My younger male relatives all know to say they are major queers if they receive a draft notice.

I'm totally into the idea, that if we're going to stay in Iraq and Afghanistan, we should reintroduce the draft and it should include everyone from 20 to 30 years old, only medical exemptions. We can cause more havoc at home AND abroad that way.

First they wanna get married and now they wanna go to war and get shot to death for the corporate masters?  Are there any other ways straight people fuck up their own lives that you queerboys would like to co-opt?

Maybe we could have a gay lottery where random fag couples are given a baby that they have to care for, thus simulating the one last, great existential horror that we have and they don't?

I was just researching McCain's positons today.  Last year he said every American should do either military or Americorp service.

headkicker_girl wrote:

I was just researching McCain's positons today.  Last year he said every American should do either military or Americorp service.

You know, that's about the only reasonable position that man has.  Making every American have an active stake in society upon attaining majority is a damned good idea, and might actually go a long way to getting rid of the selfish "rugged individualism" fetish we have in our country and our culture.  Rugged individualists!  What a load of shit.  The only rugged individualist we've actually ever had, who depended on no one but himself, was the Unabomber.

McCain may very well have a recent history of intentional ambigious statements about a draft. He should be called on this one too, but I would give him a pass if he denies he meant to promote the draft idea in his answer.

The women was rambling and included multiple disjointed subjects. He may have wanted to respond to the main jist about veterans and not the periphial points. I think the natural political tendancy would be to look for an agreeable way out rather then potentionally create friction by picking it apart.

whiskytangofoxtrot wrote:

The only rugged individualist we've actually ever had, who depended on no one but himself, was the Unabomber.

Don't forget Eric Rudolph.

he survived during his years as a fugitive by camping in the woods, gathering acorns and salamanders, pilfering vegetable gardens, stealing grain from a grain silo, and raiding dumpsters in a nearby town.

pALEPHx wrote:

I see the resemblance, Ted.

Auto-edited on 2020-08-02 to update URLs

karenw wrote:

whiskytangofoxtrot wrote:

The only rugged individualist we've actually ever had, who depended on no one but himself, was the Unabomber.

Don't forget Eric Rudolph.

he survived during his years as a fugitive by camping in the woods, gathering acorns and salamanders, pilfering vegetable gardens, stealing grain from a grain silo, and raiding dumpsters in a nearby town.

Rudolph may have been rugged but he was no individualist. He had some helping hands. Well at least he did till his brother cut off his own hand with a radial arm saw and mailed the videotape to the FBI to protest their investigation.

His tales about the seasons he spent camping on the ridge directly behind the FBI's task force HQ makes for a pretty good read. He would gaze down on the building watching the helocopters come and go every day as they searched for him.

Last edited by Johnny_Rotten (2008-08-26 12:20:55)

And as for the draft, I suggest we institute something similar to Israel's program.  Every young person must serve two years in either the armed forces or some humanitarian equivalent.  This could be the initiation into adulthood we sorely need in this country.

phreddy wrote:

Eric Rudolph was a chickenshit sociopath.  Whackos who set time bombs to target innocents not only have faulty brain wiring, but they are cowards as well.  At least suicide bombers make commitments to their cause.

Just to clarify, I never said I liked the guy. I just thought his living-off-the-land-while-avoiding-capture story fit with the theme of the earlier comment re: Unabomber.

phreddy wrote:

And as for the draft, I suggest we institute something similar to Israel's program.  Every young person must serve two years in either the armed forces or some humanitarian equivalent.  This could be the initiation into adulthood we sorely need in this country.

Great Idea now you're past the age that they'd want.

Dmtdust wrote:

phreddy wrote:

And as for the draft, I suggest we institute something similar to Israel's program.  Every young person must serve two years in either the armed forces or some humanitarian equivalent.  This could be the initiation into adulthood we sorely need in this country.

Great Idea now you're past the age that they'd want.

Hey, I took my chances with it the first time around.  I've done my time, and now I've earned the right to force our young ones out therer to try to avoid becoming cannon fodder.  Interesting note.  I had the opportunity to speak with a Marine recruiter yesterday on other business.  During our discussions I asked him how business was doing.  His reply surprised me.  He said they have so many recruits that a person joining today would not be called up for boot camp until next February or March.

phreddy wrote:

Everyone has to go to school through 12th grade.  At least that's what the law says.  I contend that 18 year olds are not adults and often make very fucked up decisions, especially when their parents are fucked up too.  Another two year obligation that focused on self discipline, work ethic, and respect for others would go a long way toward a healthy society.

If America had a long history of not going around starting wars with third world countries, I'd agree with you.  However, we are not the Swiss, and I think having a very large conscripted army laying around would be more temptation than most of our government could handle.

phreddy wrote:

Another two year obligation that focused on self discipline, work ethic, and respect for others would go a long way toward a healthy society.

Creating Boy/Girl Scouts by compulsion.

"Amendment XIII

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

George Orr wrote:

jesusluvspegging wrote:

I think having a very large conscripted army laying around would be more temptation than most of our government could handle.

The model is not military service but national service--like an American Peace Corps.  Stuff like planting trees, picking up litter, sweeping up the local government offices, whatever, in exchange for room & board & maybe a stipend.  Tasks that put one at physical risk, like military service, should be voluntary.

Yeah.  What's another few million people on the government payroll so long as we can force them to work cheap?

Last edited by Zookeeper (2008-08-27 23:24:55)

jesusluvspegging wrote:

phreddy wrote:

Everyone has to go to school through 12th grade.  At least that's what the law says.  I contend that 18 year olds are not adults and often make very fucked up decisions, especially when their parents are fucked up too.  Another two year obligation that focused on self discipline, work ethic, and respect for others would go a long way toward a healthy society.

If America had a long history of not going around starting wars with third world countries, I'd agree with you.  However, we are not the Swiss, and I think having a very large conscripted army laying around would be more temptation than most of our government could handle.

That is exactly right. The temptation would be too much. It would be like getting a pack of grenades for Christmas and not playing with them.