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May 15, 2004

The Strange Price of Anti-War Victory

I knew Dale Munschy, a piano-playing employee of the music department, when I was at the University of Rhode Island. I found him very friendly and always quick to encourage student musicians. However, his politics look to be a whole 'nother matter:

While addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, of Nebraska, argued for the restoration of compulsory military service, stating that such a move would compel "our citizens to understand the intensity and depth of challenges we face."

Senator Hagel asked, "Why shouldn't we ask all of our citizens to bear some responsibility and pay some price?"

I would ask George W. Bush -- who couldn't think of having made a single mistake -- the same question.

Although I can guess some of the ideals that he likely holds and policies that he likely prefers, I don't know enough about the rest of Dale's politics to say whether this applies to him. But it's been one of the strange twists of this thirty-year echo of the Vietnam anti-war movement that the same class of people — probably some of the very same folks — who fought so hard to end the draft are now beginning to call for its reinstatement.

Do you think it's been discussed, in some Lefty meeting somewhere, that succeeding in ending the draft is turning out to have been a long-term tactical failure? It just doesn't have quite the emotional force to stoke fears about the possibility of the possibility of the possibility of being sent off to war.

Posted by Justin Katz at May 15, 2004 3:32 PM
Culture
Comments

Speaking in terms of "classes" can lead to some interesting stereotyping and not always accurate conclusions. The "class" of people most in favor of segregation is also the "class" of people most against gays in the military and for Bush's re-election.

Posted by: Joel Thomas at May 15, 2004 9:07 PM

Justin,
The headline over my recent letter was misleading. I am NOT, under any circumstances, calling for the reinstatement of the draft. I was, in fact, trying to underscore the fact that George Bush seems incapable of admitting that he has ever made a mistake. Senator Hagel asks us to "bear some responsibilty" and "pay a price," yet, Bush refuses to do so. While I am not a "far lefty," I can't stand anything about George Bush, and it sickens me that a Senator from his party would ask the citizens of this country to "pay a price" without asking Bush to do the same. I did not support this war, and most certainly do not support Bush or his clan of neocon hypocrites. Nowadays, to criticize Bush is to be labled "unpatriotic." BULL. He's a stupid, inept, inarticulate, bungling moron who should not hold the office he holds.

Posted by: Dale Munschy at June 3, 2004 9:55 AM

Hello Dale,

My comment, which I suggested might not apply to you, was directed at those — mostly Democrats — who have suggested reinstituting the draft (Congressman Rangel, D-NY, having been among the most prominent).

I'm not sure how long or closely you've followed the politics of the war, but Hagel has been most noteworthy, over the past few years, as the Republican most consistently voicing the other party's rhetoric. That he is from the President's party is more properly irksome to those within it than those outside of it.

Dale, I have nothing but pleasant memories of our brief interactions, and I sincerely hope that you are doing well. But that only exacerbates my frank reaction to your comment, from the invocation of the neocon boogeyman to the rat-a-tat-tat attack on the President: it's beneath you.

Posted by: Justin Katz at June 3, 2004 6:18 PM