Dante

If your country was participating in a war and felt the need to conscript or "draft" civilians into the military, I imagine most of the members of this forum would be in the demographic of those called up.

My question to you is: Would you accept it and fight for your country or would you protest it in a similar way to some U.S. college student during the Vietnam War?

I realise that this may not be a clear cut question, for example, some of you may be willing to participate in a war preventing mass-genocide, such as WW2 (yes, I know the extent of the genocide wasn't known from the outset but imagine it was), but wouldn't be willing to fight in a "police action" such as that in Vietnam. While some of you may be complete conscientious objectors are refuse to fight on any grounds.

Personally, I think that if my government feels that it is in the interests of my people, or the world as a whole, then I would be pretty willing to fight. I think of myself as pretty loyal to my country and my government and I can also see the need for violent intervention in some circumstances and trust that my leaders will do their utmost to ensure force is not applied needlessly. As to whether I could bring myself kill another human being, I suppose that's a different question which is really only answerable once you have been put in that position for real, which fortunately I have not.

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Clock

I would definitely protest, I wouldn't last a minute in a battle.

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OzballO

I would say it's against my religion to fight but if that didn't work basically what you said Dante.

TheHunter360

My opinion would be based on the circumstances of the particular war. I.E. I would not agree with the Vietnam War, but I'd probably willingly join if domestic security was at risk. But regardless of how I would feel I don't want to commit treason so I'd probably join anyways.

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Yukimaru

Like Hunter I would only want to go to war if domestic security was at risk. There really isn't any reason I can think of that Canada would actually need to go to war. Plus I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be conscripted due to my asthma. Oh and I don't think Canada conscripts people.

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jamesmsv

Unfortunately that is probably the very thing most drafted soldiers were thinking as they laid down their lives voluntarily or otherwise.

Drafting is a horrible thing for any society to have to enforce, in some ways I'm grateful warfare has got to the stage where it will never be necessary again.

As for whether to fight or hide? Cherry-picking which wars to fight and which to avoid unfortunately doesn't work - it's easy in the future to look back and say that WW2 was an honourable fight but Vietnam wasn't, at the time the public would have been unable to make that informed decision and yet we deride those who avoided WW2 and applaud those who avoided Vietnam. Niether would have had the full picture on which to base a correct decision.

For that unforunate reason alone it is a very dangerous thing to object to, and (I can't believe I'm saying this) it's one time we have to trust that our government is doing the right thing and fighting the right fight. Although morally you can't argue with someone refusing to fight, the reality is that if you allow it we'd all be blond aryans by this point.


I think this says it better than I ever could:
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" Tolstoy 1865

Colts23

I would go and served for my country. Since all male in my family at least served their country.

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"You told me yes / You held me high
And I believed when you told that lie
I played that soldier / You played king
And struck me down when I kissed that ring
You lost that right / to hold that crown
I built you up but you let me down
so when you fall / I'll take my turn
and fan the flames as your blazes burn"
- Linkin Park "Burn It Down" (Mike Rap Part)

SgtJoo

I don't support being a puppet of the military-industrial complex.

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Jomick

I agree with this completely.

If, for whatever reason, there is a draft (of which I have a slight feeling a Second Korean War is imminent) and I'm old enough to serve, I will go into the fight.

I wouldn't dodge the draft, I find that to be more pointless than the draft itself.

Like other people, I have no clue how long I'd last. I might make it through it all in one piece, die in combat (battlefield or a carbomb [unfortunately how many soldiers are dying in Afghanistan/Iraq] or something), or return home seriously injured (missing limb, paralyzation, etc.). But despite that, I feel like if there is seriously the need for me to be drafted, I feel it's a privilege and an honor to serve my country.


(Though I'm safe for another 3.5 years [it's 18, right?])

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Olaf Vikingsson

EDIT: This post was unfunny.

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oneinchwunda

You're right.

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