Will There be Another Draft?

During the late 1960s the Vietnam War was at the forefront of the American consciousness. Agent Orange, napalm and the failures of the American government to get out of the war were weighing on the minds of the American people.

With a widely unpopular war, nothing caused as much of a stir among those in the antiwar movement as the military draft. Many men were forced to fight in a war which was not their own. A number of soldiers died before seeing their 21st birthday. Young men even inflicted harm on themselves in order to avoid the draft.

Even though there was a draft for numerous years prior to the 1960s, it was not until Vietnam did the outcry against the draft that it started to take shape. This protest helped halt the war in Vietnam as well as the draft itself.

Currently, the United States of America is waging more of these unpopular wars. 33 years after one of the most brutal wars in American history, in which men were forced into fighting their country's battles, the military draft may be reinstated.

Right now, there is a bill in a house subcommittee, HR 393, which would allow the U.S. government to once again enable a draft during wartime. The bill would require service of all persons aged 18 to 39 during times of war.

Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), one of the main sponsors of the bill, says he is looking to give equality to the military. According to McDermott, up to now the military has been dominated by poor, uneducated males.

"The demographics of the military skew to the lower income and educationally disadvantaged," McDermott says. "If America is willing to go to war, is it fair that a certain segment of the population overwhelmingly goes off to harm's way?"

According to the U.S. Census, minorities make up 28.6 percent of the American population, but about 40 percent of the military's enlisted men.

McDermott believes reinstating the draft could bring equality to the military.

However, others believe if the draft is reinstated it won't be for equality, but to maintain troop levels in a time when possible wars against Iran, Pakistan, and even Russia lie ahead.

Dr. Naji Dahi, a Fullerton College political science teacher, opposes a draft, but does not know if the country can continue fighting wars without one.

"I see no other way," Dahi says. "The army is scraping the bottom of the barrel to get troops."

During the Vietnam War anyone considered a full-time college student was given a deferment. However, with the military 'scraping the bottom of the barrel' and with McDermott looking to equalize the military, student deferments may not be a luxury college students would have this time around.

McDermott has said student deferments would not be given.

Oliver Vinazanian, an FC student in his last semester, believes drafting students is unfair.

"If you are trying to better yourself via education you should not be placed in a situation where you can not do that," he says.

Also, with a number of college students potentially being drafted, schools would see lower enrollment numbers, and since community colleges receive much of their funding based on enrollment, FC could see its income drop.

Consequently, the higher age for eligibility in the military could allow some college professors to be drafted as well.

If students and professors leave campuses for bases it could endanger the infrastructure of the American collegiate system.

"To displace our students and put them in the military will fundamentally change the dynamic of the student population," says Dr. Kathleen Hodge, FC president.

Another blow to the college system, as well as the American family, is that this bill requires service from "all persons." Meaning women would also be drafted. This is part of McDermott's plan for equality.

"Only when America is willing to put up all its sons and daughters to fight in a war can we truly say that a majority of Americans support going to war," he says.

However, America is currently entrenched in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and support from the American people is waning.

Currently, a majority of Americans do not support the Iraq or Afghanistan wars. According to a poll by the Angus Reid Global Monitor - an independent, nonpartisan research center - 65 percent of Americans now believe we should not have taken military action against Iraq. And according to a CBS News and New York Times poll, 58 percent of Americans believe things are not going well for the U.S. in Afghanistan.

Of course, in a time in which the unpopularity of both wars is palpable, it is interesting to note that there is not nearly the same kind of blatant opposition to the wars as there was during Vietnam

McDermott, as well as others, hope that a draft would inspire a Vietnam-type protest in order to help stop the wars going on in the Middle East.

"The Vietnam War came to an end because young people in the draft, and their parents, understood what was at stake and made a decision to oppose the war," McDermott says. "We would not have gone to Iraq if there was serious debate."

Not everyone is convinced protesting would do the trick.

"You can protest all you want, but whether change is brought about is something entirely different," Vinazanian says.

However, protesting the draft may not be necessary yet.

Currently, HR 393 is still stuck in subcommittee with only two other cosponsors besides McDermott. One of those cosponsors is Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY), who is the main sponsor of the bill. He could not be reached for comment

Despite the small amount of cosponsors, the country's continuing conflicts may cause the bill to become more attractive.

The myriad of wars the U.S. is currently maintaining, could leave Americans wondering when, not if, the draft will be reinstated

The Iraq War may not be Vietnam, but with the possibility of more wars on the horizon there is a chance that many more men and women, including teachers and students, could be on their way into the military, and once more America could be facing a plague of young people going off to die in a fight that is not their own.

For the sake of the country's future Americans must ask themselves if fighting multiple wars is worth reinstating the draft?

More importantly though, students need to ask themselves if they will step in line and salute like the young men before Vietnam, or like the 1960s generation, will they stand up, wave their fists and shout, "Hell no we won't go?" T