General Discussion

Ms. Toad

(38,426 posts)

31. We actually have an economic draft.

Tue Nov 13, 2012, 05:19 PM

Nov 2012

The military is one of the few options for advancement for many poor youth.

These individuals may, when they join - as a way out of poverty - believe they can participate in war. There are quite a few who find out that, despite their honorable intentions going in, they cannot morally continue to participate in the military. The Dream Act (if it passes) will make that even more challenging - youth who feel that they must atone for the sins of their parents who brought then to this country without documentation (and who cannot afford to go to school) will feel even more pressure to join the military, perhaps believing they can live with what it requires.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

54 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Conscientious Objection...do you approve or not? and when? [View all] Ken Burch Nov 2012 OP

I think YES, providing in all of ones life, they refuse to pick up a gun graham4anything Nov 2012 #1

So all conflicts are equal? wickerwoman Nov 2012 #4

I did not pick that answer you are implying graham4anything Nov 2012 #6

But the problem with saying wickerwoman Nov 2012 #12

My two cents on taking human life is that there are really only two types of killing. Selatius Nov 2012 #7

IMHO a drone on Hitler before the escalation would have stopped it then and there graham4anything Nov 2012 #52

Absolute Pacifism - Graham4Anything, what you suggest is immoral Democratopia Nov 2012 #9

Change we can believe in? LP2K12 Nov 2012 #14

Absolute wrong glacierbay Nov 2012 #24

I am good with that quaker bill Nov 2012 #34

I do better than support conscientious objection. I oppose the draft. JVS Nov 2012 #2

When Republicans are in power Fumesucker Nov 2012 #3

Uh....does the word "Vietnam" mean anything to you? Ken Burch Nov 2012 #18

Beat me to it. nt. glacierbay Nov 2012 #25

That's ancient history Fumesucker Nov 2012 #47

Korea, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Libya, etc. Angleae Nov 2012 #46

Et tu, Brute? Fumesucker Nov 2012 #49

Without a draft, how is CO at all relevant to anything? I assume that there is some point to Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #5

There is mandatory selective service registration for males Ms. Toad Nov 2012 #30

I'll support CO for those forced to serve, not for those that volunteered. Angleae Nov 2012 #8

Once you sign up, CO status is over quaker bill Nov 2012 #35

That hasn't stopped people from trying. Angleae Nov 2012 #44

Unfortunately quaker bill Nov 2012 #53

Other. It's irrelevant unless there is a draft. MineralMan Nov 2012 #10

What if you joined, saw the reality fo war(after joining voluntarily)and THEN decided Ken Burch Nov 2012 #19

I doubt that's a common occurrence, frankly. MineralMan Nov 2012 #21

You're assuming that everyone who joins the military Ken Burch Nov 2012 #23

Yah, well, I was just 19 when I joined the USAF in 1965. MineralMan Nov 2012 #26

I'm 51. I remember being 18. Ken Burch Nov 2012 #38

We actually have an economic draft. Ms. Toad Nov 2012 #31

My point exactly. Excellent post, Ms T. Ken Burch Nov 2012 #40

I support the right of conscience-based objection to all wars. Spider Jerusalem Nov 2012 #11

The law has no sympathy either quaker bill Nov 2012 #36

The DOD allows for discharges based on conscientious objection even after having been deployed. Agony Nov 2012 #45

People change in the course of their lives flamingdem Nov 2012 #13

Approve ismnotwasm Nov 2012 #15

I oppose CO status unless we were cthulu2016 Nov 2012 #16

You're right ismnotwasm Nov 2012 #17

I wanted to explain what I meant by "Conscientious Objection to particular wars" Ken Burch Nov 2012 #20

It's a difficult question. MineralMan Nov 2012 #22

Forcing people to murder their fellow humans is barbarism. Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2012 #27

Vietnam oberle Nov 2012 #28

Other Friends took alternate service quaker bill Nov 2012 #37

A lot of those refusing to join wars would gladly do that, I suspect. Ken Burch Nov 2012 #41

I have in my past had lunch quaker bill Nov 2012 #54

I knew a couple of guys who were COs and served as combat medics in Vietnam pinboy3niner Nov 2012 #50

I am a member of a religious denomination which conscientiously objects Cairycat Nov 2012 #29

Me, too, cairycat. Blue_In_AK Nov 2012 #33

Absolutely. Blue_In_AK Nov 2012 #32

I have trained in and counseled others in how to establish a legal claim to CO status quaker bill Nov 2012 #39

I will fight to defend my home, my family, and my nation. Xithras Nov 2012 #42

If you volunteer for the military Aerows Nov 2012 #43

Why can't a person have a change of conscience based on their experience while serving in military? Agony Nov 2012 #48

Some people find it threatening, apparently, to accept the idea Ken Burch Nov 2012 #51