Draft
Here's a drafted post from 2006, published now, for scrutiny:
.................
What would you do if they reinstated the draft next week?
Hypothetically speaking, of course. I think the standard draft proposal is 18-26 year old males get entered into the lottery. And even if the draft were reinstated, being a graduate student, I'd almost certainly be exempt.
That being said, I'd definitely go if asked. Anywhere, desert, jungle or plains. I can't think of a better way to serve your country if she needs you than to obey being asked to fight for her. Likewise, there's nothing more cowardly than to enjoy the unbelievable benefits that we as a country, or even a culture, enjoy, and not be willing to protect it with personal mortal wounds.
Putting aside the whole anthropomorphic argument (the idea that we are driven today by unnecessary wants that our technology can offer that weren't available centuries or even epochs long-ago in human history, and people were still content and happy then), our culture and entire life-philosophy is probably one of the best that has even been predominant in any region at any time in human history. Look at all the human rights we enjoy today, the order, the nuanced justice system that by-and-large works quite well. If you can lift your head from cynicism, look at the civil landscaping that lines the medians of our streets, rows of flowers, mulch, shrubs all bought and payed for by taxpayers to beautify the big, paved streets, you can look at the hospitals that use the most advanced biomedical procedures to accomplish what would be described as a miracle 50 years ago, look at the laboratories piecing together the mysteries of life using molecular techniques, you look at the policemen that patrol our cities maintaining the peace, the sports leagues available for the kids... all of this that we've accomplished comes from the so-called "Western" philosophy, which has it's origins in the marriage of Greek rationality and early Christianity.
In other parts of the Western world where that Greco-Christian heritage has been rejected, it's not just the so-called "superstitious religion" that gets jettisoned. Once you get rid of the central tenet of Christianity that our life here on Earth involves existing in and building the kingdom of God, and replace it with the central tenet of selfishness and self-satisfaction and egoism, you get rid of the impetus to contribute to society for the service of other, and begin to see it only as something from which you take. GK Chesterton wrote that when people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing - they believe in anything. Is it any wonder that, specifically, the countries of the European Union, which purposefully chose to reject any mention of Christianity or God in their foundational documents, those countries are the ones that have abysmal reproduction rates, increasing crime rates, growing materialism, and over-burdened public and socialistic health programs? What does this say about their view of the world and how they treat their neighbors? They believe in themselves, the Babylon of Man.
An example comes to mind, in the Netherlands (where they euthanize their children and elderly), they've pioneered this new method of dealing with partiers who get so drunk they throw up, urinate and carry on in all manners on the streets after spending their money in clubs: they have these retractable public urinals that come out at night and retract during the day. So at night, when they're so shit-faced they've lost all modesty of conduct and decorum, the cities pander to this behavior by accommodating it with $75,000 retractable, open air latrines. Forget what Guiliani did in New York back in the early 90s, which involved increasing police and civil presence in the streets and actually changing people's minds about pissing on the sidewalks. Forget having pride in your city and maintaining your own dignity. It's a lot easier when you don't care about it, when you have no worries about what it means that a large portion of your populace purposefully loses control of their senses every weekend. It's no longer a disgrace when you stop caring - that's the easy thing to do. And without the vocational drive that Christianity provides, the vision that we are here to serve others because we are all created by God, there's absolutely no reason to keep caring. At that point, it becomes coasting downhill, and how far downhill some of Europe has gone is pretty staggering... maybe even to the point of refusing to care for the ill and deformed and instead euthanizing them to alleviate some of the strain on the Netherland's socialist health care system?
As an aside, I'm of the opinion that many world faiths and philosophies that mirror this idea of the society as a worthy investment and hold along side this idea that service to society have some innate, or even transcendental "goodness" attached to it (including but not limited to most forms of Eastern Confucian thought, Greek and Roman philosophy, some Buddhism and some Hinduism) all contain an important core similar to Christianity. Don't get me wrong, I believe that the fullness of God's plan is revealed most completely through Christ in the original Catholic faith. I'm really only repeating CS Lewis when I say this. In his book The Abolition of Man, Lewis refers a lot to the Tao, the word specifically used in Eastern philosophy to denote the "proper way" of living. All of these cultures have the germ of natural law, a respect for Good in their own way. The beginning but not the fullness, which is only in Jesus' Church, the Catholic Church.
Contrast this with ancient paganism and idol-worship, the many extremist forms of Islam, and most 19th-century post-Enlightenment European philosophy. Islam, for example, stresses submission - not to your neighbor, but to God, who's will is only revealed through the writings of the so-called great Prophet Mohammad. Modern European philosophy stresses... well... an elaborate and suave form of nihilism. So sleek. Nietzsche refused to accept categorical definitions of what was best for mankind, instead being enamored with the natural selection view of social evolution, wherein only the individual courageous man could supersede the cultural norms.
As human beings, the Christian understanding, the Tao, clearly works much better. Look at the accomplishments of our respective cultures. Pagan idol-worshipers were wiped out centuries ago, most Islamic countries have to use portable generators during press conferences to ensure uninterrupted electrical service, their countries are ruins of wasted space. Godless Westernism replies only with vasectomies and abortion when asked about its future.
So, my willingness to serve - SERVAM! - isn't some kind of simple nationalism or pride in America for the sake of it being my country. It's a cultural thing, a holy thing from my faith.
