Happy 18th Birthday Son! Say Hello to Select Services
No country is perfect and no country is spared from my opinions that I enforce upon it. I love England like crazy, doesn’t mean it’s perfect. I was born and raised in the United States of America; I definitely know that it isn’t perfect by all means. The issue at hand today is the one that concerns a USA male turning 18. My younger and only brother turned 18 yesterday. I haven’t checked the mail since the day before his birthday, but I did check the mail the day after his birthday…to only find a letter from Select Services. First and foremost, if that letter did come exactly on his birthday, then it is extremely rude, inconsiderate, and disrespectful. The government can’t send people’s tax return back that quickly, but they can sure inform you that it’s time to register for the draft since you’re a “man” now. Secondly, even if it did come the day after his birthday, it’s kind of like a slap in the face. It is like, “Oh, did you have a good birthday celebration yesterday? Well it doesn’t matter because I need to remind you of the service and duty you have to your country since you’re a citizen and we graciously allowed you to stay on our soil for 18 years.” The thing that’s confusing me is trying to figure out what specifically has this country done for my little brother. Please don’t say freedom, peace, and opportunity. Freedom: it depends on how you look at it, especially since martial law was passed. Peace: Not for long, don’t let the smiling faces from government officials up high fool you, and I believe soldiers at still occupying parts of the Middle East. Opportunity: But at what cost. Is paying taxes not good enough for the government already to show that you’re supporting your country? Sending a military letter to a male when he turns 18 is like sending a Molly’s Maid Service training letter to a female when she turns 18. There is always a constant reminder of how one really isn’t free, because someone or something can take it away from them. And then to find out that during the Vietnam War, the “only son” law was revised, so now my brother has no choice if he was to get drafted. I promise you I would do everything possible to make him not go if a there was a draft. I would be shaking hands with every congress, senator, or any other government official without any shame. I have family members that have and still are serving their country; my father was in the Air Force, so please believe me when I say I have nothing against militant forces. I do have a problem against militant forces when they force you to be a part of it. To force unwilling citizens to fight some man’s made up war over materialist things is completely erroneous, so how dare one’s government even invite themselves to ask.
P.S. Select Services sent my little brother the letter because he had already registered. When I asked how this was possible even though he was only 17 at the time; I was astonished at the answer. FAFSA required him to register while filling out the application for college. This just gets worse and worse. The government will not let males forget about their “duty” at all; they have all ends covered.