| They Never Learn |
6 January 2003
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Rangel's Draft: Unwise, Unworkable, Un-American
Congressman Charles Rangel (D-New York) has come up with a likely finalist in the most unappealing poltical idea of 2003 -- reinstatement of the draft. Rangel, a hero of the Korean War, argues that the armed forces of the USA are too poor and too brown. Rich white kids ought to be able to die for their country too. Rangel has identified a genuine problem, but he has come up with a solution that may worsen the situation.
If there are exemptions, and there must be for medical reasons if not for conscientious objectors, there will be a jockeying for position to avoid serving. The fact is that some people don't want to serve and will do what it takes to skip out. Just as Vice President Cheney had "other priorities" during Vietnam, the current generation of cannon fodder has members who have other things to do.
Alternative service, while a nice concept, falls victim to the same thing. Rather than go and die in some far off land, there will be many who build homes, read to children in hospitals and undertake other noble courses. But the odds of people in this program dying for their country is small -- and again, there will be people who use their position to stay away from the shrapnel. And they will tend to be whiter and richer than most, leaving Rangel's objection untouched.
In place of Rangel's suggestion, we offer nothing, and we acknowledge that the problem needs to resolution. But there must be a better way than a system that led an entire generation into defiance of the law, disrespect for the military, and in some cases, emigration from the US. And still had poor blacks dying in disproportionately large numbers.
If our children do visit relatives in Canada, let it be for family reasons, and not because poor diplomacy and political need drove the US into another unpopular and unnecessary fight.