flowerjoy

Registration is not a draft. Registering, as they have now, is far different than what was occurring during the Vietnam War... What we have now is called a volunteer army. A volunteer army did not exist during the Vietnam era. If you had a medical deferment, were in college or had a job that was an exception to the draft (such as teaching or peace corps) you were excused from the draft. If you were not in those categories, whether you wanted to go or not and your draft number came up - you went to war or you went to prison.
The current registration system is set up for a time of war crisis ... where everyone who is physically and/or mentally able (with the exception of ages - either too young or too old) has the possibility of being drafted. Registration is not drafting.


If your sons were living in the 60's and were not fortunate enough to be in college or in an excluded profession or a peace corps volunteer... they would be trained and very likely sent to Vietnam... Also exempt were those of some religious affiliations who had official objections... other than that they faced the war, whether they wanted to or not and whether they believed in it or not... and now we do business with Vietnam which is a thriving sea port. Would you have liked your sons to die for that?

annyroony2

Aw, the good ole days! I remember them well, I lived them. I remember when McDonalds came to town with their 15 cent hamburgers. We went after church on Sunday night and those burgers were so good!

kaykwilts

Flowerjoy...thank you for the reminder that "registration is not the draft"....my point I was attempting to make is that the fact that all men are required to register makes for a pool of men the gov't has to draw from should our nation ever find ourselves in a national crisis requiring a larger fighting army. I have NO doubt, despite public "outcry" that I am sure would ensue, that if needed, the draft would be started once again.

Regarding your question as to whether I would have wanted my sons to go to Vietnam, I will not answer that question. For one thing, this board does not look too kindly on a person spouting their personal political views. And any discussion regarding my views on the draft/registration, or the Vietnam War would end up a political one. I'm just not going there. In addition, due to the fact that that war polarized my parents at opposite ends of the political spectrum, and along with the Civil Right Movement, was a loud, argumentative topic of conversation EVERY SINGLE NIGHT AT THE DINNER TABLE.....and in the end was a cause of the only home I ever knew being destroyed.....well, I have spent the whole of my adult life studying the Vietnam War trying to understand what happened in my childhood. For myself, I am at peace with what I have finally resolved about both that war, and the Civil Rights Movement. But I consider those "resolutions" private, and will not discuss them with anyone but my husband.

Thanks for the discussion....

Connie in CO

I hope the basement doesn't have water marks on the walls.I loved the bathroom.

flowerjoy

Thank you for your kind reply... I do believe my response to you was a bit harsh in asking about your sons' possible death in war... for that I apologize... I have a son too and absolutely nothing would ever make up for that horror... even the thought... so again, my deep apologies. I remember the 60's and hence Vietnam as a nightmare with so many unwilling friends losing their lives. And yes, my family was also one that fell apart, partly due to the polarization - military on one side of the family and overwhelming sadness with so many deaths on the other side. I did resolve my feelings by being grateful for those who volunteer to "protect" our lives from "enemies" and ever so grateful for the choice not to give up life for a war one did not believe in, hence, the volunteer army. I would never want to go back to that period of time... would rather deal with economic hardships anytime than so many unwilling deaths. And I am most grateful of all that my son (and yours) are living in a period when the choice is their own. There are so many many ways to serve our society and country other than war. I will be most happy when no young men or women lose their lives in such a manner. Please accept my apologies for my rather harsh question. I already knew what your answer was... you are a mother first and foremost... as most of us are. Peace to you and yours.

kaykwilts

Flowerjoy (and such a beautiful screen name).....apologies accepted...though there was no offense taken. And I agree with you....thankfulness for our lives today is a real key to overcoming past pain. And like you, I too am very grateful that there is no draft today, and that those who serve, which I am also grateful for, are doing so because they choose to.

But I have to admit, I do miss some of the innocence of those days...but that may be just memories from the child that I was during that decade.

Peace to you as well...and happy quilting today! And thank you for your response.

drgranny

Speaking of to much info overload...................I substitute and from 7th grade up these kids flabbergast me!! A couple of days ago I had 14/15 yr olds. There was one boy who kept talking about the big nasty and making all sort of little inuindos (sp) and there were a couple of girls who were writting notes to each other in a notebook. I peered over a shoulder to see what they were writting. They were writting the F word a lot. There always seems to be a boy who is bold enough to say things out loud. I know that if we had been caught saying those things when I was in school I would have suspended and then got my butt busted when I got home. Nothing is sacred to the kids now days. It really is sad because it shows they don't even respect themselves. I am so sorry about that. Like someone said, there is no innosence any more. (please excuse misspelled words. I never could spell)

Teddybear Lady

I also graduated in 1970. I sometimes tell my 31 year old son that I wish I could take him back in time and show him how peaceful life was. We didn't have to lock our doors. The keys to the car were in the car. All the neighborhood kids played outside till the streetlights came on and our mama's started hollering our names. haha

flowerjoy

I think that when we often look back at our "innocence" we are speaking more about ourselves as "children" than we are of the age. If we left the doors open we were probably just very lucky... read "In Cold Blood" ... this brutal killing took place in 1959 ... again the 60's had plenty of violence in the manner of war and "kent state", "mississippi burning", assassinations, etc. If we had innocence, praise our parents for protecting us ... and the lack of news from other areas (no internet or 24 hour news) ... not the kindness of our culture.