Why Military Service Should Be Mandatory.

Last year there were rumors that the draft would be starting up again. Of course any politician that voted for it would be committing professional suicide but maybe we need the draft again. Not because we don't have a big enough army and not because of the war in Iraq or the war on terror. Maybe we need a mandatory military service obligation for both male and females because of what they teach.... and what parents aren't teaching.

Fifty years ago we didn't have half of the social problems we do today. Our values were different. For one thing, we had them. Our priorities were different too. With each passing generation we experience a social decay. Americans have a declining work ethic and poor leadership abilities. We are not teaching our youth to be productive citizens. The baby boomer's have dropped the ball. They aren't teaching respect or responsibility or discipline or accountability.

We are living in the "me generation". The what can you do for me frame of mind. Kennedy said: "Ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country." Well how about just what you can do for your community?

We have raised a bunch of self centered, selfish, disrespectful brats with pierced faces and sagging pants that will be running this country in the not to distant future. We do poorly in school, then wonder why we can't get a decent paying job. We goof off at work and spend most of the day trying to get out of work and then wonder why we didn't get that raise or that promotion or even worse wonder why we got fired. And when we do get fired, it's never our own fault, it's always someone else's.

So what does this all have to do with the military? Compare a twenty five year old who has served to someone of the same age and economic background who hasn't. Which one has the better job? Which one has a better attendance record? Which one is in a leadership position with in their organization? Eight out of ten times it will be the one with prior service.

The military teaches respect, discipline, leadership, tolerance, self-confidence, accountability, work ethics, responsibility and much more. Everything we are not teaching our children. This country wouldn't have half the problems it has now if we required a two year service obligation from our population. The crime rate would be lower. There would be less frivolous law suits. Companies would be more productive with less staff and attendance would be much better. The quality of products would be higher too. The benefits would circumvent the cost of maintaining the programs.

Maybe to accommodate both genders and to provide a better choice in service we can create another branch of service. We have the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard now but how about a Homeland Altruism branch. Apprenticeship programs that teach life skills as well as job training. A bigger, badder, disciplined Job Corp that would work effectively because it would be run like a military service. It could provide services to the general population such as medical care, housing projects for the poor even border patrol and homeland security tasks.

Don't get me wrong here, I intend no fascist world of only discipline but there is a time and a place for everything. This world of constant self indulgence and instant gratification will eventually come with a heavy price. We as a whole have become way to liberal and forgiving of poor behavior. We make excuses for it and require no real accountability. We blame others instead of just correcting the problem. Some things should just not be tolerated anymore. We as a county need to shape up or we will have hard times to come.

God Forbid We Talk About God.

Now how did this happen? Even as little as a decade ago God was not an issue. Over the last few years we have this growing trend to not believe in God and not tolerate anything that has to do with Christianity. According to the ACLU we have to tolerate gay marriage and men who love to have sex with boys but God forbid we talk about God. They will defend the First Amendment right to free speech unless your talking about the Christian religion. Schools have stopped using the word Christmas and replaced it with Winter Holiday. Jews can wear a yamaka and Muslims can wear a Kufi but a teacher can't wear a cross on a chain around her neck. A menorah can be displayed during Chanukah but baby Jesus is offensive.

I'm not just talking about Christmas time though. Coaches used to pray in the huddle with their teams before a game. Not anymore, not if he wants to remain the teams coach. Our children can't even say the Pledge of Allegiance in school because of one phrase. If your so offended by the word God, stop spending our money.

I can understand not wanting to be preached to. That's for the minister's to do during church services. Teaches should not teach their beliefs in God to their students but should be able to discus something that has been so influential in history. One can't ignore something so prevalent in our society. It's like not teaching World War II and acting like it never happened because you didn't like the outcome. The very mention of the Christan God infuriates some to the point of being down right scary. But really only about 3% have any problem with it. So to be politically correct the many have to bow and cower to the few or be dragged in to lengthy expensive frivolous court battles to defend our rights.

I have to tolerate your beliefs and your sexuality but you will spite me and my children a spiritual relationship with my God. Your God is OK but mine is not. Why can't you be just as tolerant of my belief system as I am expected to be of yours. Am I really hurting you by putting up a Nativity scene in my yard less than a block from your holiday tree? Frankly, I am offended by your offense and I'm not even that faithful but then again, maybe that's the problem.