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Drinking Age

BryanMaloney

Premium Member
Just read a news story of a bar in Brooklyn NY that was raising the drinking age in their establishment to 25, due to the crime and noise related to younger drinkers.

Voluntary decision on the part of a private businessman--no problem with that.
 

Browncoat

Registered User
...I have an axe to grind against slavery. Volunteering would be one thing, but there was a time when all men aged 18-20 were essentially slaves or slaves-in-waiting in the USA. Or are you in favor of government seizing people who are not permitted to vote and forcing them to do whatever labor suits said government? How can opposing such slavery-by-government be an "ax to grind with the military"? Please explain that.

There was also a time when there wasn't enough volunteers. Conscription hasn't been in effect since the early 70's, and today it's more of a contingency plan than anything else. I'm generally not a practitioner of holding grudges against issues that were before my time. That said, citizenship grants certain rights, but also responsibilities...one of which is to answer the call to arms to defend it. If that time ever came, I would be holding a rifle, not a picket sign.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
We didn't have conscription, we had a lottery. Conscription is a requirement that everyone serve a specific period of time.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
I have an axe to grind with the idea that it is legitimate to send people off to die and be mutilated if they are denied the basic franchise.

Generally "franchise" means the right to vote. Those who can enlist are of age to vote. The other age restrictions exist but they are of a type other than franchise.
 

Browncoat

Registered User
We didn't have conscription, we had a lottery. Conscription is a requirement that everyone serve a specific period of time.

con·scrip·tion

[kuh
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n-skrip-shuh
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n
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noun
1.a compulsory enrollment of persons for military or naval service; draft.
2.a compulsory contribution of money to a government during a time of war.


 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
[h=2]con·scrip·tion[/h] noun \kən-ˈskrip-shən\ : the practice of ordering people by law to serve in the armed forces

It all depends on which dictionary you look at. In my lifetime, conscription has generally been defined differently than draft. In many countries, it still refers to a mandatory service.

By your definition, conscription is presently in effect in the US.
 

Bro Darren

Premium Member
Between 1956 and up until July 1st 2011 Germany had conscription, where men were obligated to serve 6 months in the militar. Men could refuse and substitute their military requirement with civilian service or honnery (volunteer) service for at least 6 months in a civil protection organisation.

Personally I am very much against anyone being drafted if they are ineligible to vote in National elections. If a man or woman has no right to vote for what they believe in, and are then forced into doing something that they have no say in, is that not essence of slavery? Have not their civil rights been taken away?
 
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