The Draft Buzz

Without a doubt this week the libertarian blogosphere will be abuzz with news of Democrat Charles Rangel's calls for a renewal of the draft. Again. It's certain that the blogosphere of the Democratic Left won't be paying much attention to this, tho. They, like the Republicrats will lockstep right down to the draft board rather than take a stand on an anti-draft platform. Fortunately, we are unlikely to see this come to pass, as the new Speaker of the House and their Majority Leader have already said they'll not let it get to the floor. Unfortunately, politicians promises aren't worth the wind it takes to make them, as we all know.

Eventually, someone will succumb to the slave state mentality and a draft will once again be imposed upon our children. People with guns will come and force our children into uniform to serve the will of the state in far off lands. My only question at this time is whether or no this will be your line in the sand? Will the imposition of press gangs to take your children, your brothers, lovers, husbands and your friends be the back breaking straw? Or will you stand idly by and watch as they are taken away to serve the warlords in D.C.? Will you help them leave their homes to flee to a foreign country, (from which they'll likely be deported at the behest of the US government, given the current state of affairs)? Urge them to resist and be imprisoned? Or will this be the "hill you choose to die upon"?

We will hear, in the next few days, (I doubt the issue will last that long given the attention span of most people) from a variety of people as to why this is a good or bad idea. Most libertarian folks will oppose the idea of conscription for all the right reasons and many out there will embrace Rangel's class warfare rhetoric and the warped view that politicians would be reticent to begin conflicts if there were a chance that someone they care about could be drafted. That's a ludicrous position to take, given past behaviour of these people. They care not one whit about the lives of others and they can always arrange for their offspring to be exempted from combat...just look at the President of this country if you don't believe it. Politicians wield power and they don't care if you know they use it for their own benefit. Who are you to question them? Nobody.

So, if this should come to pass will you concede your children to the state? Acknowledge that they are the property of politicians? Or will you allow that they are sovereign individuals and treat them as such, shielding them from the petty tyrants who would enslave them in the name of political expediency? Inquiring minds want to know.


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