First Person Singular
Selective Service unfair to men

By Marie Barrett
Richwood High School

It’s happened again: a group of minorities has not only been recognized as equals but become favored. We’ve seen it before with African Americans, Jews, Muslims and immigrants of all kinds. Groups of minorities like these fight for equal rights and are granted them, earning preference over those in majority groups (especially when it comes to being hired) in the process.

This time, though, the favoritism has nothing to do with ethnicity. Instead, the group in question is American women.

The United States Selective Service System requires that all males between the ages of 18 and 26 register with the system so that, in the event of the reinstatement of the draft due to a war, there are potential soldiers at the ready. This practice of compulsory military service is called conscription.

Many people think there should be no conscription in the United States and that we should continue to rely on an entirely voluntary military, as we are doing now. I see both pros and cons to this scenario.

No conscription would give us more of the freedom we are promised as U.S. citizens. But what if war were to break out and very few citizens enlisted? We would lose the very freedom we were exercising with no conscription.

Also, the military sometimes gains members by promising money and an education to its members. Do we want to rely on an army of the poor and uneducated? Beyond that, it is fair to rely on those selfless people to defend us?

Though I don’t like the idea of being drafted, I can see why it could be necessary to preserving our freedom. But I do think one thing should change in the Selective Service System: both women and men should be required to register.

Women have been recognized as equals to men for many years in the United States. For example, women have had the power to vote since 1920. So if it’s been decided that women are equal to men, why are they being favored? It makes no sense, and it’s definitely unfair.

Some people will argue, “You can’t send the women to war if you want babies!” But how will we have babies if there are no fathers?

Others will say, “Women aren’t meant to fight!” But does that mean women aren’t meant to vote or hold jobs, either?

I am a girl approaching the age of 18, and I certainly don’t want be sent to fight in any war. But I do believe that women are equal to men, and that they should be treated as such. Women simply should not be underprivileged, and they should not be favored.