From: bartlett@rmtc.Central.Sun.COM (Terry Bartlett)
Subject: Re: mandatory service (was Re: Metzenbaum introduces Senate bill to end military ban)
Organization: Sun Microsystems Rocky Mountain Technology Center, Colo Spgs
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 21:02:15 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.193153.15687@news.ysu.edu> ae642@yfn.ysu.edu (Kelley Miller) writes:
>
>In a previous article, bartlett@rmtc.Central.Sun.COM (Terry Bartlett) says:
>
>>In article <1992Aug13.042650.7512@news.ysu.edu> ae642@yfn.ysu.edu (Kelley Miller) writes:
>>>
>>>If a draft occurs, in any form, everyone gets hurt.  
>>>Instead of drafting anyone, let's keep things as they are, an all-volunteer
>>>service.  In this way, we can assure that these things never happen.
>>>
>>This is a nice distinction to make.  If we have a draft, everyone gets
>>hurt.  Are you saying that no one gets hurt if we have an all volunteer
>>military?  Wrong.
>
>Of course I'm not saying no one gets hurt.  What I'm saying is, those who 
>volunteer know and accept the risk they are taking.
>
>>  What you have is an unfair system--those who have 
>>other options and don't have to choose military service, and those who
>>have fewer options for whom the military is their best way in our society.
>>
>Bullshit.  I did not come from money, I did not any more options than most.
>I did not join the service, I worked at minimum wage jobs, got grants, and got
>educated.  Anyone who says they joined the army because they had no other
>options is one of two things, either a liar or a looser.  Let them be
>honest.  They weren't willing to make the hard choice, and make sacrifices
>for their future...they took the easy way out, joined the military (with
>no gun at their head, I might add), and now they bitch because of their 
>choice.

First of all, get over yourself.  You and I are exceptions, and the fact that
we can sit here in front of our workstations and argue about it proves it. 
But the fact remains that generally speaking the middle class and the wealthy 
don't volunteer for military service.  Everyone knows the risks, but it's 
still true that there are classes of people who have fewer options for whom
the military is an attractive choice.  You can't fault them for not making
the same choice you and I have made.

And where do you get the idea that the people who joined the military
are bitching about?  They might be, but I don't know that.  *I'm* bitching,
though, because there is an injustice here, even if you are unwilling to 
see it.

>>If we really need to have a military, and our society places value on the
>>service, then everyone should have to do it.  Not just the poor and the
>>minorities, but the middle class and the wealthy, men and women, and you
>>and me.
>
>You might have to.  I won't.  If there were a draft, I would refuse it,
>outright.  I would serve my time in prison, or whatever other penalty
>the government imposes on those who believe the government is their
>servant, not their master.

Either there is a value in military service or there isn't.  If you feel
that there should be a military, you should be willing to serve in it.
But like so many others, you'd rather let someone else do your dirty work
for you.  Instead of going to prison, you should run for public office.

The only fair way to have a military is to have everyone serve, if anyone
has to serve.

>>>*                  ae642@yfn.ysu.edu // Jesus Christ, from the cross     *
>>
>By the way, nice piece of creative editing.  See below for the complete,
>and correct, version.

For this I apologize.  I never leave complete signatures on posts, only the
email address.  Mine should have been appended afterwards but wasn't.


>-- 
>*...your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist // "Peter...PETER!!  I can see    *
>*      the KelleyMan:Kelley L. Miller // your house from here!"          *    
>*                  ae642@yfn.ysu.edu // Jesus Christ, from the cross     *
>****************Know God...No peace.  No God...Know peace.****************


Terry Bartlett			   bartlett@rmtc.Central.Sun.COM
Sun Microsystems		   "You've got to stand for something,
Rocky Mountain Technology Center    or you'll fall for anything..."
Colorado Springs, CO 80918