Taralyn Harrison

2/14/08

Period 3

Dear Maria Cantwell,

I am writing to you concerning the law considered by the government to require all 18-year-olds to serve a two-year term of service in a branch of the U.S. military, which would begin promptly after high school graduation. This currently ‘imaginary’ law has many faults, as well as interfering with the freedom of choice in America. I would like to say that I am foremost against this law as it is considered a draft, and that I would be defending our country’s freedom.

First, I would like to point out that this law being considered would interfere with the freedom of choice defacing America’s status of being a “free country.” This law could be translated as a draft, a conscription in the United States. A conscription is forced labor demanded by an established authority, and is a violation against that of the Constitution of the United States. Some may disagree with my first fact that it will deface and that this country’s law has already been corrupt. However, this draft could immensely affect the views and opinions of not only our citizens, but also the refugees and foreigners who seek our country for salvation.

Having 18 year-olds, fresh out of school with their graduation diploma, enduring many hardships to achieve this, suddenly being thrust into a battlefield to hide into a ditch and hear the bombs and shells through that sleepless night is outright traumatizing. War is a poison, and could easily kill a young girl or boy’s innocence. These students may have been college-bound or even anti-war supporters because it is unfair and illogical to the ideal of living in a country that is free. You and possibly other political figures will argue with my position on trauma and anti-war supporters. But, let me ask you this and a majority of others as well: would you want you children, or even a young friend of yours, be forced to go to war, without a choice?

I am aware of the arguments of this discussion that the students will be serving our country. However, serving the country through guns and bombs is not the only choice we have. School dropout percentages may increase over the years because of the fear/ phobia that some students have of either going to war or war in general. Our country’s budget would not over inflate due to food and supplies for the recruits. Even if you disagree, think of it logically that if this manipulation of a draft were to fail passing, America’s war mortality rate will not be so extreme.

Possibly a minority of the refusal party might even incite that we may win the war, but bigger numbers do NOT always equal better results. Another good reason to include is that there are certain students with immobilizing disabilities and/or handicaps that prevent them from doing simple tasks let alone joining the military. Out of the number of those new recruits, there would be at least being a percentage of 18-22 who can’t perform certain tasks needed for this job. With that in mind, war isn’t the only choice we have to help serve the country; it just the main Ideal.

As you can see, passing this drafting law to have 18 year-old graduated to serve a two-year term of service in a branch of the U.S. military is fundamentally and ideologically absurd. I strongly disagree with this law, and I believe that it should not pass. It will only be hurting our country rather than helping it. So, please help in our protection of America’s freedom and its Constitution of the United States.

Sincerely,

Taralyn Harrison