The Draft
"My generation would be put on the front lines."
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to this Commentary!
By Josh Clemmons
 With
key members of the Congressional Black Caucus calling for a national draft,
Youth Radio’s Josh Clemmons shares his views on military service.
I decided to go to school to avoid the military, so I wouldn’t have to
worry about joining anything but a student union or a fraternity. Now, I’m
worrying about going to war.
I can’t see myself fighting in a war that I didn’t start and don’t
support. A lot of things linger in my mind like, I could die, my friends could
die, and any of my family members could die. My generation would be put on the
front lines.
This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about being drafted. I guess
I’ve always been military minded because of my family background. My father,
grandfather, two out of three uncles and one aunt were in the service. Plus,
I grew up watching old war movies with my mom. Every once in a while my grandfather
asks me if I’ve thought about signing up for officer training, but I just
tell him no. Now and then, I talk to my mom about being drafted to a war. She
always says that she would send me on a plane and help me transfer to a school
in Canada. She knows where I stand, and supports me. I’m finally becoming
an adult, and the last thing I want is to take orders from someone I don’t
even know, 24 hours a day.
But I have no choice but to think about the draft. I’m in college now,
and I just turned eighteen. To get financial aid, you have to sign up for selective
service. I didn’t know this until I was in the line finishing up my financial
aid papers, and the man behind the desk said my check depended on signing up.
Can you imagine the look on my face? Nothing but aggravation traveled through
my body. I didn’t want to sign, but I had to. I want to go to college.
At this point, there are enough people who want to defend this country, and
there’s nothing wrong with that. Fighting wars is just not for me.
With a perspective, I’m Josh Clemmons.
Back Announce: Josh Clemmons comes to us from Youth Radio, an award-winning
journalism training program.
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