Comments on: Charlie Rangel: Pro-Slavery

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 12:19:41 +0000

…You crazy

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 23:59:45 +0000

…True enough; but villainy by any other name would be as vile. Especially when it comes out of the gloating face of William Krystal

By: Steve C

Steve C — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 13:51:34 +0000

They will NEVER call it a draft again. It will always be “National Service” or some other BS Title. Watch the semantics and word games here.

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 03:21:21 +0000

…70% of US Public sentiment is said to run against conscription…Then if pollsters are to be believed, 56% of it still feels that a Military adventure against Iran is in the works. Add to this the fact that the over half of those polled support the continued indemnification of Israel by The US, another standard, pretext founded on the mendacity of intellectuals out of some Goddamn neo-Conservative Think Tank and dished out to Politicians along with another intelligence coup—Politicians whose malefactions everyone hear is more than familiar with —including the awarding of lucrative defense contracts demanded by Defense Corporation Lobbyists—Then look at the template. Past a point you may understand why I’m fond of repeating Thomas Lochiel’s warning of “Coming events cast their shadows beforehand.” It is an established fact that the Public attention span is limited, and their capacity to forget is enormous. The powers that be, that invaded Iraq are going to strike Iran next. To do so, even without mounting a land occupation, will necessitate a draft. The Democratic star is rising, and such as it is, do we hear Rep. Wrangle’s timely proclamation, canned talk of equality, etc., etc but nothing of his ulterior motives. Consider AIPAC doles out as much or more money and favors to the Democrats than the GOP. The plans for such a contingency to reinstate Selective Service were drawn years ago and in the end there is very little here difficult to understand. If those of you who feel that conscription isn’t a manifestation of tyranny but an exercise in Democracy that will somehow make these said Corporate and State interests think twice about contriving future wars, should shut up and go join the fuckin’ Army. If there are none so blind as those who refuse to see, then by all means, enlist. I promise you’ll find out how long it takes you focus on reality in there. You might even be surprised.

By: Pratt Street

Pratt Street — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 14:19:36 +0000

Mr. Goldstein might be overly pessimistic and gloomy. I do not see the posts here supporting conscription to be mainstream when polls indicate seventy percent of the public opposes the draft.

And I think the logical lapses of our resident draftmongers are so glaring they need to be pointed out and clarified.

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 13:24:13 +0000

Nah. Fuck ‘em.

By: Oscar Goldman

Oscar Goldman — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:46:31 +0000

It is worth mentioning that the opinions voiced here in favor of selective service are fairly mainstream, and the opinions (however correct) comparing the draft to involuntary servitude (i.e., State slavery) are not. I don’t know quite know what to make of this, and can’t for the life of me figure out why this is true. However, that being so, perhaps a cool and rational and non-name calling dialogue might be more productive?

For me it is hard to keep cool about this issue, which is party why I haven’t posted here much.

By: Pratt Street

Pratt Street — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 18:20:51 +0000

Rathmann states “Once some persons serve first and suffer the terror of powerless vulnerability, then do not some of them need their later fellow conscripts finally to experience the same? Could that not bring relief to the prior vets in the form of restorative justice?” Isn’t this like arguing that someone who has been robbed at gunpoint has the right to point a gun at anyone else, whether they were involved in the original robbery or not, and rob them. I fear Rathmann does really suffer from an extreme confusion of morals and ethics.

By: Ozymandias

Ozymandias — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 14:56:01 +0000

Guys, maybe we can live without the name-calling?

Mr. Rathmann, I suggest that you visit a bookstore and look in the computer section for books offering instruction in the basic use of computers. Also, where I live the library system offers free hands-on help to seniors and novices in the most basic use of computers, so your area may provide similar services. You may also be able to call your PC vendor and pay for hands-on remote instructions (I work for a F500 corporation providing such service).

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:27:10 +0000

Snap out of it, you lunatic. The answer is always no.

By: Richard Rathmann

Richard Rathmann — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:13:20 +0000

Could a draft make things better than what it replaced? Can violating liberty be both evil and good?

By: Richard Rathmann

Richard Rathmann — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:08:02 +0000

Continued: I am now trying to separate one paragraph among 3 comments, below:
Some persons believe that, to oversimplify, either NO ONE, or EVERY ONE, should be subject to conscription. I assume that the US has drafted tens of millions, going all the way back in history. Once some persons serve first and suffer the terror of powerless vulnerability, then do not some of them need their later fellow conscripts finally to experience the same? Could that not bring relief to the prior vets in the form of restorative justice?

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 08:15:31 +0000

…You sound like an old woman on the Goddamn telephone

By: Richard Rathmann

Richard Rathmann — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 07:22:26 +0000

Another comment of mine vanishes into cyberspace. Thanks OZYMANDIAS for your comment. I learned about a computer course for cut-paste, and I am in a 3 and 1/2 mo. wait for its start. Below I have to cut my comment in half:
When we benefit from liberty, isit often via depriving others of liberty? For example, the Clintons and Cheney exploited the privileged liberty of themselves NOT serving, only later to deprive others of liberty via military and other action.

