Some college students across the nation may have friends, relatives, and/or acquaintances serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of our nation's ongoing War on Terror. A surprising 2004 USA Today poll shows that about 40 percent of all military families support a reestablishment of conscription because they are currently unhappy with their loved ones being redeployed overseas when the overall supply of our nation's troops is overwhelmingly stretched to the international limit. In addition to the extended tours of duty currently in place, these families believe that more seasoned veterans have had more than their share of fighting in major conflicts during their long careers in the service.
Even though President Bush, Dick Cheney, and the current Secretary of Defense have repeatedly said that the draft is not necessaryat this point, one can't help but fear of its possible resurrection in the next few years.
Although it's highly unlikely to happen this year, it's not out of the question that an impending return to the draft will only make our already unpopular political climate more volatile. The random acts of senseless violence our poor coalition soldiers have been facing in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein have put us in a no-win situation against the Sunni insurgents, Shiite militas, and al-Qaida elements based there. As a result, it might as well be said that the current quagmire in the oil-rich nation draws parallels to what happened in Vietnam a few decades ago. More importantly, why should our government reinstate the draft if the war we are currently fighting is not fully backed by our long-time European allies?
It is possible that young adults who oppose mandatory national service will either flee to Canada or tear up their Selective Service (SS) registration cards just like the ones who grew up during the tumultuous era of Vietnam. Unlike the time of Vietnam, though, undergraduate students would only be able to delay their induction into the service until they have completed certain requirements for one semester only. In addition, college seniors would only have until the end of the academic year to fulfill the requirements for their graduation.
Second, many students who live or don't reside on campus would most likely oppose the traditional SS requirement of a two-year period of mobilization overseas. In the event of a national emergency, the SS is the independent government agency responsible for drafting adults between the ages of 18 and 26. As a result, several could file for conscientious objector (CO) status, which could mean a life sentence in prison for those who file on the basis of political and/or theological ideology.
The Universal National Service Act of 2003 emphasizes "shared sacrifice." In other terms, unlike the wars of the 20th century, no student or parent will be able to file for exemption or deferments on the basis of physical or mental impairments, familial dependency or hardship, or even on the basis of a satisfactory post-secondary education. This comes to prove that the overall morale of the military will be greatly reduced and that the lofty costs of feeding, clothing, training, and sheltering unfit personnel would skyrocket beyond belief.
Fortunately, it is already known that a vast majority of both liberal and conservative lawmakers opposed the Service Act because, according to the May 2004 edition of the Congressional Digest: Pros & Cons, there would be absolutely nothing left to fit our security needs on the home front, including the National Guard & Reserves for future natural disasters or 9/11-style terrorist attacks.
Today's military could cut back on overseas missions with its current all-volunteer force, but the only way rumors about the draft will go away is if all our troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and even the Philippines are withdrawn from these countries sooner rather than later. If this doesn't bear fruit, the military should come up with more efficient recruitment methods to meet their goals because enlistees might have stronger sense of will than those forced to be harm's way.
Overall, the impending question as to when the draft will come back has yet to be answered. However, if we experience an event like that of 9/11 or even Hurricane Katrina, there's a stronger possibility that our politicians will drastically change their polices, thus resulting in a new way of life for our country's next generation of all-important youth.
To find the latest news regarding our nation's conscription practices, please visit the Selective Service System's web page at:
http://www.sss.gov
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Quaranta
Friday, July 13, 2007
Song from World War II Still Fits in Today's Time of War
Last Sunday, Memorial Day, I was sitting in my living room getting ready to take my dogs for a walk, and for some reason, one of my favorite songs came to mind as I was tying my shoes. And I began to sing it to my dogs ...
"Nitey nite, now dream away;Morning brings a bright new day. Dream of your toys and games, dear ... Put all your cares away, dear."
I first heard that song on A Prairie Home Companion, on the day of the "Talent from Towns Under 2,000" contest, in the year 2000.
Leilani Clark, a 12-year-old from Wellburn, Florida, population 1,621, sang a touching song written shortly after World War II by a veteran named Charlie Piliero.
The song tells the story of a young mother putting her little girl to bed, soothing her, encouraging her to look forward to brighter days when her daddy will come home from the war.
Here's Leiliani singing it. Just scroll down to where it says
38:40 Applause,GK Segue to Leilani Clark41:00 Nitey Night
According to Leilani's website, Mr. Piliero remembered his own children's somber faces as he shipped out for the last time, and he vowed to write a song about it when he got back, which he did. But Charlie's sweet, simple song wasn't pitched to publishers, and eventually it ended up in a shoebox, where it sat for 50 years.
But it so happened that the Clarks and Pilieros would become neighbors and the shoebox in the attic would come down, and the song would be discovered by little Leilani.
With her beautiful, angelic voice, Leilani hit the perfect chord of interpretation, sounding to me like a young, doting mother in an old Disney film. For a 12-year-old to find that place was amazing to me.
The crowd in the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul burst into applause and cheers when she finished, and it was no surprise when she was declared the winner of the popular-vote contest.
At home, tears were streaming down my face, I was so moved. I immediately searched the Internet for her name, and found a website devoted to Leilani and her first CD. I wrote to the Clarks and obtained Mr. Piliero's email address, and asked for his permission to sing the song myself when I sang at the local senior center and nursing homes occasionally.
Charlie replied within a day or two, and he happily allowed me to sing the song. He was quite a character -- very feisty! And he was very pleased that his little song was getting exposure.
