...   
      
    LL> Some proponents of reinstating the draft have made the   
    LL> point that doing so would force politicians to be   
    LL> responsible and accountable for their actions in matters   
    LL> concerning war and peace.  There is some merit in that   
    LL> argument, but I would prefer an emphasis on peace, without   
    LL> the requirement for a draft.   
      
    I would prefer a world of prosperity with no one going hungry   
    without the need to put any corporate executives in prison.   
    Neither of us are likely to get what we want.   
      
    If you want peace, work for justice.   
      
    RW>>> YOu might end up toting a rifle,   
      
    LL>>> Conscientious objectors will never tote a rifle of any kind.   
      
   RW>>Too bad, then they can forfeit their rights to vote and   
   RW>>otehr such imho.   
      
    LL> Why should anybody be forced to give up a *right* that   
    LL> everybody else has, just because they object to war?   
      
    Every sane person objects to war. So the insane win? Why does   
    anyone have to protect you if you won't do your part?   
      
    LL> Muhammad Ali was a consientious objector, refused to enter   
    LL> the draft, was jailed and imprisoned, and stripped of his   
    LL> boxing title.  The courts overturned his conviction, and   
    LL> Ali went on to regain his championship by winning another   
    LL> title match.  But he never should have had to suffer the   
    LL> indignities forced upon him by our society in the first   
    LL> place.   
      
    Why? Even consientious objectors can serve.   
      
    LL> Today it is much harder for an individual to attain   
    LL> "conscientious objector" status than it was in Ali's day.   
      
    It should be impossible to avoid service.   
      
    ...   
      
    RW>>> or you might be helping build a road or dig a well, or, as you say,   
    RW>>> counting penguins, whatever's needed.   
      
    LL>>> Conscientious objectors will also refuse to go along with other   
    LL>>> kinds of service, on the grounds that doing so would be supporting   
    LL>>> the war effort, even if there is no war going on at the time.   
      
   RW>>See above.   
      
    LL> We did away with slavery (for the most part) after the   
    LL> Civil War. Slavery still exists (sort of) in prisons.  We   
    LL> do not need to make slaves out of conscientious objectors.   
    LL> Nor should we.   
      
    We should not have to force anyone to serve, but turns out too   
    many won't if they are required to.   
      
    LL>>> Physical and/or mental disability would disqualify many from   
    LL>>> serving, even if they wanted to.  Not really an issue for   
    LL>>> conscientious objectors, since they would refuse to serve regardless   
    LL>>> of their physical/mental capacity to do so.   
      
   RW>>Why should so-called physical disabilities exempt you?   
      
    LL> Some folks are simply physically and/or mentally unable to   
    LL> do anything worth doing.  I am not saying that all who have   
    LL> a physical and/or mental disability should be excluded from   
    LL> military/community service, as many folks in that category   
    LL> did serve honorably in previous wars, such as in WWII.   
      
    Don't see much of any physical disability that make it   
    impossible for the subject to contribute in any way. If nothing   
    else he can proofread tech manuals.   
      
   RW>>See earlier in this thread.  Does being blind disqualify a diesel   
   RW>>mechanic or a computer programmer?  Except for the severely disabled   
   RW>>who can't do much useful even for themselves anybody and everybody   
   RW>>should serve imho.   
      
    LL> There are many things that can be done.  Some folks are   
    LL> limited in what they can do, but not in all things.  As   
    LL> such, everybody who is able should not be exempt, with the   
    LL> exception of conscientious objectors.   
      
    And conscientious objectors can serve.   
      
    ...   
      
    LL> Nonviolent resistance is not passive, but a very active form   
    LL> of resistence.  Gandhi knew it well.  So did MLK.  Not only   
    LL> did they dream, but they achieved.  Isn't that wonderful?   
      
    You have to be willing to die for it if you want it to succeed.   
      
      
      
   BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn   
      
   ... The very idea of monotheism is a gift of the Gods...   
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