FlashMobOfOne comments on It's wild to see people in real time learning that war is bad and civilians die a lot. As if contemporary wars are the only ones that have had mass civilian casualties. Shit is horrific always.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 135 points 7 months ago (8 children)

This is why the US ditched the draft after the Vietnam War.

The only time we ever had a meaningful anti-war movement was when people were forced to send their own kids to die. Having a "volunteer" force eliminates that. The excuse is always that people signed up for it, and people just ignore that it's the poor and minorities who are still effectively pressed into military duty due to manufactured lack of opportunity.

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[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 49 points 7 months ago

keeping college education and health care expensive is used as motivation for young people to enlist despite lack of conscription, as they see their only opportunity to have those fees waived

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[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 15 points 7 months ago* (4 children)

The draft wasn’t ditched. The selective service has been active for decades, it isn’t supposed to be left active unless somebody is going to use the draft.

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[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world -5 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Incorrect.

That it is still a law on the books does not make it 'active'. There is a law here in Kansas City that still bans automobiles on Main St., but I wouldn't call it 'active', and nor should anyone else.

It was ditched, and with good reason. (At least for the the Epstein Class.)

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