In 1977 on this day Jimmy Carter pardoned Vietnam Draft evaders. My cousin left the United States after his draft number came up. I remember the FBI contacting my father to find out where my cousin was. He spent time in Canada and the Virgin Islands. When we are at war again, it seems that large parts of our society are isolated from this war in way that were not true for Vietnam. I remember sitting in a friend's living room watching the draft birthdays role on TV and we both fell over dead when our birthdays came up. Maybe a draft would be a way for all of us to share in the sacrifice. I am completely opposed to war but a war fought with those with few alternatives other than military service is not the way to go. If we all had some "skin in the game" as they say, I dare say that the war in Iraq would be over already.
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