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From: Lisa Entwistle
T1: lisamarie2@netscape.net
Date: 12/7/99
Time: 10:13:09 AM
Remote Name: 207.172.196.146
I agree with what Ms. Schimpf has to say about draft dodging, though I must say that I am not totally sure of where my opinion stands. I understand Mr. Chitty's desire to help save lives and I do respect his actions in trying to save lives in any way possible. One of the problems in this world is that individuals often feel like they cannot do anything to change the way our system works, and I applaud Mr. Chitty for actually doing something on an individual level to save young men from risking their lives in Vietnam. I do, however, agree that dodging the draft is not a decent thing to do. We have learned a lot about class and economic policies in regards to the draft, and assisting draft dodgers seems to be perhaps one way of evening the score for those who do not have the money or political clout behind them to get them out of the draft more legitimate ways. It is a shame that the draft continued to exist, especially knowing that the government was aware they could not win the war. However, the draft was in existence, and I don't think that dodging it is right, or even fair. My feelings on this are obviously mixed, because I feel that we should do things on a individual level like Mr. Chitty and I am impressed with his efforts. It just seems wrong, though, because there are countless men who lost their lives because of this draft and their loyalty to our country. Though no one should have been fighting this war, as long as our government was forcing men to go into it it seems that all men whose names got pulled should have gone (or none of them). To say that some people deserve to get out of it is not fair or honorable. Issues of loyalty come to my mind. If people were against the draft for whatever reasons, and national pride and loyalty is not among them, then it seems to me that they should have at least felt that if other men were dutifully going to fight this war, there must be some sort of civic loyalty to others.
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