i was just thinking about this watching a piece on vietnam yesterday

[synaesthetic]

Bill Could Bring Return of Draft it will be just like israel - women and college students included this time around with a requirement of two years of service

Comments

Cripes

[henrykrinkle00]

Going to prison and being drafted are on the same level, at least in my mind. The chance of rape would be about about the same, and in prison I could at least learn how to do cool things like make a shank out of a pen cap, and roll cigarettes.

Re: Cripes

[synaesthetic]

i can teach you how to roll cigarettes without the buttsex, you know.

Re: Cripes

[henrykrinkle00]

Meet me in smoker's alley one day and teach me.

[speedwagon]

Although nobody wants to go to war, a universal required draft is actually more democratic than a volunteer army. Everyone serves, everyone knows, everyone makes more informed, realistic decisions regarding the military if they get into the political or corporate sector and gain power. The way it stands now, the wealthy use economic power to shield themselves from having to ever serve in the military, creating groups within an entire class of people (lower/working class) that are nigh-forced into military service simply for economic reasons. Essentially, the rich hire an army of poor mercenaries to fight their wars for them. A far cry from Classical Greece or Republican Rome where all landowners served, eh? Guess you get a free lunch only if youre very wealthy, and you can afford it anyway (waa waa free market).

Of course, maybe we just shouldn't go to war at all....nahhh, fuck em. ;-)

[simianlogic]

It's not too far a cry from what the Greek and Roman empire did toward the end of their respective existences. One of the large factors in Rome's fall was their integration of large scale mercenary armies into their military. Of course, eventually, the mercenaries aren't so poor anymore.

[flymolo]

Did they have actual mercenary groups? I was under the impression that a lot of those groups were natives to lands outside of Roman borders that tried to flee to Roman territories every time the Huns or someone else came storming through. Then, in exchange for passage through the Roman Empire, everyone who could hold a sword was pressed into military service. Eventually, they were all tired of being starved and pushed around and the Roman's had armed half of them, so then they started making trouble.

I dunno, I haven't taken a history class in forever. Thats just the impression I had.

[akagrisha]

you know what else i remember? that time i hurt your feelings and you de-friended me and how i can't even look at your reply to my comment because now the entry is "protected."

it's okay, i still love you deeply.
for real.
and not just because you have a picture of me in a ridiculous sweater.

[synaesthetic]

if you ever want to be added back all you have to do is ask.

i made it friends only because it began to get a bit too personal to be public, i think.

i'm glad you saw that picture. i enjoy nicks response in it.

[akagrisha]

i swear i've asked like three times, but oh well

please friendle me jen

[synaesthetic]

that's really bizarre, because it seems like i would have noticed if you did.