National Service - Good or Bad Idea?
By gemini_rose
@gemini_rose (16264)
July 4, 2008 11:14am CST
Last week, a sixteen year old boy went out for a night out with friends to celebrate finishing his school exams, they went to a nightclub. Upon leaving the nightclub there was trouble and as a result the boy was stabbed to death.
His sister has made a call for all violent young criminals to be conscripted into the National Service and has lashed out at the UK Government to bring it back. You can read the story through the link below:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/article1378670.ece
Now just 4 days later another 16 year old boy has been stabbed to death by a gang that chased him, circled him, stabbed him and left him crying for his Mum in the stairwell of some flats, he later died in hospital. He was believed to be involved in gangs but the incident was over a girl. Another child dead. Link to this story below:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/article1378670.ece
What are your thoughts and opinions on this?
Could conscripting them be a good idea and something that may help to focus young people's aggression into something more positive?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@Wolfechu (1193)
• United States
4 Jul 08
The only people I've ever heard suggesting national service is a good idea are those over 50 (i.e. those who grew up around the time we actually had it), and taxi drivers, in one of their 'Cor, they should send them all back to where they came from, hanging's too good for them' type monologues.
In other words, the main demographics for The Sun.
No doubt if we had National Service, The Sun would be complaining about that, and how our 'brave boys' (suddenly no longer 'yobs') were being forced to join the army, and might end up somewhere where they might get killed. That's if they hadn't got enough celebrity gossip to fill that day's edition.
The world has moved on since 1950. Conscripting someone into National Service isn't solving the underlying social problems which cause such violence.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
4 Jul 08
LOL yes it is always those over fifty! It is not the first time I have heard it being said that they think that national service should be brought back. I think that it is out of date, that it would not be tolerated in this day and age. You are right it is the underlying social problems that are causing all this, but how on earth could that be tackled, I cannot see that it would ever change.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
13 Jul 08
I think it's a great idea...not just for criminals but for all youth. To my way of thinking, one of the things most lacking in children's upbringing today is discipline. (I was very strict with my girls with the result that they both ran away from home at an early age...and got away with it too, I had no control over them).
My first husband was conscripted and the one thing he learned that helped him was that they teach self discipline. He was a total basstard so managed to turn those teachings to his advantage but being disciplined did bring some positives into his life.
It won't help all youth but I truly believe it will do more harm than good.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
10 Jul 08
I think it would make them more aggressive, they will learn more ways to be violent,
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Jul 08
Anything that will get these kids off the streets where they can't hurt other innocent people is a good idea in my book.
@anjalirawat29 (119)
• Singapore
5 Jul 08
oh my god such a bad news.... i am really hurt well night club is itself not a good place to go, that's y i do not go.... wel national service is good according to my point of view..
