Do we need a “National Service to Country” program in the US?

[Ms.Minnie]

Do we need a national service to country program or the re-enactment of the draft in the US? This past weekend there was a mass shooting in Philadelphia, a city I live fairly close to and one of several other shootings in other cities throughout our country. It seems from the photos I have seen that the participants/victims are mostly young people. Why is this happening? What is wrong with these kids that they seem to think it’s ok to shoot each other? Why do they even have guns in a city? I think part of the problem is that these young people have too much time on their hands, they don’t seem to have any responsibilities or respect for others.

I don’t think we had these issues to the extreme we have today prior to the draft being dismantled. The young adults were either drafted or enlisted to the military where they were forced to grow up or they went to college. No more mommy or daddy there to take care of everything and fix things for them. In the military they learned to appreciate what they have here in the US. They didn’t have time on their hands to get into trouble like they do today. They learned to take orders and have respect for others and for their country.

I think we need to re-enact the draft or have a national service to country program that would be handled similarly to the draft. The draftees would live in barracks and undergo rigorous physical training just like they would if they were in the army, navy, air force or marines. If they don’t go into one of the branches of the military, they would do things to help the country like rebuilding the roads and bridges or building affordable housing. These are just two examples of what they could do; I’m sure there are many other areas where their service could be utilized. While doing these things they would also be learning a skill or trade that could be carried over to a good paying job once their “tour of service” is completed.

I’m curious to know what others think. Do you think this is something that could help to curb some of the gun violence that we see so much of in our country today?

 

[Praying Colonel]

Without getting political, I don't think involuntary servitude is the answer to the current situation. There are multiple ways for young adults to serve others if they choose to.

 

[LSUmiss]

And most of the kids are not b/c “mommy & daddy” give them everything. If anything, it’s the opposite population engaging in these crimes.

 

[Minnesota!]

Ew, no.

Maybe look at root causes vs indentured servitude.

 

[VandVsmama]

Short answer: No.

This thread will totally dissolve into a political debate very soon.

 

[MillauFr]

I think we need to re-enact the draft or have a national service to country program that would be handled similarly to the draft.

That would be a hard no on my part. Sounds too much like a program they setup in Germany back in the 1930s.

 

[LuvOrlando]

So no

 

[Grand Koalafornian]

You are looking at two things that are vaguely correlated and assuming causation. There are a lot of other things that have changed, and are much better correlated to the higher violence. I think, for instance, online radicalization is partially to blame. Not sure how to fix that, though.

I don't think the draft is a good idea. It's literally anti-freedom.

 

[fla4fun]

Without getting political, I don't think involuntary servitude is the answer to the current situation. There are multiple ways for young adults to serve others if they choose to.

The issue is that very few choose to do so, for various reasons. I have been watching reports on the local news about how public pools are either remaining closed or opening limited hours due to lifeguard shortages. Between that, and the huge number of job openings I see for entry level fast food and retail, it’s becoming obvious that teens and young adults aren’t working summer jobs anymore either. There is a lot of speculation about why, but I lay the blame on social media.

The internet is a blessing and a curse, and I think it has been detrimental in how people socialize with each other face to face. Where in the past people would have almost been forced to interact physically with society by doing things like working summer jobs, now it’s possible to hide from the real world behind a name that you can pick and an identity you create. It’s a fantasy, not reality, and it’s fleeting. Eventually someone new comes along and your audience is gone. Some people can handle that okay because they balance it with real world friends and family. Some people don’t manage social media very well at all, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that many of the people perpetuating the violence have been very vocal online about their feelings and intentions, almost begging someone to listen.

I don’t have a solution to the problem, but I hope someone a lot smarter than I am can figure it out soon. I think a mandatory program might make the situation worse. People have to want to be productive members of society. You can’t make them that way by force.

