Quote:
Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
And I'm absolutely certain that a premise for Rangel back then (6 or 8 months ago?) was that there should not be exceptions for education or money or whatever else was used previously. I promise you, even if I had 500 other reasons to spit on the guy, his thinking on this came across as sincere and fair.
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It's sincere, but not necessarily fair. It's no different than any of the other disadvantages of a lack of wealth. Should we refuse to authorize the payment of money to 3d world nations to receive our toxic waste? Should we prohibit anyone from living near certain potential sources of contamination? Should we not allow poor people to take shit jobs for shit wages?
It's a
volunteer army. Question all you want whether someone without money or prospects can truly be said to be a volunteer, but that can be said about absolutely any job such a person might take that involves any risk or repugnant job requirement. The military has opened up, perhaps moreso than any private employer, opportunities for those that don't have many alternatives, providing training, a steady job, decent benefits, and the hope of either long-term employment or a good job experience that the private sector seeks out.
By requiring all people to engage in some sort of national military service simply displaces those opportunities for many people who truly need, and perhaps, even want those experiences in favor of supporting those who are forced to engage in that service.
What's more, Rangel's claim rings a little bit hollow when far from every person who enters the military is forced into actual combat. A friend's brother joined the navy. What was his job? Cooking on an aircraft carrier. I have no idea if the ship ever got near battle, but I'm quite sure that he was not exposed to hostile fire and was probably safer there than stirring the same glop back at his local mcdonalds. If you want to go into the military and avoid combat missions, you can, and still get some of the other benefits. Your choice.
