Draft on the American Women
March 24, 2017
The military draft has been around since 1940 when President Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act. The draft continued through war and during the peacetime and ended 1973. More than 10 million men entered military service through the Selective Service System during World War II alone. To this day, men are required to register for the draft once they turn 18.
“I think women should be required to register because women want equality and that’s part of equality ” said Senior Haili Vollen.
A big controversy going on in America for the past year, is should women be forced to sign up for selective service, which is for the military draft. During America’s first draft, women stayed at home with the children, and most women worked in the same factories the men worked in to make vehicles, weapons, etc. Women have been fighting for equal rights for a long time, and now today, the government has been trying to pass a law, that requires men and women to register for the draft.
When questioned on the topic, Military representatives said they are not allowed to speak on the topic but on their website www.ssg.gov they have more information on the topic.
The Selective Service System decided against this, so women aren’t required to register.
“For women to be required to register with Selective Service, Congress would have to amend the law…..As of January 2016, there has been NO decision to require females to register with Selective Service, or be subject to a future military draft. Selective Service continues to register only men, ages 18 through 25.” Said the Selective Service System on their website www.ssg.gov.
Many people have their own opinion on this topic, agreeing or disagreeing with this. Women have always wanted equal rights, so why shouldn’t they be required to register for the draft like the men?
“I think that women get mistreated in the military in general, they get raped, and are judged for many reasons so I don’t think women should be forced to register if they are going to be treated poorly, and also, who’s going to stay home and take care of the kids?” Senior Jensen Van Gampelaere said.
In my own opinion, we think that since women and a few men are trying to bring down gender barriers all over the country, that it shouldn’t be such a big deal if women are required to register. People can’t pick and choose what they want to be equal, so if women want equal rights this is the next step to men and women being completely equal in the workforce; however, if there is a war where America is forced to conduct a draft, who is going to stay home to take care of the children and the elderly, manufacture cars, make ammo, and send food supplies to those who fight on the war? America’s Military is so big that America wouldn’t need to do a draft because it’s the biggest military in the world. The draft should stay the same, but I wouldn’t be opposed to women being required to register.