.................
What would you do if they reinstated the draft next week?
Hypothetically speaking, of course. I think the standard draft proposal is 18-26 year old males get entered into the lottery. And even if the draft were reinstated, being a graduate student, I'd almost certainly be exempt.
That being said, I'd definitely go if asked. Anywhere, desert, jungle or plains. I can't think of a better way to serve your country if she needs you than to obey being asked to fight for her. Likewise, there's nothing more cowardly than to enjoy the unbelievable benefits that we as a country, or even a culture, enjoy, and not be willing to protect it with personal mortal wounds.
Putting aside the whole anthropomorphic argument (the idea that we are driven today by unnecessary wants that our technology can offer that weren't available centuries or even epochs long-ago in human history, and people were still content and happy then), our culture and entire life-philosophy is probably one of the best that has even been predominant in any region at any time in human history. Look at all the human rights we enjoy today, the order, the nuanced justice system that by-and-large works quite well. If you can lift your head from cynicism, look at the civil landscaping that lines the medians of our streets, rows of flowers, mulch, shrubs all bought and payed for by taxpayers to beautify the big, paved streets, you can look at the hospitals that use the most advanced biomedical procedures to accomplish what would be described as a miracle 50 years ago, look at the laboratories piecing together the mysteries of life using molecular techniques, you look at the policemen that patrol our cities maintaining the peace, the sports leagues available for the kids... all of this that we've accomplished comes from the so-called "Western" philosophy, which has it's origins in the marriage of Greek rationality and early Christianity.
In other parts of the Western world where that Greco-Christian heritage has been rejected, it's not just the so-called "superstitious religion" that gets jettisoned. Once you get rid of the central tenet of Christianity that our life here on Earth involves existing in and building the kingdom of God, and replace it with the central tenet of selfishness and self-satisfaction and egoism, you get rid of the impetus to contribute to society for the service of other, and begin to see it only as something from which you take. GK Chesterton wrote that when people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing - they believe in anything. Is it any wonder that, specifically, the countries of the European Union, which purposefully chose to reject any mention of Christianity or God in their foundational documents, those countries are the ones that have abysmal reproduction rates, increasing crime rates, growing materialism, and over-burdened public and socialistic health programs? What does this say about their view of the world and how they treat their neighbors? They believe in themselves, the Babylon of Man.
An example comes to mind, in the Netherlands (where they euthanize their children and elderly), they've pioneered this new method of dealing with partiers who get so drunk they throw up, urinate and carry on in all manners on the streets after spending their money in clubs: they have these retractable public urinals that come out at night and retract during the day. So at night, when they're so shit-faced they've lost all modesty of conduct and decorum, the cities pander to this behavior by accommodating it with $75,000 retractable, open air latrines. Forget what Guiliani did in New York back in the early 90s, which involved increasing police and civil presence in the streets and actually changing people's minds about pissing on the sidewalks. Forget having pride in your city and maintaining your own dignity. It's a lot easier when you don't care about it, when you have no worries about what it means that a large portion of your populace purposefully loses control of their senses every weekend. It's no longer a disgrace when you stop caring - that's the easy thing to do. And without the vocational drive that Christianity provides, the vision that we are here to serve others because we are all created by God, there's absolutely no reason to keep caring. At that point, it becomes coasting downhill, and how far downhill some of Europe has gone is pretty staggering... maybe even to the point of refusing to care for the ill and deformed and instead euthanizing them to alleviate some of the strain on the Netherland's socialist health care system?
As an aside, I'm of the opinion that many world faiths and philosophies that mirror this idea of the society as a worthy investment and hold along side this idea that service to society have some innate, or even transcendental "goodness" attached to it (including but not limited to most forms of Eastern Confucian thought, Greek and Roman philosophy, some Buddhism and some Hinduism) all contain an important core similar to Christianity. Don't get me wrong, I believe that the fullness of God's plan is revealed most completely through Christ in the original Catholic faith. I'm really only repeating CS Lewis when I say this. In his book The Abolition of Man, Lewis refers a lot to the Tao, the word specifically used in Eastern philosophy to denote the "proper way" of living. All of these cultures have the germ of natural law, a respect for Good in their own way. The beginning but not the fullness, which is only in Jesus' Church, the Catholic Church.
Contrast this with ancient paganism and idol-worship, the many extremist forms of Islam, and most 19th-century post-Enlightenment European philosophy. Islam, for example, stresses submission - not to your neighbor, but to God, who's will is only revealed through the writings of the so-called great Prophet Mohammad. Modern European philosophy stresses... well... an elaborate and suave form of nihilism. So sleek. Nietzsche refused to accept categorical definitions of what was best for mankind, instead being enamored with the natural selection view of social evolution, wherein only the individual courageous man could supersede the cultural norms.
As human beings, the Christian understanding, the Tao, clearly works much better. Look at the accomplishments of our respective cultures. Pagan idol-worshipers were wiped out centuries ago, most Islamic countries have to use portable generators during press conferences to ensure uninterrupted electrical service, their countries are ruins of wasted space. Godless Westernism replies only with vasectomies and abortion when asked about its future.
So, my willingness to serve - SERVAM! - isn't some kind of simple nationalism or pride in America for the sake of it being my country. It's a cultural thing, a holy thing from my faith.
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