[CrackMonkey] FUQ, slavery is back

[Jason Lindquist]

In our last episode, Praedor Tempus expounded:

> Perhaps after serving a short stint (my father did 3 years) the snotnose
> that would otherwise think they are OWED everything - takes everything
> they have for granted - would learn the true value of what they have.

Ah, so you're proposing we spend tax money to make up for other people's
poor parenting skills?  Sorry, no.

Never mind that it doesn't work that way.  Like anything else, you get out
of it what you put into it.  Your dad benefited well from the experience.
So did one of my friends--he took a break from college for a four-year
stint in the Marines, and is a far more together guy than he ever was
before.  But he came back with stories of several miserable wretches
who did enough to get by, but developed no greater appreciation for
their lot in life, nor an ability to make good decisions to change that
life for the better.  Yes, I'd taken it on faith that the system worked
better than that, I was aghast to learn otherwise, but there it is.

And these are volunteers.  Conscripts?  Please.

-- 
Jason Lindquist  <*>     "Mostly though, I think it gave us hope, 
linky at see.figure1.net     That there can always be a new beginning.
KB9LCL                    Even for people like us."
                            -- Gen. Susan Ivanova, B5, "Sleeping In Light"