that the poor are the majority fighting in the war, but it would force many peaceful pacifists onto the front line (many of which work hard as hell and pay taxes out the wazoo to make certain things like essential systems, like public health (myself) work in this country and throughout the world). So there is no right or wrong answer about the draft…for the masses, but there is a right or wrong answer for the draft FOR ME. That answer is that the idea of a draft sucks, ESPECIALLY considering it would be to fight a war that I believe is not necessary in the first place.
Duane,
Your comments on the draft seem rather uninformed and selfish. There are tons of things that we do in this world that we do not want to do, but should and have to do. Pay taxes. No one likes to give up their money, but we do so that we can drive on roads and have schools to go to. If everyone did what you believe and said that taxes are bad for me, then there would be no roads, schools, or anything else that is a public good. If you do not believe in th war, then protest it. That is what you have freedom of speech for, to put forth your ideas (which you do in your blog, bravo), but you do not get to decide what parts of being an American Citizen are good for you and not good for you. I hope that if there was a draft you would not use your gayness to get out of it. If you did you would be just as bad as Bush.
I believe that is one of the harshest things that you could accuse someone of… “using gayness” to get out of anything. First of all, no one uses gayness, you are gay or not. Period, end of story. I am, and am damn proud of it. And if my government wants to take away my civil rights (see constitutional struggles all last year and this) and force me out of the military because of who I am, oh well, not my problem. Being gay isn?t something you use. It is something that you are. Second, the don’t ask don’t tell policy was not my idea, and if BLATANT discrimination is thrust upon me, then there is NO WAY that I would ever want to deny who I was and lie just to protect an institution that I do not believe in. Don’t ask don’t tell is one of the most absurd ideas, and has cost the military MANY fine soldiers. (remember the interpreter that was honorable discharged for being gay, at the time when we needed interpreters desperately? This shows that discrimination against gays takes precedence to national security). If someone hates me that bad, then I want nothing to do with them.
And comparing the draft to paying taxes is, well, misinformed. I GLADLY pay taxes, and would pay more taxes if I could enjoy the luxury of finer roads, health care, and things like that. But, I pay taxes, and pay for my own healthcare. Also, the roads in Atlanta, where I live, are horrible, yet I still pay taxes to make them better. Also, paying taxes doesn?t put people in the way of gun fire, I cannot remember the last time that someone got blown up for paying their taxes (or not paying them, but that is up the IRS). So that is not a very good comparison at all.
Let me just say that I could never be as bad as Bush, that is simply not possible. When I protest the draft and the war here on my blog, I am protesting how I feel about what I believe to be a possible injustice to the American public, not just myself. I believe that a draft is a bad idea, especially when we would be sending people to die FOR NO REASON!!! How can that be patriotic and good for our country?? Please tell that to the children whose fathers AND MOTHERS aren’t coming home. Why? Because they went to secure Iraq, which, by the way has never attacked us, and at the time they were attacked, posed no real threat to our national security (which is the justified “reason” why we went there, as told to us, by our government). Simply put, this is how I feel. FOR THIS WAR, and I repeat, FOR THIS WAR, in this time, at this time, with this administration, and with their goals of war, A DRAFT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. Asking Americans to register with the selective service (of which I am currently registered) is a civil duty, and if called upon, every American should serve their country in some way. I just do not believe that this war is necessary, nor warranted. I believe this to be a desperate attempt to silence old “enemies” and procure as much foreign oil as we can. Not to mention fuel the careers of those that profit from war… after all, I believe that there are three main things that people go to war over: religion, money, and freedom. And this time, it is money, at least for us.
So I hope that I do not offend, nor sound misinformed, because I am not trying to offend, and I am far from misinformed. I know what the draft would mean, and has meant, for many men in this country, and I am sure they would agree that it isn’t right, and they wouldn’t want to fight, at least not for the reasons they would be fighting for. You are in a little better of a position, because, Stephanie, as a woman, you would not be drafted, and this is PROBABLY not a dire concern of yours (again, I try not offend). And finally (hopefully this will make you understand that I am not against protection, soldiers, and the military, just a draft for the war in IRAQ), yes, I believe soldiers are necessary, and yes, when it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, there should be a call to Americans to serve their country, but not this time, and not this war. Reinstating the draft for more people to die is just wrong. I support our troops by wanting them home. There are just too many lies that are keeping them there.