Now, several years later -- Memorial Day 2007 -- as I'm getting ready to walk my dogs while singing "Nitey Nite," I thought, "Gee, my dad would really appreciate this song."
So I spent the afternoon getting ready to serenade my 92-year-old father on the phone as a gift in appreciation for his service during World War II. Since I knew the sound quality was going to be fairly lousy over the phone, I wanted to make sure the volume balances (for me and the accompaniment I had created) were just right. And I wanted to print out the words and have them in front of me to assure I wouldn't forget them during my "performance."
When I called to say I was going to sing to him over the phone, my dad was surprised, of course. I've never done such a thing before.
But I sang it, he heard it and understood it and loved it.
Later that day, I sang it for a group of friends at a Memorial Day picnic. I'm not a great singer, but the song is so touching and sweet, I felt it was almost my duty to share it with my friends on a day when we remember the sacrifices of our soldiers and their families and friends.
Those who seek to find a rare treasure of World War II-era music will enjoy hearing Leilani's performance on The Prairie Home Companion site.
Here are the rest of the words:
"Though your daddy's gone away,
He'll return on some other day.
Angels will guide you, and Mommy's beside you, soNitey nite.
"The moon and stars are shining bright,
They're watching over you.
Corky's lying in the hall, just waiting for your call.
"Nitey nite, and say a prayer
For all the daddies still over there.
Pray God will keep them, for little girls need them, thenNitey nite ..."
Roshana Ariel is the author of http://www.take-a-year-off.com, and a blog at http://www.blog.take-a-year-off.com. Recently, she started on her second year "off," investigating life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. She is a former copy editor at a daily newspaper, enjoys walking her two dogs every day, is a fledgling paraglider pilot and an accomplished musician. She also is interested in brainwave technology and explores that field on her website, http://www.brainwavejourneys.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roshana_Ariel
"Nitey nite, now dream away;Morning brings a bright new day. Dream of your toys and games, dear ... Put all your cares away, dear."
I first heard that song on A Prairie Home Companion, on the day of the "Talent from Towns Under 2,000" contest, in the year 2000.
Leilani Clark, a 12-year-old from Wellburn, Florida, population 1,621, sang a touching song written shortly after World War II by a veteran named Charlie Piliero.
The song tells the story of a young mother putting her little girl to bed, soothing her, encouraging her to look forward to brighter days when her daddy will come home from the war.
Here's Leiliani singing it. Just scroll down to where it says
38:40 Applause,GK Segue to Leilani Clark41:00 Nitey Night
According to Leilani's website, Mr. Piliero remembered his own children's somber faces as he shipped out for the last time, and he vowed to write a song about it when he got back, which he did. But Charlie's sweet, simple song wasn't pitched to publishers, and eventually it ended up in a shoebox, where it sat for 50 years.
But it so happened that the Clarks and Pilieros would become neighbors and the shoebox in the attic would come down, and the song would be discovered by little Leilani.
With her beautiful, angelic voice, Leilani hit the perfect chord of interpretation, sounding to me like a young, doting mother in an old Disney film. For a 12-year-old to find that place was amazing to me.
The crowd in the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul burst into applause and cheers when she finished, and it was no surprise when she was declared the winner of the popular-vote contest.
At home, tears were streaming down my face, I was so moved. I immediately searched the Internet for her name, and found a website devoted to Leilani and her first CD. I wrote to the Clarks and obtained Mr. Piliero's email address, and asked for his permission to sing the song myself when I sang at the local senior center and nursing homes occasionally.
Charlie replied within a day or two, and he happily allowed me to sing the song. He was quite a character -- very feisty! And he was very pleased that his little song was getting exposure.
Now, several years later -- Memorial Day 2007 -- as I'm getting ready to walk my dogs while singing "Nitey Nite," I thought, "Gee, my dad would really appreciate this song."
So I spent the afternoon getting ready to serenade my 92-year-old father on the phone as a gift in appreciation for his service during World War II. Since I knew the sound quality was going to be fairly lousy over the phone, I wanted to make sure the volume balances (for me and the accompaniment I had created) were just right. And I wanted to print out the words and have them in front of me to assure I wouldn't forget them during my "performance."
When I called to say I was going to sing to him over the phone, my dad was surprised, of course. I've never done such a thing before.
But I sang it, he heard it and understood it and loved it.
Later that day, I sang it for a group of friends at a Memorial Day picnic. I'm not a great singer, but the song is so touching and sweet, I felt it was almost my duty to share it with my friends on a day when we remember the sacrifices of our soldiers and their families and friends.
Those who seek to find a rare treasure of World War II-era music will enjoy hearing Leilani's performance on The Prairie Home Companion site.
Here are the rest of the words:
"Though your daddy's gone away,
He'll return on some other day.
Angels will guide you, and Mommy's beside you, soNitey nite.
"The moon and stars are shining bright,
They're watching over you.
Corky's lying in the hall, just waiting for your call.
"Nitey nite, and say a prayer
For all the daddies still over there.
Pray God will keep them, for little girls need them, thenNitey nite ..."
Roshana Ariel is the author of http://www.take-a-year-off.com, and a blog at http://www.blog.take-a-year-off.com. Recently, she started on her second year "off," investigating life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. She is a former copy editor at a daily newspaper, enjoys walking her two dogs every day, is a fledgling paraglider pilot and an accomplished musician. She also is interested in brainwave technology and explores that field on her website, http://www.brainwavejourneys.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roshana_Ariel
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