15 thoughts on “A new military draft: How will it impact Puerto Ricans on island and stateside?”
Random thoughts
I should start off with a disclaimer: The following is strictly an opinion of a proud Puerto Rican who has lived in a military household since the day he came into this world. I was born in Germany and have been on the move ever since. My opinion is merely an impartial point of view solely based on my political ideologies. In no way am I trying to subvert the minds of people in this forum.
With that stated, how do I feel about another draft and how will it affect the young men of Puerto Rico? It seems that no matter what opinions people have it will not matter because the government will continue to function in its best interest and right now their interest is the Middle East. The draft is a way for them to continue their agenda regardless of how people feel about it. They did it in the Vietnam era and if they must they will do it in this era. Their position is, “Whatever means necessary.” One may ask what do they mean by that? This statement may be taken out of context or read just as is and it basically means that they stay firm on winning the war.
Will this war have a conclusion? It would be a simple answer if the war were a conventional conflict between sovereign states but this is not the case otherwise it would be already over. Currently, Iraq is a failed state, which gives a breeding ground for subversives. People known as subversives are, in the U.S. state of mind evil, yet in the minds of our adversaries and the people of the region they are freedom fighters, fighting for what is just. In an unconventional war such as this our government/military has to win over the minds of the people and their support in order for the U.S. to be successful. Right now I believe we are lacking in this department and to make matters worse our government is not only battling the enemy but also fellow Americans such as Kerry and Moore who continue to divide our country with propaganda in order to win an election. How can our government ease the minds of the people in the Middle East if our own fellow Americans criticizes our own leaders? Also, how can our government win the minds of the people in the Middle East if we continue to bomb neighborhoods that do have subversives but also have innocent people residing in those areas, who do become casualties of war? Is the collateral damage worth winning this war? If you say yes then you are in accordance with contributing to an ongoing dilemma, which is creating more terrorists because U.S. bombs have destroyed many families and lives. If you say no then what will you say when the war is in your back yard making September 11, 2001 seem like a walk in the park compared to what will happen the next time we are caught sleeping.
Regardless of what point of view you want to look at this dilemma no answer is right or wrong depending on what view you side with. Everyone can rationalize just about anything these days. The problem of each person is to decide what one believes is the truth. Just remember there are always three truths: Their truth, your truth, and the Truth. Which one you recognize as the most legitimate is up to each individual to decide.
Well, I believed I have sidetracked myself from the question long enough so the second part of the question is how will this affect our Puerto Rican males? Since we were invoked to the U.S. armed forces back in 1915, the blood of our young men throughout the wars has written the answer…we will continue to do our duties as soldiers of the U.S. Proudly, we represent ourselves and in our finest hour. Our courage will show us the way to prevail or spill our blood trying to do what is just. Is this right? Should we fight a war even if we do not believe it is just? Should we fight a war if we are not even a state of the Union? Our citizenship gave us the right maybe not to vote but the right to be a common wealth of this nation. Our citizenship has been paid with the ultimate sacrifice of our men in many battles. Yes, whether we agree or not, our soldiers will go to war, fight and honor themselves and their families; for their lives are not to be forgotten in vain.
SAME DAMN THING
I think we can establish a correlationship between the desire to become a state, or even remain as a commonwealth, and a willing/desire to serve in the armed forces.
As with any flagging economy, or failed one, the military plays an important role in controlling social unrest: ship’em off to a war and you do not have to worry about energy packed young people roaming the streets. Energy packed youth on the streets of Puerto Rico are provoding civilian military intervention in police matters as it is. Imagine if more unemployed or low earning youth were available to fill the streets of urban Puerto Rico (lets not even go to whats going on in the mountains at night — El Yunque, for example.
In summary, I think Puerto Rico will welcome the opportunity to ship their young off to futile wars — especially if it will endear them to congress.
RE: Random thoughts
Most of us have gone out of obligation and some out of coercion. Still others have gone seeking some form of employment. The latter is significant in the case of Puerto Ricans of the inner city stateside. It is also an important reason for island Puerto Ricans, a large number of whom can not find work. The middleclasses on the island and stateside, of course, will have a better time of it if deferments are allowed. It’s just disturbing to think that as in the U.S. and the world it is the poor and workers who bear the brunt of the war.
I personally find the war in Iraq offensive and do not believe that Puerto Ricans should be participating in it, or for that matter any American.
Your thoughts are not too random and clearly you are an idealist and a man of conscience– a good man. Certainly most men and now women (?) will go simply because it doesn’t occur to them not too or the consequences of not going are more frightening than those of going into the service.
If women are drafted, how will this play in Puerto Rico? I wonder?