By: Ozymandias

Ozymandias — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 05:09:27 +0000

Mr. Rathmann: I think you’re confusing the term “e-mail” with “comment”. If so, then if I understand you correctly, you are saying that you’ve spent hours composing comments only to see them disappear when you try to post them. I can tell you that the comments are not being suspended for approval. The moderation queues do not contain any of your comments.
Some people have reported similar problems regarding long comments. Without getting too technical, I think it’s due to poor browser settings. Our comments usually aren’t terribly long, so it doesn’t become an issue for most people. The best way to protect yourself against such a problem would be to compose the comment in an external text editor, such as Notepad. Copy-paste the comment into the browser window. If the post doesn’t go through, you can hit “Back” and try again. It sounds like you’re a novice computer user. If you need assistance in the use of Notepad, consult this article.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 23:52:47 +0000

RR,

Dude, I don’t know what’s the deal with your posts, I’m sure Brandon will get to em, but:

“To me, a draft must first be determined to be

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 23:25:47 +0000

…Bullshit

By: Richard Rathmann

Richard Rathmann — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:39:52 +0000

I still need computer help. My completed e-mail vanished 3x. I better keep on writing shorter.
Who’s free? To me, a draft must first be determined to be “better,” or a lesser evil, than what exists now. That is the necessary and SUFFICIENT yardstick.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:31:25 +0000

Richard:

Note: If the spam filter thinks this comment is bad, then it will be held in a moderation queue until that queue is checked. This is what has happened if your comment doesn’t appear immediately after hitting the “Submit Comment” button. Wait a few hours or email webmaster -at- thestressblog.com about it. The filter works on a per-comment basis – not per-user! it doesn’t matter how many legitimate comments you have posted here in the past.

By: Richard Rathmann

Richard Rathmann — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:07:08 +0000

Hi, SCOTT,
Where is my e-mail of 2:21 AM, DEC 1? Why is it so difficult to blog on your site? Why are there so many irregularities, such as an e-mail vanishing into cyberspace, after hrs of effort and a moment before clicking “Submit Comment”? I do appreciate your efforts. And it would be even better if you or someone can help me with this. Thanks.

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 23:54:21 +0000

Like it or not —And I don’t—A reinstatement of Universal Selective Service, Mandatory Conscription, draft whatever the hell you wanna call it is an eventuality. The standard, Democratic, egalitarian pretext for it resurection is at its best an crass insult to average intelligence, and at its worst, a murderous lie aimed at the most expendable elements of Society—Which I’ll wager I know far better than Rathman. Such a chicken shit, hollow rationale and elaborate prevarications on his part in regard to what seems compulsory and involuntary servitude as a glowing, social demonstration of one of Democracy’s common denominators, bring to mind one of H.L. Mencken’s more notable quotes at AWC, to wit: “Democracy is a religion of jackals worshiped by jackasses.” And never more true than in the context of war…particularly an unnecessary one. Conscription amounts to slavery with an excellent possibility of getting killed or maimed or driven mad for the benefit of the said victims Social superiors who consider the depravity, hardships and inhumanity of war far above them…Thus Send the trash to die…Social Hygiene…It is to my mind nothing less than a collective human sacrifice to the bloodier laws of Economics and the most base human instincts…namely those Political…I shouldn’t go off on tangents like this…but the idea of manifold and compulsory human culling on [Lincoln's] “Altar of Freedom” infuriates me…In any case, now the sons of bitches need more bodies; and more tax dollars for reasons I’ve previously mentioned here at Stress…They mean to start drafting…and they will…The Libertarians may not get it all right, but when they do? When their objective demands seem to me beyond any intelligent question? Like now?—They are absolutely correct and incontrovertible. Commendable in the most extreme sense of the word—Veratis parit odum—Conscription is tyranny in estrus. Suck on that Rathman

By: Pratt Street

Pratt Street — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 16:28:19 +0000

Rathmann seems to want to state that the Vietnam draft was an exception to military drafts rather
the genral rule. It is true that perhaps the pool of those who could evade military service was
larger than in some military drafts. But in all military drafts those with political connections and
some wealth can either evade the draft or opt for softer jobs if they so desire. Such is the
nature of politics.

A strength of the volunteer army is that it attracts the recruits who have the aptitude, skills, and
interest in the military, Thus the volunteer army takes much fewer casualties than an army of
disinterested draftees. People differ in their interests and capabilities. And, as the Heritage
Foundation has reported, the educational level of young people in the armed forces in above
that for young Americans in general.

The volunteer army is also free choice for everyone. Young people without military abilities or
interests can opt out no matter what their social class or location. The volunteer army also
pays its recruits more than a less skilled and trained drafted army. And, do I need to repeat it?
The draft is unfreedom. America at its best means freedom.

Rathmann may think he is being fair. In fact he is an exploiter of young poeple’s time and labor.

By: Richard Rathmann

Richard Rathmann — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:20:15 +0000

Sirs: [Does this blog site allow for sidetracks? If not, do we need to try to stay on track (the draft) better?] In response to Pratt Street, I think that you are right that the draft during the Vietnam war was incredibly unfair. IMO, all we must do is do better, or determine that a draft would be “better,” i.e., a lesser evil, than present civilian life. With HR 4752 we already add women to the gender minority (males). One generation ago one almost had to be a veteran to be elected to a top political office.
In your example, you are right, the medical doctor may NOT cut off your arm at his whim. But he serves his noblesse oblige in harm’s way if he works in hospital (many germs and stresses), and he might charge “an arm and a leg.”

By: Mace Price

Mace Price — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 05:54:53 +0000

…He knows that, he’s just bitchin’

By: Ozymandias

Ozymandias — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 03:37:23 +0000

Jonathan said “I posted a long reply that never appeared. Are you