University of Virginia Library

Michael Russell

Stennis The Menace

Yesterday's Washington Post
featured a front page photo of
Smiling John Stennis and Sneering
Alan Cranston as they peered over
the two year draft extension bill. I
suppose they were so happy
because an effective legislative
compromise had been effected that
would once again placate those
angry voices.

All last spring I had to listen to
the "Forces of Repeal" tell me over
and over again that the draft was
going to be ended, and if everybody
worked their asses off writing
letters and visiting Senators the
draft wouldn't be renewed. A lot of
people who were ready to ignore
Congress and begin (actually
continue is more appropriate)
messin' around with the minds of
Selective Service at the local level,
were persuaded by the charm of the
anti-draft legislators and the good
intentions of the repeal people.

Change Tactics

Now we'll be told we didn't do
enough. Hopefully most people will
realize what a pile that is.
Hopefully more people will change
their tactics.

Military recruiting is now
responsible for the majority of the
people entering the service, The
draft is of secondary importance
and serves most as a threat to
encourage people to enlist or join
Officer Programs. As such it really
is no longer much of an issue (also
because the war no longer involves
the murder of infantrymen, just
slopes, etc. as the mechanical war
expands; white people-the rich
ones-have also never really been
concerned about what happens to
the poor people and the other
coloreds).

Today's Army

Senator Stennis thought it was
important. He commented
yesterday that the draft was
necessary because the kind of men
volunteering were hardly worth
training, they were too stupid, slow
and ignorant to be of any use in
TODAY'S ARMY. Of course he
doesn't have much to say about the
Army's recruiting program; a
$10,000,000.00 propagandizing,
misleading and banal attempt to
attract men to the military. Nor
does he realize that poor people
(read black or ignorant) have
nothing better to hope for 'cause
they've been shut out of other
avenues-like adequate food,
housing, and elementary education.

So it seems we're stuck with the
draft for another two years.
Fortunately it's become a great deal
more equitable. College students no
longer will receive exemptions.

That's right, read it and weep,
all you middle class aristocrats with
low numbers, when your number
comes around, 12 years of
education will allow you to earn
120 dollars a month (maybe a little
more when the price freeze ends).
Two years in the army won't really
hurt, at least you'll learn to "cover
your ass" so that next time you
won't be caught so short.

Military Sadness

In any crowd there are a few
brighter people who will take
advantage of the loopholes in the
system, braces on their teeth,
expensive doctors' reports linking
their eyesight deficiencies to
diabetes (that one didn't work but
it was a $2,000.00 try),
Conscientious Objection, or any of
the other deferments and
exemptions that money can buy.

There's one other option we
might consider (if we can stop
licking boots long enough to take a
look around). We might just tell the
draft boards to forget us, we're not
going. A significant number of
people have done that in the last
few years. Enough to allow the
repeal people to get into Senators
Offices: certainly enough to push
the number of court cases to the
point of selective prosecution.

I could go on, but, like the author
of yesterday's editorial I'm ready to
run from the room screaming
bored, bored, bored, (My white
skin may also allow me to say these
things with such impudence, but I
like to think not).

At this point, if you get drafted,
it must be because you still believe
that SS has power over your life; if
you admit that then you probably
think that Congress, the executive
and the military, are legitimate and
also have power over your life: and,
if you've admitted belief in all of
those absurdities, you have to
admit the existence of John Stennis
for which I offer you my
condolences.

LUNCH BREAK

Food Services Doesn't Have A Monopoly On Feeding Flocks