What is going on in El Yunque?
Crime gets diffused by war by absorbing part of the criminal element. The criminal element being a strain of the unemployed acting out of desperate circumstances, drug addiction and pathological malevolence. Are there predators in El Yunque or have people retreated to a sanctuary now part of the U.S. forestry? Please tell me.
The New Military Draft
I am not aware of any draft. I have observed heavy recruiting efforts and I encourage young men to serve honorably while they have a choice of duty.
Iran Maisonet
Jacksonville, Florida
U.S. Navy Civilian
RE: What is going on in El Yunque?
k smit, El Yunque for some time now has been the locus of heavy drug trafficking in Puerto Rico.
RE: SAME DAMN THING
whats going on at el yunque?
RE: RE: What is going on in El Yunque?
drugs are everywhere, especially withing the young people. actually, the nuevo día release an article on addicts babies.
you can refer to that.
RE: The New Military Draft
I am in the US Army. I’m serving my time with no complaining. But I see that they keep stoppng people from getting out. If you do your time and if there’s another ratation going down, and your unit got to go. your gonn get stuck going involentary. if u suppossed to get out may 2005 and you unit deployes April 30th 2005 your gone away from your family and friends for a whole year
RE: The New Military Draft
I am in the US Army. I’m serving my time with no complaining. But I see that they keep stoppng people from getting out. If you do your time and if there’s another ratation going down, and your unit got to go. your gonn get stuck going involentary. if u suppossed to get out may 2005 and you unit deployes April 30th 2005 your gone away from your family and friends for a whole year
RE: The New Military Draft
I am in the US Army. I’m serving my time with no complaining. But I see that they keep stoppng people from getting out. If you do your time and if there’s another ratation going down, and your unit got to go. your gonn get stuck going involentary. if u suppossed to get out may 2005 and you unit deployes April 30th 2005 your gone away from your family and friends for a whole year
RE: SAME DAMN THING
Military absorption of the non-working poor is so axiomatic that it’s meaningless to restate. Especially in the case of PR where there is and always has been a pool of unemployed labor. I disagree however that Puerto Ricans go gladly and willingly in order to endear themselves to Congress. More on this later
How are you doing?
Hello Muriel. How are things?
How are you doing?
Hello Muriel. How are things?
RE: RE: What is going on in El Yunque?
I never asked about El Yunque. Looks like a glitch in the system. Ooops, wrong technology!
Random thoughts
I should start off with a disclaimer: The following is strictly an opinion of a proud Puerto Rican who has lived in a military household since the day he came into this world. I was born in Germany and have been on the move ever since. My opinion is merely an impartial point of view solely based on my political ideologies. In no way am I trying to subvert the minds of people in this forum.
With that stated, how do I feel about another draft and how will it affect the young men of Puerto Rico? It seems that no matter what opinions people have it will not matter because the government will continue to function in its best interest and right now their interest is the Middle East. The draft is a way for them to continue their agenda regardless of how people feel about it. They did it in the Vietnam era and if they must they will do it in this era. Their position is, “Whatever means necessary.” One may ask what do they mean by that? This statement may be taken out of context or read just as is and it basically means that they stay firm on winning the war.
Will this war have a conclusion? It would be a simple answer if the war were a conventional conflict between sovereign states but this is not the case otherwise it would be already over. Currently, Iraq is a failed state, which gives a breeding ground for subversives. People known as subversives are, in the U.S. state of mind evil, yet in the minds of our adversaries and the people of the region they are freedom fighters, fighting for what is just. In an unconventional war such as this our government/military has to win over the minds of the people and their support in order for the U.S. to be successful. Right now I believe we are lacking in this department and to make matters worse our government is not only battling the enemy but also fellow Americans such as Kerry and Moore who continue to divide our country with propaganda in order to win an election. How can our government ease the minds of the people in the Middle East if our own fellow Americans criticizes our own leaders? Also, how can our government win the minds of the people in the Middle East if we continue to bomb neighborhoods that do have subversives but also have innocent people residing in those areas, who do become casualties of war? Is the collateral damage worth winning this war? If you say yes then you are in accordance with contributing to an ongoing dilemma, which is creating more terrorists because U.S. bombs have destroyed many families and lives. If you say no then what will you say when the war is in your back yard making September 11, 2001 seem like a walk in the park compared to what will happen the next time we are caught sleeping.
Regardless of what point of view you want to look at this dilemma no answer is right or wrong depending on what view you side with. Everyone can rationalize just about anything these days. The problem of each person is to decide what one believes is the truth. Just remember there are always three truths: Their truth, your truth, and the Truth. Which one you recognize as the most legitimate is up to each individual to decide.
