I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America. And to the republic, for which it stands; one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice military service for all.
That is how the Pledge of Allegiance should be re-written if John Edwards wins the presidential election in 2008. The Democratic presidential candidate said yesterday that all young people should serve their country, and “not just poor kids who get sent to war.”
“One of the things we ought to be thinking about is some level of mandatory service to our country, so that everybody in America _ not just the poor kids who get sent to war _ are serving this country,” he said.
Sounds a lot to me like a draft, no matter how he tries to sugarcoat it. Also, since when are we sending poor kids off to war? Did not everyone who is serving in the military — both domestically and abroad — sign up voluntarily? To suggest that we’re sending off the poor youth of this country to fight and die is a lie. Granted, a majority of those who sign up for the military aren’t wealthy, but they sign up voluntarily, nobody is forcing them to join.
As far as I know — and correct me if I’m wrong — John Edwards himself didn’t serve in the military. And aren’t democrats supposed to be anti-war? Where does he get off thinking he can make all young Americans serve in their country’s military?
2 Comments
Maybe he’s nervous no one will voluntarily sign up in future wars given the nature of this one
Weird, I guess he is trying to align himself further in the Republican direction to try to get some swing votes. I don’t see any other motivation he would have to make that statement.