November 29, 2006 - "No state has the inherent right to survive through the use of conscript troops, and, in the long run, no state ever has."

Lazarus Long,

"Time Enough For Love," by Robert A. Heinlein

Back in my Pima County Security days, my No. 2 was retired Marine sergeant and later Constable Steve Sherrick. His favorite line about those who didn't quite measure up was "there ain't nothing wrong with him 16 weeks at Parris Island wouldn't cure." That's the initial impression many have favoring proposals to bring back the draft.

Many of us dating from the era when all males had a military obligation believe that spending time with the man in the smoky hat could do wonders for the many slack-jawed, body-pierced, baggy-clothed, rap-belching mall crawlers we now see too often. And that's just the females.

Others see the military as a great social leavener that compulsory service would greatly aid. Still others, frozen in time around 1968, think a new draft would be a great anti-war device as no-one would dare use a conscript force again for an unpopular war. Unfortunately, that might also preclude gutless pols from using it when necessary. Besides greater efficiency and lack of coercion, a volunteer military provides the trained backbone for an enlarged citizen force when the real necessity arises.

Pathological egalitarianism being rampant, many sympathize with the current proposal of Democrat Congressman (and Korean War Vet) Charlie Rangel to draft everybody between 18 and 26 for 15 months of - please note carefully - "government service." This might be good for the budgets of civilian agencies by replacing entry level jobs with low paid conscripts, but the military services don't find it particularly useful, which is primarily why they oppose it. Public employee unions, currently a pillar of the Democrat Party, may also look askance at the civilian portion of the concept.

A new draft is unnecessary because the volunteer services work. Arguments concerning their real or alleged mis-deployment should be aimed elsewhere. We are long past the time when a barely trained draftee is of much use. The Border Patrol requires more than a year of training for a para-military job that consists of more than the ability to shout "alto." Using modern weapons and gear now issued to the troops requires much more than enough teeth to bite open a paper musket cartridge.

Military service is not an onerous job to be performed by the losers and poorly educated. I'd let Sen. Kerry slide on that supposed "joke" if he didn't already have a few priors trashing those who wear the uniform. And you might recall he claimed in 2004 that a Bush re-election would bring back the draft.

I have a dear lefty friend in Tortolita, a Vietnam combat vet, who wants the draft back because he's tired of too many "decline-to- serves" running our military policy.

I reminded him that we only had two presidents serving over wars officially declared who were ever shot at - McKinley and Truman. Jefferson, Madison, Polk, Lincoln, Wilson, and FDR never saw combat.

But I sympathize with him. Unlike the two Roosevelts, whose sons served valiantly in both world wars, we now have too many leaders - and their children - who feel no obligation to serve at all. Re-instituting a draft won't change that attitude or the lack of respect for our military by too many of our people. Forget whether Kerry was "joking." Many believe he meant what he said. Worse, too many saw nothing wrong with it.

The Rangel proposal allowing alternate service would change nothing, even if evenly enforced.

Those disliking military service could simply substitute something else, like clerking for the Public Defender.

Most important of all, conscription is an anathema to a free society. It's use usually indicates innate cultural weakness.

Roman mothers once told their sons to come home with their shield or on it. Lazarus reminds us that the custom later declined. So did Rome.

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EMIL FRANZI

EMAIL FRANZI

BUT WATCH WHAT YOU SAY!

About Emil Franzi

Emil Franzi is the owner and host of "Inside Track" on KVOI - 690AM and KAPR - 930AM in Douglas. The program airs on Saturdays from 12 pm till 5 pm.

Franzi currently writes a weekly column for the EXPLORER (formerly the NORTHWEST EXPLORER). He filled the TUCSON WEEKLY with close to a million relevant words from 1993 to 2004 and was an OpEd regular with the Az Daily Star from 1994 to 1998. His writing has also appeared in PHOENIX Magazine, ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, and the late CITY MAGAZINE in Tucson.

But then, Franzi is an iconoclast.

This website is Franzi's baby, put together with work, faith, and a little help from his friends, like Tom Danehy, Joyce Downey and Mike Tully. The concept -- politics, books, humor, the Old West, movies, "Pet Talk" and letters -- is Emil's. This unique brew seems to work. This website averages more than a thousand "hits" a day and keeps growing.

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