I THINK I HAVE FOUND MY SAFE SPACE

The latest demand for the youth of our country is to have “safe spaces.” This is especially true on some of our college campuses. It seems the new order of the day is that no one is allowed to be offended. Now, that offense can occur in any number of ways from so-called micro-aggressions to all out attacks. So there must be safe spaces for these habitually offended persons to hide from the reality of life. The latest is the University of California at Davis where they have decreed that the American flag might be offensive to some students so it must be barred from campus. Remember now this university is supported by taxpayer dollars and wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for a strong military flying this same flag.

I recall when I was a young adult, maybe twenty something, if I had thought I needed a safe space, my First Sgt. would have told me to dig a deeper foxhole. If today’s youngsters think they are offended by micro aggressive behavior, they might want to consider what their parents and grandparents went through in their military service. I remember when I was ordered to salute a pine tree for an hour because I failed to salute some young second Lieutenant. It was my second day in the Army and I didn’t know a second Lieutenant from a pine tree but it made no difference. Trust me when I tell you, I knew from then on. Had I been offended, I would have been told to bundle up my offense and roll it in a round cone and find someplace to stick it.

I’ll tell you where I am going with this discussion. I sincerely believe we need to reinstitute the draft. Every youngster, male or female, should be required as the cost of their citizenship in this great country, to register and be available to be drafted into the military. Do you think things might be a little different then?

Those of you in my age group will remember when we all were looking just any day to be drafted and to then put our lives on hold until our obligation was completed. Some of the more cowardly, however, like a certain former President, ran away to other countries to escape the draft. Fortunately most stayed home and fulfilled their debt to America. Some, like me, even joined in order to have a little more choice in our service. Turns out that wasn’t to be. The Army took me and had their way with me and I became a better person for having had the experience. Even today I continue to be rewarded for my military service.

I have been told the military is opposed to the idea of a draft. They don’t want many of the young, self-centered kids of today. Many, if not most, probably wouldn’t even qualify on the basis of physical ability or intelligence. How sad is that?

I’ve been thinking about a safe space for my family and me. I think I found it. It is the United States of America. Imagine, if you will, life in Syria, or Libya, or maybe Cuba, Somalia, or even Venezuela. How about Iran or the Sudan? What would happen if the youngsters in those countries demanded a safe space? I suspect they would quickly discover the meaning of oppression.

We all take what we have here for granted. One of the main advantages of military service is that you get to see how other people live. You come away with a greater appreciation of life in America. If the youngsters of this country had to consider the possibility of being drafted, they might be a bit more aware of the world as it is, not as they imagine it in their fantasies.

Ron Scarbro