His
focus was on the difference in our Army between now and WWII and the Korean War
times. We had an Army created by the
draft then, and prior, and everyone served, there basically few exemptions
(even conscientious objectors had to perform alternate service). The Kennedy boys served (one was killed and
one injured severely); Ted Williams, one of the greatest baseball players of
all time, flew fighter planes for four years; movie folks served; and, even a
few years later, Elvis Presley was drafted and served two years.
The
point was that the whole country was invested in the wars - everyone sacrificed
and served. There was a selflessness
that existed and that created strength of effort and consensus.
Over
the years we have become a selfish society.
Materialism reigns. What is in it
for me? While individualism has many
good aspects to it, such as creativity and independent thought, it has also
tended to break down the existence and our sense of community. We are so busy worrying about ourselves that
we do not see the bigger picture and the needs of others who are lacking the
basic protections and benefits of society.
This
can go in many directions, but today I wish to follow up on the colonel’s
thoughts alone. He was proposing that we
should not have an all-volunteer military force because what that basically
does is exclude a vast majority of the population from participating in the
nation’s defense and therefore the possibility of the ultimate sacrifice for
your country. With all of our injuries
and deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, I think that in all of the Congress, there
was one relative who served. How many of
the infamous top 1% do you think has served or is serving? Even how many of the shrinking middle class
do you think has volunteered for service?
Since
such a small part of our people serves, only a small part cares. And, since that small part is generally the
lower economic folks, they have hardly any political clout.
I
agree this is a problem. But we have
many service needs in addition to the military.
I have been in favor of mandatory service for all persons at the age of
eighteen for many, many years, but of course I have no particular forum from
which to advocate. So today I do that
here.
Mandatory
service at eighteen, for two years, can be good for all of those young people
and for our country. For young folks, it
provides an opportunity to serve others, to mature and recognize that there are
many needs in our communities. It can
provide employment, training, empathy, stability, different experiences, a
chance to interface with others of different backgrounds and values. For the country it can create a better sense
of awareness in its citizens, a closer feeling of community and responsibility,
a source to provide services to all citizens at a lower cost, and having a
citizenry that is invested in improving the country and holding its
decision-makers responsible.
Everywhere
there is a need; there is an opportunity to serve. We have had Volunteers in Service to America
for many years, the Peace Corps, Teach for America, Project Head Start, and
other organizations designed to help our citizens and citizens of the
world. During the depression, Roosevelt
started many such organizations, such as the CCC and the WPA's Federal Art
Project, to help people and communities.
We do not have a Great Depression
today, but we do have unemployment that is much higher than it has been for
many years. One segment of our society,
our youth, has suffered such that the future of our country and its work force
is threatened.
I think that mandatory service will
help young folks mature and have empathy, but it also will provide work, wages,
and skills for many. It will also
provide a sense of pride and worth.
Like all things today, there are no
simple answers or easy ways to implement such a program. But it is worth starting and working on until
completion.
I will write more later. What do you think?
Take care.
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