The story about the draft being reinstated has recently resurfaced, and I say resurfaced because this story has been around since early 2003 when it was first introduced. It seems that people have forgotten/ignored/not bothered to investigate the facts behind it before shouting out their call to arms.
Now, I am by no means for the unpleasantness of these current times, but I’d just like to put forth a reminder of why the bill was introduced in the first place.
In the text of Congressman Pete Stark’s Statement in the House of Representatives (http://www.house.gov/stark/documents/108th/univdraftstate.html) he explains why the bill was introduced:
“I am an original cosponsor of the Rangel/Conyers bill, the Universal National Service Act of 2003 (HR 163), which would reinstate a national draft. I would like to explain my support for this legislation. I ardently oppose war with Iraq. The evidence simply does not exist to warrant sending our nationÕs young people to sacrifice their lives in Iraq. I believe America ought to be an advocate for peace, not imperialism”
[...]
“This bill requires all young Americans Ð men and women between 18 and 26 Ð to perform a two year period of national service in a military or civilian capacity as determined by the President. For those who conscientiously object to war, the bill assures that any military service would not include combat. Otherwise, there would be no preferences, no deferments, no chance for the well-off or the well- connected to dodge military service for their country, as did our President.”
( please read the last sentence carefully )
[...]
“Reinstituting the draft may seem unnecessary to some. But, it will ensure all Americans share in the cost and sacrifice of war. Without a universal draft, this burden weighs disproportionately on the shoulders of the poor the disadvantaged and minority populations.”
[...]
“If our nation is to go to war, it is only right that all Americans share in the sacrifice of war. It is time we truly comprehended the consequences. I urge my colleagues to support a universal draft which I believe will make votes for war much more real for many of my colleagues.”
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So you see friends, the movement to “bring back the draft” was not some neoconservative move to bolster our forces and fuel American imperialism, but as an act of protest. The idea behind it was to, in Stark’s words, make sure that “all Americans share in the sacrifice of war”, most importantly, those members of the government who have sons and daughters. This bill was never designed to have been passed in the first place.
This is also not a complete rebuttal, but something to think about next time someone asks you, “Hey, did you hear they want to bring back the draft?” Feel free to pass this information on to those who you feel might benefit from it.
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