Comments on: An Army of One to Five http://whytheyhateus.tv/2008/04/an-army-of-one-to-five/ It's Just Like Starting Over Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:14:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Justin http://whytheyhateus.tv/2008/04/an-army-of-one-to-five/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Justin Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:45:25 +0000 http://whytheyhateus.tv/?p=49#comment-18 I couldn't agree more! And your comment wins "The Smedley Butler Award" for today: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Is_a_Racket Perhaps it's time for a new draft. Consider it a "National Physical Fitness Program"! When less than 1/3 of us *could serve* (voluntarily, or under socio-economic compulsion), it's time to haul Gunnery Sergeant Hartman out of retirement to PT our sorry asses back into shape -- and not time for us to lower our standards. Seems emblematic of the "New American Method": If you can't pass the test, lower the bar to "success". Best part of reinstating the draft? No more "undecided voters". I couldn’t agree more!

And your comment wins "The Smedley Butler Award" for today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Is_a_Racket

Perhaps it’s time for a new draft. Consider it a "National Physical Fitness Program"! When less than 1/3 of us *could serve* (voluntarily, or under socio-economic compulsion), it’s time to haul Gunnery Sergeant Hartman out of retirement to PT our sorry asses back into shape — and not time for us to lower our standards. Seems emblematic of the "New American Method": If you can’t pass the test, lower the bar to "success".

Best part of reinstating the draft? No more "undecided voters".

]]> By: therethere http://whytheyhateus.tv/2008/04/an-army-of-one-to-five/comment-page-1/#comment-17 therethere Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:32:42 +0000 http://whytheyhateus.tv/?p=49#comment-17 These numbers are not surprising. For a lot of impoverished Americans, the lines are clearly drawn. You can either join a gang or join The Armed Services. They call it voluntary service, but if your other options are prison and certain death, it might as well be compulsory. Coming from poor, broken homes, naturally a lot of these men and women would have records. Youthful misdemeanors should not disqualify a person from serving their country. People who have been convicted of crimes in the past should have the opportunity to redeem themselves in society. The army has a much better track record of reforming than our prison system. Joining the service should be a means toward self-improvement. In the past, it has provided young men with structure, community, values, and skills they can put to use if they are fortunate enough to return to a peace time society. As these things all erode in our military, so too does our appreciation for the service of our brave soldiers and their justification for enlisting to begin with. When a soldier can't explain his mission, receives no social benefits from his government, and can expect to be treated with ambivalence by the general population when he returns...why not join a gang? The pay and the hours are better, the enemy is easily identifiable by bandana color, and unlike the military, you can get laid. The irony, of course, is that our Armed Services are ultimately controlled by a gang. A rich, white gang. These numbers are not surprising. For a lot of impoverished Americans, the lines are clearly drawn. You can either join a gang or join The Armed Services. They call it voluntary service, but if your other options are prison and certain death, it might as well be compulsory.

Coming from poor, broken homes, naturally a lot of these men and women would have records. Youthful misdemeanors should not disqualify a person from serving their country. People who have been convicted of crimes in the past should have the opportunity to redeem themselves in society. The army has a much better track record of reforming than our prison system.

Joining the service should be a means toward self-improvement. In the past, it has provided young men with structure, community, values, and skills they can put to use if they are fortunate enough to return to a peace time society. As these things all erode in our military, so too does our appreciation for the service of our brave soldiers and their justification for enlisting to begin with.

When a soldier can’t explain his mission, receives no social benefits from his government, and can expect to be treated with ambivalence by the general population when he returns…why not join a gang? The pay and the hours are better, the enemy is easily identifiable by bandana color, and unlike the military, you can get laid.

The irony, of course, is that our Armed Services are ultimately controlled by a gang. A rich, white gang.

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