Well, I believed I have sidetracked myself from the question long enough so the second part of the question is how will this affect our Puerto Rican males? Since we were invoked to the U.S. armed forces back in 1915, the blood of our young men throughout the wars has written the answer…we will continue to do our duties as soldiers of the U.S. Proudly, we represent ourselves and in our finest hour. Our courage will show us the way to prevail or spill our blood trying to do what is just. Is this right? Should we fight a war even if we do not believe it is just? Should we fight a war if we are not even a state of the Union? Our citizenship gave us the right maybe not to vote but the right to be a common wealth of this nation. Our citizenship has been paid with the ultimate sacrifice of our men in many battles. Yes, whether we agree or not, our soldiers will go to war, fight and honor themselves and their families; for their lives are not to be forgotten in vain.
SAME DAMN THING
I think we can establish a correlationship between the desire to become a state, or even remain as a commonwealth, and a willing/desire to serve in the armed forces.
As with any flagging economy, or failed one, the military plays an important role in controlling social unrest: ship’em off to a war and you do not have to worry about energy packed young people roaming the streets. Energy packed youth on the streets of Puerto Rico are provoding civilian military intervention in police matters as it is. Imagine if more unemployed or low earning youth were available to fill the streets of urban Puerto Rico (lets not even go to whats going on in the mountains at night — El Yunque, for example.
In summary, I think Puerto Rico will welcome the opportunity to ship their young off to futile wars — especially if it will endear them to congress.
RE: Random thoughts
Most of us have gone out of obligation and some out of coercion. Still others have gone seeking some form of employment. The latter is significant in the case of Puerto Ricans of the inner city stateside. It is also an important reason for island Puerto Ricans, a large number of whom can not find work. The middleclasses on the island and stateside, of course, will have a better time of it if deferments are allowed. It’s just disturbing to think that as in the U.S. and the world it is the poor and workers who bear the brunt of the war.
I personally find the war in Iraq offensive and do not believe that Puerto Ricans should be participating in it, or for that matter any American.
Your thoughts are not too random and clearly you are an idealist and a man of conscience– a good man. Certainly most men and now women (?) will go simply because it doesn’t occur to them not too or the consequences of not going are more frightening than those of going into the service.
If women are drafted, how will this play in Puerto Rico? I wonder?
What is going on in El Yunque?
Crime gets diffused by war by absorbing part of the criminal element. The criminal element being a strain of the unemployed acting out of desperate circumstances, drug addiction and pathological malevolence. Are there predators in El Yunque or have people retreated to a sanctuary now part of the U.S. forestry? Please tell me.
The New Military Draft
I am not aware of any draft. I have observed heavy recruiting efforts and I encourage young men to serve honorably while they have a choice of duty.
Iran Maisonet
Jacksonville, Florida
U.S. Navy Civilian
RE: What is going on in El Yunque?
k smit, El Yunque for some time now has been the locus of heavy drug trafficking in Puerto Rico.
RE: SAME DAMN THING
whats going on at el yunque?
RE: RE: What is going on in El Yunque?
drugs are everywhere, especially withing the young people. actually, the nuevo día release an article on addicts babies.
you can refer to that.
RE: The New Military Draft
I am in the US Army. I’m serving my time with no complaining. But I see that they keep stoppng people from getting out. If you do your time and if there’s another ratation going down, and your unit got to go. your gonn get stuck going involentary. if u suppossed to get out may 2005 and you unit deployes April 30th 2005 your gone away from your family and friends for a whole year
RE: The New Military Draft
I am in the US Army. I’m serving my time with no complaining. But I see that they keep stoppng people from getting out. If you do your time and if there’s another ratation going down, and your unit got to go. your gonn get stuck going involentary. if u suppossed to get out may 2005 and you unit deployes April 30th 2005 your gone away from your family and friends for a whole year
RE: The New Military Draft
I am in the US Army. I’m serving my time with no complaining. But I see that they keep stoppng people from getting out. If you do your time and if there’s another ratation going down, and your unit got to go. your gonn get stuck going involentary. if u suppossed to get out may 2005 and you unit deployes April 30th 2005 your gone away from your family and friends for a whole year
RE: SAME DAMN THING
Military absorption of the non-working poor is so axiomatic that it’s meaningless to restate. Especially in the case of PR where there is and always has been a pool of unemployed labor. I disagree however that Puerto Ricans go gladly and willingly in order to endear themselves to Congress. More on this later
How are you doing?
Hello Muriel. How are things?
How are you doing?
Hello Muriel. How are things?
RE: RE: What is going on in El Yunque?
I never asked about El Yunque. Looks like a glitch in the system. Ooops, wrong technology!