"FOR THOSE who say the poor fight better, I say give the rich a chance."
These are the words of Reprsentative Charles Rangel (D-NY), who has proposed a bill in Congress to reinstate the draft as a means of building up the number of Americans serving in the military. As our country sits on the brink of war, Rangel's statement has sparked the interest of many as he urges his fellow congressmen to take a look at the make-up of those who serve in today's military and cites an unfair advantage given to the rich.
Rangel has proposed the bill for a draft so more people from the upper and upper-middle classes will be asked to serve in the military -- a proposal that sounds fair if this country were interested in having people from every walk of life performing military service in their lifetime. It is fortunate that we are not. Although our military is currently comprised of a large majority of lower- and middle- class men and women -- as well as a large portion of minorities- the process of becoming a part of today's military ranks is fair, and changing it would be unjust and illogical.
In recent years, the military has had no trouble recruiting skilled and intelligent candidates to serve in the armed forces in America or abroad whether black, white, poor or middle class. Our forces are among the best trained in the world, no matter what their family income, and the institution of a draft, for the purposes of balancing the income levels of our military personnel, is an unintelligent proposal. Opposing an individual's choice to enter into the military, under the premise that lower or middle class officers are without options, belittles their talent and drive and lays faulty judgment against those who choose military service as a career. Rangel's suggestion is unwise because it challenges the ideals of freedom of choice and compromises the view of those in the military, especially minorities, who choose to enlist, depicting them as individuals without choice who are forced to serve.
Rangel has noted that people who come from the lower economic strata of the American public make up the majority of those who serve in the armed forces, and believes that as America prepares for war, "we should all share the sacrifice." He feels that Americans from all walks of life, not just the poor, should be ordered to serve their country as members of the military in the potential upcoming war. Although it is true that a vast majority of America's armed forces are from the lower and middle classes, his proposal is insensible in light of the serious situation America faces when dealing with the Middle East and North Korea. A draft would not stratify the economic spectrum of military men and women. It would only cause dissension among the American public, and force those who have no desire to become part of the military to do so. The only thing that could be worse for America's military plan of action than the millions of conscientious dissenters that already populate our nation would be millions more being sent to war.
There is a reason why the poor and middle class make up a large portion of today's armed forces, and the notion of reinstating the draft is not going to change the situation America faces with its war on terrorism. For many poor and middle class Americans, serving in the military is an honor and a much more viable choice than higher education or pursuit of a professional career. Many African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans find that military service prepares them for future endeavors, helps them pay for a college education and can even serve as a career option for a lifetime. Poor and middle-class Americans choose to enlist in the armed forces because it is an honorable career choice, and pretending that its value is less important for millions of other Americans makes light of their social and economic situations.
The purpose of today's military isn't to witness the training of the rich, poor and middle class.Those who serve in the armed forces are entering a well-respected career field that leads to training in management, operations, field experience and teamwork- viable skills in America's business-oriented market place. The purpose of the military is much more extensive than training for warfare, and instituting a draft to ensure that both rich and poor receive this training isn't in the United States' best interest.
Currently, the military's composition is over 30 percent minority, a percentage that Rangel feels is disproportionate. The military is also made up of a vast majority of lower or middle class men and women, which Rangel cites as an unfair advantage to the upper-class. Rangel feels that Congress, because it is comprised of mostly upper-class white men, represents the upper class more eagerly, and does not understand completely the ramifications that war on Iraq will have on the lower and middle classes.
Rangel's appeal forces Congress to seriously consider what kinds of people make up the military -- and who might be on the front lines in America's impending war against Iraq. However, the ramifications of drafting Americans, rich and poor, may have adverse affects on the American social psyche, as well as against the efforts of those who choose and are forced into a battle they do not want to fight.
(Kazz Alexander Pinkard's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at kpinkard
@cavalierdaily.com.)
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