Oh, you touched a nerve with that one. Remember that I was a young upstart in the Viet Name era. All the young men I knew were either philosophically planning to go off, or digging their heels in to resist. Some people might be surprised at the ones I admire the most. I would not have sent a son or daughter to war. No matter what I would have to have done to prevent it. I'm not so very different from the way I was back then.
I almost didn't post that quote, because it occured to me that we don't have a draft, so any young man (or young woman) who ends up in a war is there by their own free choice. But the combination of drummed up fear, drummed up patriotism, and a drummed down economy makes me wonder just how free that choice actually is.
Oh, yeah, Kirk. I'm sure all of that drumming has driven many young people to the service. And for some of them, that will have been a good decision. It's just not for me or anyone I love. And particularly not in war time.
I was so completely freaked out in 2001 when my son was a teenager and I was sure a draft would be revived. Thank god he didn't go to war. I'm not sure I could have stopped him, but I sure would have tried my heart out.
@Dreamfarm and Kass--Politically, the best time to bring back the draft would have been immediately following 9/11, when both fear and patriotism would have been at their apex. Why didn't they? I think because the powers that be already had Iraq in their sights, and was afraid a draft might cause too many people asking questions.
In order to keep the hucksters, humbugs, scoundrels, psychos, morons, and last but not least, artificial intelligentsia at bay, I have decided to turn on comment moderation. On the plus side, I've gotten rid of the word verification.
Oh, you touched a nerve with that one. Remember that I was a young upstart in the Viet Name era. All the young men I knew were either philosophically planning to go off, or digging their heels in to resist. Some people might be surprised at the ones I admire the most. I would not have sent a son or daughter to war. No matter what I would have to have done to prevent it. I'm not so very different from the way I was back then.
ReplyDeleteI almost didn't post that quote, because it occured to me that we don't have a draft, so any young man (or young woman) who ends up in a war is there by their own free choice. But the combination of drummed up fear, drummed up patriotism, and a drummed down economy makes me wonder just how free that choice actually is.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, Kirk. I'm sure all of that drumming has driven many young people to the service. And for some of them, that will have been a good decision. It's just not for me or anyone I love. And particularly not in war time.
ReplyDeleteI was so completely freaked out in 2001 when my son was a teenager and I was sure a draft would be revived. Thank god he didn't go to war. I'm not sure I could have stopped him, but I sure would have tried my heart out.
ReplyDeleteThere have been times I thought of moving to Canada with my 3 boys.
ReplyDelete@Dreamfarm and Kass--Politically, the best time to bring back the draft would have been immediately following 9/11, when both fear and patriotism would have been at their apex. Why didn't they? I think because the powers that be already had Iraq in their sights, and was afraid a draft might cause too many people asking questions.
ReplyDelete