General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This message was self-deleted by its author [View all]Ms. Toad
(38,617 posts)in the military for reasons of conscience?
There are many bright young men of conscience who currently pay far more for college than their peers because they cannot register with selective service. Following their conscience costs them a considerable amount financially - and, if anyone wanted to push the matter - there are criminal penalties.
Requiring mandatory service which requires, as a prerequisite, military boot camp would force many more individuals into this position - or worse. Their conscience prohibits them from preparing for war - which includes preventing them from participating in a military boot camp. Those individuals would - as their predecessors did decades ago - refuse to participate, resulting in criminal convictions and, often, jail time. This country should not be in the business of forcing individuals whose have conscientious objections to war and killing to become criminals as the only option they have which they can live with.