Page 6 The Lion's Eye Eye On Opinions April 24, 2006 Commentary Should there be a draft? The great majority of college-age students may realize that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are not like other wars fought by this great nation. Thus, it is inadvisable to devise a national policy centered on our involvement in these wars. We do not want to set a prece- dence. Moreover, the volunteer national mili- tary forces, coupled with the volunteer state militias, have, to date, been adequate to the meet the demands of the U.S. involvement in the Middle East, albeit, our volunteers are over-tasked and compelled to be recalled. The volunteer forces have proved their worth and valor both in peace as well as in war. But what of the terrorists, and their so- called Jihad? Your guess is as good as mine. It is the closest thing to a theoretical war to date. If the United States had a draft, who exactly would the newly-drafted troops be fighting against. ; Is the draft necessary to replace exist- ing troops? Youth, or reach adulthood, have a propensity to drift towards or acquire areas of ___—interest and commitment that have significant meaning to them personally. Such choices are not always wise, but on the whole they tend to average out. The point being, if a person has a desire for a military commitment and structur- ing of their early life regardless of the actual dangers and threats, the great majority will sign-up in some capacity, not only to serve, but to experience that service. Couple this last thought with the fact few non-military persons realize -- that for every soldier or marine combatant in field combat, there are 10 or so other soldiers or marines supplying support to the combatant. Most of these military personnel are not in Iraq or Afghanistan but state-side or in other the- aters of operation, and most of which may never experience any combat through out the - whole of their military careers. So the combat troops in the Middle East -- especially national guardsmen serve as a convenience to the military proper and the - heads of our government. There is no need for a draft. Are there benefits for young per- sons to enlist? Sure. There are educational ben- efits; plus training that in many instances may be applicable to one's careers. But would anything but the necessities be available for the draftees with the resulting immense cost involved by such military expan- sion? This Administration has cut Veteran's Administration funding extensively and even attempted to bill the current wounded for med- ical care they receive. But otherwise I fail to see how the country could benefit by the immense cost of a drafted military. Nek 0 "Corner Firing myself from . the Lion’s Eye. The moments that | wanted to strangle the Lion’s Eye staff. Sharon Achilles Communications Gerald Dungan Journalism One word: layout. Michelle Roche Journalism A harsh indictment of the American people by M.Bruder mab522@psu.edu I hate to say it but the time has come to stand up for the man. George W. Bush may go down in history as America's worst president, a title he has fought hard to deserve. The truth of course is that the President is not the beginning nor is he the end of the country's problems. He has done nough to be a President and upset a good deal of people ut I have to remind you (and myself) that mr. Bush is by o means our only problem. Had Al Gore taken his seat in he oval office would the country be in any better shape? o you think that things would have been better ad John Kerry won in 2004? If you do please invite me to visit this utopia you inhabit. Accountability, it may be a new word for some eople but I think it is important to ask who is ccountable for this mess we call America. The .S. dollar is on the decline, gas prices are racing oward the $3 mark per gallon, over 2000 erican men have died on foreign lands over the ast three years, and the economy is as fragile as a § ar made from fine Swarovski crystal and all we an do is blame Mr. Bush. George Bush is not the roblem here, you are. For 230 years Americans ave been turning their backs and electing crooked crimi- nals who continue to exploit the people of these lands and as those people are needed less and less they are treated worse and worse. The reason we "suck" as a nation has nothing to do with our President or other leaders. We suck as a nation because we are a smug, greedy, uninformed people with no tolerance or care for anything but ourselves. In this land of opportunity and plenty we have people eating out of garbage cans and the only solution the people have is to rant and rave about education. Education and y M.Bruder 49 hours of layout in Playing catch while Sleeping in my 3 days. working on the truck. paper. Andrew Walter Amar Ganti Michael Bruder HDFS Marketing. Religous Studies The Public Sucks! children are the main concern of the masses while we con- tinue to lower standards so those same children can pass tests. Parents put helmets on their kids to keep them safe and want seat belts on school busses and the abolition of unsafe activities like dodge ball. The kids have no activities so they get fatter, lower standards of education so they get dumber, and they all have helmets on. It is only a matter of time before America is riding the short bus. Can anybody guess why 16 countries graduate more scientists that the U.S. every year? I can't remember a day when the news didn't have some overweight slob pumping gas while bitching about the prices in between the five cell phone conversations she had in the three minutes she was at the gas station. All this complaining about gas prices but I don't see any shortage of SUV's on the road. You talk to these people and ask them to logically defend their choices (your lucky if they know what logic means) they tell you they need a forty foot long SUV that get seven miles to the gal- on because they have one child and they need o pick up groceries. People are buying more and more useless crap everyday oblivious to the problems that plague this nation. The handful of people will- i ing to discuss the countries problems are too stupid to realize that they are the problem. Consumtion, Americas favorite past time, buying stuff they don't need with money they don't have. My name is Michal A Bruder, I am an American and I am part of the problem. PENNSTATE BAY Delaware County Lions Eve EditorialBoard: Editor in Chief: Andrew Walter Managing Editor: Sharon Achilles Associate Editor: Dave Hardison Copy Editor: Dan Delaney Layout Manager: Gerry Dungan Features Editor: M.Bruder News Editor: Amar Ganti The Lion's Cpe Contributing Staff: John Miller, Michelle Roche, Jessie Rowland, Kat Specht, Neil O’Connor, Dan Baer STAFF ADVISOR: Professor Lynn Keyser Contact the Lion’s Eye: e-mail: saal92@psu.edu, telephone: 610-892-1258, office: 202 Commons
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers