2008 Woodie Awards
Uncertainties about draft pervade campus
Students voice concerns about their future
Lou Sian
Date created: 11/9/04 Section: NEWS
 Media Credit: Lou Sian On Oct. 28, volunteers from PeaceAction of San Mateo County informed students about the draft. |
In the last remaining days of fall, when the quality of light can suspend a memory like amber, Charlie Morales, 19, tosses a football to friends during a break at Skyline. He's gregarious, loping around benches and cement planters.
Bush won the 2004 election, but questions remain about the war in Iraq and the draft. Though both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry were adamantly against a draft, an online initiative, Rock the Vote, claims neither adequately addressed the possibility of a prolonged war in Iraq and instability in North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
While politicians toiled for their political lives at the national level in the days leading to the election, young men and women at Skyline College, in quiet pursuit of a future, seemed resigned and hopeful of better times. Arguably, this is not a good time to be young.
"You can't get around it," Morales said about a possible draft. "All you can do is serve; do the job. Can you fight it?"
President Bush had said in a Rock theVote online forum on Oct. 13 that there are enough troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sen. John Kerry said he would augment the ranks by getting other countries to shoulder their portion of the war.
Morales would have volunteered in the Marines after high school but other things came up. Two of his friends, both 19, enlisted and are in training in Texas. They are scheduled to go to Iraq in a few weeks.
"They're being trained to kill, go in the gas chamber and get used to conditions they're going to be in. If they don't get good training... if they're not prepared properly, then they're just sending a bunch of kids with guns," Morales said.
Sitting apart in the quad, a nursing student unwinds in the autumn sun. He's a man-child slouching in saggy clothes that appear too large for him. His cap angles off his boyish face. Paul Fernandez just turned 18 and has lived in the United States for approximately 18 months.
Fernandez said he is not registered and appeared confused by the concept. He is self-conscious about his speech and his words about the draft are forced, yet jarring.
"I don't like it. I thought we had a big army... lots of reserves," Fernandez said. "What's the point of getting people who don't want it? Iraq: It's about oil. In 10 to 20 years, it's going to be gone."
