May 25
Two separate events have conspired in the creation of this journal entry. The first being this article here:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=5834001&content_dir=ua_congressorg
I'll wait for you to read it…
The second event, which requires no supplemental reading, is that tonight I went and saw SuperSize Me at the local arts theater. SuperSize Me is a documentary about a guy who goes on a mission to eat nothing but McDonalds for 30 days to see what effects it would have on his body. Needless to say, the effects were many and all of them were bad.
So when I read the article about the possible reinstitution of the draft I was a little bit pissed off. I guess that my anger came from the sudden realization that things have gone too far. Sure we are at war and all that, but I have to be honest here. Throughout my life the US has been involved in some kind of war or conflict in some distant part of the world. People have always had opinions about these things and it wouldn't be fair for me to declare us either better or worse off for having been there. With Iraq I suppose things only felt more serious because I was educated enough to actually understand and debate events as they took place. But still, in the months leading up to the war I had the distinct feeling of a political battle of realistically minor consequence. Everyone got in a big huff and called each other names and yelled a lot. But then at the end of the day shook hands, sat down, and took a vote. Do we want war or peace? 70-30 Peace loses… so be it. CNN became WarTV but my life went on as usual. Only one year later the government now expects me to pick up a gun and help fight a battle I really have no interest in fighting. That made me a little upset.
But sitting here writing this journal entry tonight I have to admit that the institution of the draft isn't actually the terrible thing I had first thought. With the current state of the country, it may actually be a blessing in disguise. What could be better for the apathetic majority of our population than a swift kick in the ass by the monster we have all helped create? I find it tremendously reassuring that while the international perception of America is that of a tyrannical and selfish nation, the average american is just as empathetic and tolerant as I. The problem is the disconnect between the individual american and the collective America. In a world with 24 hour news coverage and internet journals I would expect that government should be more responsive to its citizens, and those citizens in turn should be more informed and actively involved in government. It seems the opposite is the case more often than not. The average american is more interested in casting a vote for their american idol than for their congressman and a weekly vote on survivor is far more newsworthy than any vote in washington could possibly hope to be. It has become easy for things like the Patriot Act and the Cheeseburger Bill (a law making it illegal to sue fast food companies) to become law almost completely unnoticed. It seems like the reinstitution of the draft may take place just as quietly.
At some point the average american has to take responsibility for their actions and those of their country. I figure that, like so many things, it is only a matter of pressure. How many people need to die of obesity before people take notice? How many americans must have their rights violated before the rest of us begin to care? How deeply can the vocal minority impose its will on the silent majority before they start to speak up? So far it hasn't seemed to happen. It is for this purpose that I can actually see value in the draft. Maybe when it truly becomes a matter of life and death some interest will be shown and some action will be taken.
I can even appreciate the consequences of that newfound interest. I am not so naive as to believe that my opinions, no matter how unfalteringly correct they may be, are always in the majority. However, I will still be at peace with a world where the actions of my country are actually representative of the will of my people. If the majority of Americans truly want a war in Iraq or a general war on terror, then it should absolutely be expected that I take arms when called upon, draft or not. The reality of a military draft isn't a bad thing when its both necessary and serves the true 'national interest'. If you don't want to fight in these wars then write a letter and register to vote. When enough people feel as you do, then you won't have to fight. That's how democracy is supposed to work.