• Allonzee@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      As an American, I’m all for forced conscription.

      Only because it forces people who otherwise try to be “not political, teehee” and pretend our corrupt, captured, failing nation is fine to wake the fuck up and revolt.

      For the record, in normal times, I think there should be mandatory national service for a year, but I don’t agree a year of service has to be or even should be military. There should be a strong peace core that builds housing for the homeless, provides community services, etc.

      I think it would give the US what it most needs and lacks almost entirely: empathy. Especially for our worst off, most suffering citizens.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        There should be a strong peace core that builds housing for the homeless, provides community services, etc.

        I wonder if you could work out a system where you could work it off in hospitals cleaning bed pans, helping nurses/doctors/patients with things that don’t require the doctors and nurses (like bringing blankets and stuff;); and in return getting 2 years free towards becoming a doctor/nurse.

        Do the same with lawschool and helping public defenders with… stuff. or other fields that benefit society, too. If none of that really interests you… then building housing, cleaning parks, and, er, other stuff.

        reward: two years tuition.

      • Kowowow@lemmy.ca
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        4 months ago

        I was thinking something along those lines would be cool too, pretty much anything you could volunteer for would be a great start.

      • iopq@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Just change that to goes to help out on the farms and it’s literal Mao Zedong

      • Wes4Humanity@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        This is kinda how I feel when liberals keep arguing for Biden. What I hear them saying is “Vote for Biden because at least he’s only making THEIR life miserable… Trump will make MY life miserable! (And I might actually have to start caring!)”

        It sucks that people only care about the world’s misery when they are personally threatened, but since that seems to be the way it is, maybe letting Trump make everyone miserable will speed things along a bit/get more people to wake up and fight back?

        (Mostly playing devil’s advocate here… I do think we should be trying to stop Trump… Just wish the DNC was trying too)

    • palordrolap@kbin.run
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      4 months ago

      Conscription? You’ll need more than that. You’d have to press-gang those kids into service, and then hope they don’t revolt.

      Other alternatives: 1) Becoming the enemy - telling them their families’ lives are forfeit if they don’t pass muster. 2) Some really top-notch propaganda.

      I can think of at least one country that would do both of these, but would deny the first one.