Last year at the honor’s symposium on the 2000 Presidential Election, Ryan Bialas told us to vote for Bush or else we might end up in the Army. The basic idea of his message was that every war in the twentieth century started under the term of a Democrat in the oval office. I laughed at the idea of the draft being reinstated. Apparently Ryan and me were both wrong. Thanks to Representative Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania’s Seventh district and Representative Nick Smith of Michigan’s seventh district all males between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two who are registered for the Selective Service will, not could, be serving in the armed forces in the near future. The name of the bill that they introduced to the House of Representatives is “Universal Military Training and Service Act of 2001 (HR 3598)”. While the bill is rather long I would suggest that every male between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two should read it. Unless the idea of one year of military training, service in the military, or some other federal department sounds appealing to you.
The bill would require all “qualified” males between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two to go through military training. Then they would serve in the military or some federal community service program for six months to a year. Females would not be forced in to the military but could, should they choose, volunteer. Your entry into the military can be deferred if you haven’t graduated from high school, yet there is no section about deferment due to college.
I have several problems with this bill. The first one is why? Does anyone recall seeing a shortage of military personal so severe that everyone eighteen year old in America is needed? The cynical side of me wonders if the real purpose of this bill is to gain brownie points by looking Patriotic or appeal to a lot of people, both liberal and conservative, who feel that young Americans should be forced into serving in the Army or national service program.
The second problem with the bill is that it goes against the principles and ideals this country is based on. This bill violates the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution which states that, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” This bill would force young American men into involuntary servitude to the military or other federally approved programs. This bill goes against the very principles this country is based on. The Declaration of Independence states that every man has an unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The purpose of government is to protect these basic fundamental rights. This bill could take away, on several levels, the life, liberty, and the ability of a man to pursue happiness. Thus going against the very basis of our government. This bill also goes against Article four of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations. To violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights would put the United States on the same moral ground as every country the United States accuses of abusing human rights. I am also appalled by the inherent sexism in the bill. Why are only males required to serve? Are females incapable? What sort of patriarchal worldview is this bill promoting? Not only is this bill destroying the constitution, the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and the Universal Declaration of Rights, but also it is saying that females are unequal. This is also discrimination based on age. I see that no one who could vote on this bill would ever be forced to serve in the military or some other federal department. In fact most voters would not have to. Only a small segment of the voting population would be forced to serve.
I am not against community or military service. I think that women and men who are willing to dedicate a portion, if not all, of their lives to helping or protecting others are admirable and inspiring choices. At the same time I am appalled that a Representative in Congress from my own state, would try and “enslave” my peers and myself. I am asking that everyone write a letter to their congressional representatives and request that they not support this bill. Then to make this scenario even more unlikely ask them to support Representative Ron Paul’s bill H.R. 1597 titled, “To repeal the Military Selective Service Act”. If we do not act now, the next time Bush talks about the “volunteer” USA Freedom Corps or expansion of the War on Terrorism, you or someone you know could be getting first hand experience.
Andrew Harris President of the College Libertarians of Albright