Persuasive Essay

    In countries like Russia, Greece, and Germany, it is required for every citizen to serve a year in the military. So, people ask why is that the United States does not do the same as well? This question is easy for me to answer. It is because the army is something that a person must fully be ready to join, in both heart and mind. It should not be the government’s choice on who joins the military or not.

    The fact of me being in the armed forces myself, I know firsthand on how the military works and who is accepted into the army. Personally, I felt it was my obligation to serve my country and sacrifice my life, if necessary, to protect it. Yet, that was my decision to volunteer, not the government that I am protecting. If the U.S. was to start having conscription, which is when the government makes it law for citizens to join for a year or more in the armed forces, there would be a huge uprising and protest. An example of this is during the drafts of the Vietnam War. Almost every American during that time was in a fury to resist the draft.

    Now, imagine if every person within the legal drafting age was required to serve a year or more in the military? There would be so much upheaval and civil unrest in the American society, there might even be another civil war to hit America. Another reason for me choosing to not support conscription is the knowing that not everyone is built for the army. In the army, the NCO’s, non- commission officers; separate the strong from the weak. For me, I was strong mentally and physically enough to be accepted into the armed forces. Yet, if we had conscription those who were weak would be forced by law to become strong enough for it. Making most of the draftees have low self esteem and an even bigger dislike for the army.

   Also it brings less respect to the army from its citizens. The citizens of America have in many ways denied the authority of people with great power for many centuries. From the fight for independence from Britain, the Texas Revolution, to the Civil War. So it would then be no surprise if America started to resist the law of conscription. No citizen would support any war efforts or any veterans of wars because of conscription.

   The final reason why I would resist conscription is because it weakens the moral of the draftees. An example of this is when you talk to a person who is in the Israeli armed forces. Almost half of the members of the Israeli armed forces do not like the idea of them serving for something they do not want to die for. Now making the rising dislike for the army even bigger than before. So ask yourself, would you like the thought of joining something you don’t want to?