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A brilliant argument about American women being exempted from the military draft

yopp343

November 30, 2012

11 upvotes

/r/MensRights

http://permutationofninjas.tumblr.com/tagged/the%20equal%20rights%20amendment

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Title	A brilliant argument about American women being exempted from the military draft
Author	yopp343
Upvotes	11
Comments	9
Date	November 30, 2012 10:16 AM UTC (13 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/141oq2/a_brilliant_argument_about_american_women_being/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/a-brilliant-argument-about-american-women-being.1007949 https://theredarchive.com/post/1007949

Comments

[–]yopp343[S] 6 points7 points8 points 13 years ago (6 children) | Copy Link

[–]jbates8 1 point2 points3 points 13 years ago (5 children) | Copy Link

[–]carasci 2 points3 points4 points 13 years ago (4 children) | Copy Link

I think the point they're making is that there is a difference between "exclusion" and "exemption". All the draft is is forcible military service, which makes it the real topic of discussion, especially because the question was whether or not inclusion in the draft is a "privilege". Which is more privileging, having the option to do something or having the obligation to?

You don't "exclude" people from obligations, you "exempt" them from them. It's a fine point but a really important one because it demonstrates how men have the obligation to serve whereas women have the option to. Women may enter military service, but they do not have to; they have a choice. Men don't.

Basically, bringing up "exclusion" from the draft is a bit of a red herring because women still have access to the end result (military service), yet don't face any of the legal penalties for refusing it if ordered to. The draft itself is not military service, it is the method by which people are compelled into military service. The argument that women are excluded from some areas of military service (and this represents oppression) holds some water, but the argument that women are exempted from being compelled into military service (and this represents oppression) leaks like a sieve.

[–]jbates8 0 points1 point2 points 13 years ago (3 children) | Copy Link

[–]carasci 0 points1 point2 points 13 years ago (2 children) | Copy Link

But that's the thing. HMcH is basically saying that women being excluded from the draft is misogyny. On the other hand, if we rephrase it to "women being exempt from the draft" it becomes a lot more obvious that women not being drafted is a privilege rather than some kind of twisted oppression.

It's totally reasonable to use the fact that both sexes can enlist in military service to establish whether women being excluded/exempt constitutes a privilege or not. The key is that they're not being denied any opportunity, but are avoiding a potentially fatal obligation. I think what you're missing is that the argument is primarily about whether the draft itself is a privilege. From my perspective, the existence of the draft is discrimination against men, because women have the ability to seek the same positions without the possibility of being forced to.

"*Women’s exemption from the draft is not a “privilege” that women have lobbied for and guarded. Women’s exemption from the draft is discrimination that has been upheld by the States, Congress, and the Supreme Court time and time again. *"

It's kind of like saying that one racial group was being discriminated against by a law that allowed another racial group to be thrown in jail at any time without charge. The first racial group can easily go to jail if they want to (just commit a crime), but it's clear that they're privileged by not having it hanging over their head.

[–]jbates8 0 points1 point2 points 13 years ago (1 child) | Copy Link

[–]carasci 0 points1 point2 points 13 years ago (0 children) | Copy Link

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point2 points 13 years ago (0 children) | Copy Link

[–]Bobsutan 0 points1 point2 points 13 years ago (0 children) | Copy Link