To be completely honest, I think this is one of those areas of discussion where for me there's a huge difference between a "hypothetical, ideal situation" and my current, specific one.
When I read through your proposals, I think even if we could quibble over the particularities, I agree with your ideas overall. I think there's a lot of merit to having everyone do a social work year in general, and I think the point about some kind of lottery system for the military is fair.
But when I think about what if Austria were to do this system tomorrow, I feel immediately revolted. I'm an immigrant from the Soviet region. I do really like Austria. The country is beautiful and I like the people and lifestyle, even if I thought it was the most boring place on earth as a teenager lol. If the conscription was extended to women I don't mind doing the social year. But I just don't wanna pick up a fucking gun for this ex Third Reich country that massacred my relatives. When I visited the local concentration camp last, I searched the names for my grandpa's brother - he was MIA and hey you never know. If I won the 5% lottery I think I'd rather serve the jail time. It's illogical but there you go.
I think this is one of those areas of discussion where for me there’s a huge difference between a “hypothetical, ideal situation” and my current, specific one.
You're totally right! Hypothetically supporting having conscription in an ideal society is different from supporting it in a specific place and time.
I’m an immigrant from the Soviet region
Ich auch, aber wohne in der Staaten. Vielleicht verstehen wir einander deshalb )
But I just don’t wanna pick up a fucking gun for this ex Third Reich country that massacred my relatives.
The problem here is of course not conscription in Austria, but rather, like with everything else in life, the dissolution of the Soviet Union! Or, more abstractly, anyone having to move to a place that they aren't willing to fight for. I'd see no problem fighting for (denazified) East Germany, for example.
To be completely honest, I think this is one of those areas of discussion where for me there's a huge difference between a "hypothetical, ideal situation" and my current, specific one.
When I read through your proposals, I think even if we could quibble over the particularities, I agree with your ideas overall. I think there's a lot of merit to having everyone do a social work year in general, and I think the point about some kind of lottery system for the military is fair.
But when I think about what if Austria were to do this system tomorrow, I feel immediately revolted. I'm an immigrant from the Soviet region. I do really like Austria. The country is beautiful and I like the people and lifestyle, even if I thought it was the most boring place on earth as a teenager lol. If the conscription was extended to women I don't mind doing the social year. But I just don't wanna pick up a fucking gun for this ex Third Reich country that massacred my relatives. When I visited the local concentration camp last, I searched the names for my grandpa's brother - he was MIA and hey you never know. If I won the 5% lottery I think I'd rather serve the jail time. It's illogical but there you go.
You're totally right! Hypothetically supporting having conscription in an ideal society is different from supporting it in a specific place and time.
Ich auch, aber wohne in der Staaten. Vielleicht verstehen wir einander deshalb )
The problem here is of course not conscription in Austria, but rather, like with everything else in life, the dissolution of the Soviet Union! Or, more abstractly, anyone having to move to a place that they aren't willing to fight for. I'd see no problem fighting for (denazified) East Germany, for example.