 

[jrmasm]

Do we need a national service to country program or the re-enactment of the draft in the US? This past weekend there was a mass shooting in Philadelphia, a city I live fairly close to and one of several other shootings in other cities throughout our country. It seems from the photos I have seen that the participants/victims are mostly young people. Why is this happening? What is wrong with these kids that they seem to think it’s ok to shoot each other? Why do they even have guns in a city? I think part of the problem is that these young people have too much time on their hands, they don’t seem to have any responsibilities or respect for others.

I don’t think we had these issues to the extreme we have today prior to the draft being dismantled. The young adults were either drafted or enlisted to the military where they were forced to grow up or they went to college. No more mommy or daddy there to take care of everything and fix things for them. In the military they learned to appreciate what they have here in the US. They didn’t have time on their hands to get into trouble like they do today. They learned to take orders and have respect for others and for their country.

I think we need to re-enact the draft or have a national service to country program that would be handled similarly to the draft. The draftees would live in barracks and undergo rigorous physical training just like they would if they were in the army, navy, air force or marines. If they don’t go into one of the branches of the military, they would do things to help the country like rebuilding the roads and bridges or building affordable housing. These are just two examples of what they could do; I’m sure there are many other areas where their service could be utilized. While doing these things they would also be learning a skill or trade that could be carried over to a good paying job once their “tour of service” is completed.

I’m curious to know what others think. Do you think this is something that could help to curb some of the gun violence that we see so much of in our country today?

No

 

[PollyannaMom]

I dint think it's the kind of idea that would work here.

 

[BrianL]

Would you like to know more?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The issue is that very few choose to do so, for various reasons. I have been watching reports on the local news about how public pools are either remaining closed or opening limited hours due to lifeguard shortages. Between that, and the huge number of job openings I see for entry level fast food and retail, it’s becoming obvious that teens and young adults aren’t working summer jobs anymore either. There is a lot of speculation about why, but I lay the blame on social media.

The internet is a blessing and a curse, and I think it has been detrimental in how people socialize with each other face to face. Where in the past people would have almost been forced to interact physically with society by doing things like working summer jobs, now it’s possible to hide from the real world behind a name that you can pick and an identity you create. It’s a fantasy, not reality, and it’s fleeting. Eventually someone new comes along and your audience is gone. Some people can handle that okay because they balance it with real world friends and family. Some people don’t manage social media very well at all, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that many of the people perpetuating the violence have been very vocal online about their feelings and intentions, almost begging someone to listen.

I don’t have a solution to the problem, but I hope someone a lot smarter than I am can figure it out soon. I think a mandatory program might make the situation worse. People have to want to be productive members of society. You can’t make them that way by force.

I agree with the bolded. People who don’t interact with others don’t develop empathy. And people without empathy can hurt and kill others easily.

I think that service to others is a great thing, but I think it’s best done locally, in communities.

 

[Sinder]

No that isn’t what we need

 

[Praying Colonel]

Would you like to know more?

What you did there: I see it.

 

[Allison]

Prior to the draft being dismantled was nearly 50 years ago. I think you are really making a stretch to make any kind of connection there.

Of course we don't need a draft.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Would you like to know more?

Aim for the nerve stem, and put it down for good.

 

[DeeBee3]

Nope. Has nothing to do with it. Multi-faceted reasons behind all this. Without getting into the "political" arena, kids need parents and they need to be show responsibility and good judgment. They need people in their lives. But yes, social media is terrible and has not helped. One of the worst "inventions" for young people ever.

 

[Imzadi]

You are looking at two things that are vaguely correlated and assuming causation.

Yes, personal empowerment coach, Tony Robbins, calls that the "green carpet syndrome" where various events happen to happen on a green carpet, so a person wrongly assumes the green carpet is the causation, when it's just coincidental.

OP, in the Uvalde shooting, the shooter asked his sister to get him a gun when he was aged 17. Had she got him one, the shootings would have likely happened at that age - below the age of a military draft.

In the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, the shooter was getting supervision on how to shoot firearms, by his mother who took him to ranges to practice shooting. She ended up being his first victim.

Re-instituting a military draft wouldn't have solved or helped either situation.

 

[TippyThomas]

Absolutely not.