Compulsary Civil Service

[Exatreides]

Move there, let me know how the free market is. I'll take Sweden or Israel and we can share stories.

[Publius]

Move there, let me know how the free market is. I'll take Sweden or Israel and we can share stories. Obviously it's worse in absolute terms than Sweden. You've gotta look at the baseline. The most brilliant economic policies in the world couldn't take Somalia from its level in the '90s to a first-world level in only a decade or two. But it HAS been moving in the right direction, contrary to most peoples' assumptions. And lack of economic regulation isn't the main thing keeping it from moving faster.

[Mike70]

i would be against this sort of thing no matter which party proposed it. forcing people to work or fight against their will is morally outrageous and is very akin to something this country got rid of 140 odd years ago. any sort of compulsory "service" isn't what a republic ought to be about. service is something that you take upon yourself, not something that is dictated by the govt. i volunteered for the army (ages ago) because i wanted to. if i had been forced to do it, i most likely would've be an unmotivated slug who was just trying to get through until it was over.

[SymphonicX]

Agreed Mike70....my sentiments exactly. I have no want to murder other people...I'd die myself before taking another life.

[Tricky]

Agreed Mike70....my sentiments exactly. I have no want to murder other people...I'd die myself before taking another life. would you fight if (hypothetically) we were invaded by another nation?

[Mike70]

would you fight if (hypothetically) we were invaded by another nation? even though you asked symph, i'll stick my 4 cents in here. hopefully any even semi-reasonable person would be prepared to fight in case of an invasion. i certainly would. my major bone of contention is a peacetime draft or a draft that serves only to feed people to wars like iraq or vietnam. in the case of something really dire, like say WWII, i'd be totally in favor of a draft. the free existence of the UK and by extension, the USA and Canada, was on the line then and as such, it would the duty of every citizen to answer the call.

[Exatreides]

I just hate the fact that I'm serving in a military organization that I could very possibly be killed in. I didn't spend a week throwing sandbags to stop Ike for my own health. And people bitch and moan about the mere possibility that they might have to go plant some f'ing trees one weekend a year.

[Publius]

I just hate the fact that I'm serving in a military organization that I could very possibly be killed in. I didn't spend a week throwing sandbags to stop Ike for my own health. And people bitch and moan about the mere possibility that they might have to go plant some f'ing trees one weekend a year. You chose to serve, as did I. That's great. All those other lazy young people out there should desire to serve their community or nation in some way too. But if they don't have that desire, should they be forced? I say no, because that takes all the virtue out of public service.

[Exatreides]

To each their own opinion, I disagree personally. But I can see how you think that.

[Publius]

But I can see how you think that. Same here. Universal military service back in the day did have its advantages. One was exposing people to all kinds of people they wouldn't normally voluntarily associate with. City boys got to know farm boys, and vice versa. Blacks worked alongside whites, and vice versa. The military is still one of the most ethnically and socially integrated institutions in the U.S.

[Mike70]

Same here. Universal military service back in the day did have its advantages. One was exposing people to all kinds of people they wouldn't normally voluntarily associate with. City boys got to know farm boys, and vice versa. Blacks worked alongside whites, and vice versa. The military is still one of the most ethnically and socially integrated institutions in the U.S. great point. when i went into the army i had had very little contact (in fact almost zero) with non-whites. my ideas about other races came from tv and movies, i hate to admit that but it was true. 3 years later when i got out of the army all of those previous notions had been destroyed by living with, working with and becoming friends with people of all different racial and social backgrounds. but i am still with publius on the idea of compulsory service. as i said before, serving the nation or even your local community is something you take upon yourself. if it is forced upon you it isn't service anymore, it's more like servitude.

[DubiousComforts]

The military is still one of the most ethnically and socially integrated institutions in the U.S. Unless you're a homosexual wishing to serve your country.

[SymphonicX]

This thread makes me so ****ing angry that I'm leaving this as my last post in it.

[DubiousComforts]

This thread makes me so ****ing angry that I'm leaving this as my last post in it. It's a good thing there is no compulsory service because you might kill somebody.

[SymphonicX]

would you fight if (hypothetically) we were invaded by another nation? Good question. And one I still don't have an answer for. Maybe I'd fight politically ie not carrying a gun and murdering people. It's a good thing there is no compulsory service because you might kill somebody. I'd kill myself before that.... Unless my girlfriend was in danger....