West Point cadet drops out to protest influence of fundamentalist Christianity

[Hells Liberal]

60. Jackpine, you lived it, yet you still fail history.

Having a draft did nothing to discourage our leaders from sending young men to fight in illegal, immoral wars. It didn't keep us out of Korea nor Vietnam. All a draft did was provide a healthy supply of cannon fodder because most people would rather take their chances in the service than in Leavenworth.

And once those young men (and possibly women) are in, what they think won't matter. Part of the purpose of basic training is to condition them, yes, brainwash them, into following orders, even knowing that those orders will probably get them killed. All a draft will do is give proselytizers a larger, captive audience with which to brainwash.

Finally, let's be honest - has there ever been a draft that was applied fairly? Lincoln allowed the families of rich campaign contributors to hire mercenaries in place of their children. In the post-war era, we had college deferments which helped well-to-do and some middle-class avoid Vietnam. There were also cushy National Guard posts reserved for the George W. Bushes and Dan Quayles of America.

I don't know what the solution is, but history shows that a draft is not only contrary to what our founding fathers intended, but it won't work and won't be applied fairly.