flowerlane (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} flowerlane) wrote,@ 2006-02-06 15:05:00 |
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Time for a universal draft
Several times recently I have heard someone say or I have read that the people who support the wars now underway by the US can’t be expected to change their minds until it “affects them”. I think that this is a serious overgeneralization. A significant number of the parents of injured and killed GIs continue to support the war and military action. Indeed, most of everyone who is old enough to be in the military has parents, grandparents and extended family members who were injured or killed in previous wars. The misery of war does not seem to deter continued support for military adventures and occupations from generation to generation. One of the most impressive books I have ever read is War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges. Hedges argues that war and violent conflict provide meaningful contributions to the emotional and intellectual life of participants and observers. Certainly, the culture we now live in cannot be divorced from militarism. So what to do, what to do?
I think that the worst extremes and the endless conflicts without pause can be moderated. Some peace, even short term and conditional, can be imposed. But – it does take a certain number of people to shift from passive support for government action to active opposition (or at least, passive opposition). And so, back to the observation that people are unlikely to be moved until it affects them.
Here is what I have decided to advocate: There should be universal draft into military service of all relatively young people. The details of who is the right age group, what exemptions should be allowed, whether there should be a lottery are really not important. What is important is that everybody’s family is vulnerable to actually having their careers interfered with, their schooling deferred, or their head shot off. Besides – in a democracy, everyone should be equally responsible for defense. And in an empire, everyone should equally bear the burden of conquest.
Secondly, I advocate that an active anti-military movement to help draft resisters should be developed to help everyone who wants to avoid service. This is not a contradiction of my first position. To be fair, the risk of death and injury must be shared equally within a democratic society. To be moral, the resistance of those who oppose death and injury from militarism should be supported.
Several times recently I have heard someone say or I have read that the people who support the wars now underway by the US can’t be expected to change their minds until it “affects them”. I think that this is a serious overgeneralization. A significant number of the parents of injured and killed GIs continue to support the war and military action. Indeed, most of everyone who is old enough to be in the military has parents, grandparents and extended family members who were injured or killed in previous wars. The misery of war does not seem to deter continued support for military adventures and occupations from generation to generation. One of the most impressive books I have ever read is War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges. Hedges argues that war and violent conflict provide meaningful contributions to the emotional and intellectual life of participants and observers. Certainly, the culture we now live in cannot be divorced from militarism. So what to do, what to do?
I think that the worst extremes and the endless conflicts without pause can be moderated. Some peace, even short term and conditional, can be imposed. But – it does take a certain number of people to shift from passive support for government action to active opposition (or at least, passive opposition). And so, back to the observation that people are unlikely to be moved until it affects them.
Here is what I have decided to advocate: There should be universal draft into military service of all relatively young people. The details of who is the right age group, what exemptions should be allowed, whether there should be a lottery are really not important. What is important is that everybody’s family is vulnerable to actually having their careers interfered with, their schooling deferred, or their head shot off. Besides – in a democracy, everyone should be equally responsible for defense. And in an empire, everyone should equally bear the burden of conquest.
Secondly, I advocate that an active anti-military movement to help draft resisters should be developed to help everyone who wants to avoid service. This is not a contradiction of my first position. To be fair, the risk of death and injury must be shared equally within a democratic society. To be moral, the resistance of those who oppose death and injury from militarism should be supported.
