I’m seeing a disturbing increase in the calls for a period national service for America’s young adults. It’s questionable whether I’d be subject to it given my age and the variety of proposals put forth, but the very idea pisses me off. From Obama’s proposal to give college-age students $4000 in tuition for an annual 100 hours of national service to this suggestion, the cries to conscript America’s youth to instill in them a sense of value, unity, and selflessness are growing louder.

In a time of growing diversity, there need to be some ways to enhance the experience and theme of unity.

Unity is overrated except to those who place “think and feel as I do” above individuality and personal freedom. Only those with some wishy-washy, feel-good notions of America insist upon unity as a goal. And no offense, Mr. Robinson, but I don’t see much in mainstream America today toward which I want to feel any sense of unity. I’m surrounded by people who make “do-gooder” a derogatory term because they believe that raping my paycheck at its current rate is insufficient, and who, if they had their way, would take 100% of my wages and give me back whatever they felt I truly needed to live, redistributing the rest to those who had no hand in earning it. And you think that the annual tithe to Caesar isn’t sufficient—now my TIME must be handed directly over in service, too? Time, unlike money, is even more precious to me than money, considering I can’t earn more of it to replace that which is lost.

It’s questionable whether teaching people that their own needs, desires, and goals are less important than government’s needs and goals—selflessness—is wise. It’s wise if your desired end result is a drone citizenry willing to mindlessly sacrifice itself to the greater causes of the state. But I can’t say I support teaching anyone that moral character necessitates the subordination of one’s desires and ultimately self-immolation on the alter of the State, even for just one or two meager years.

It’s difficult to relish the idea of bending over for the state in some suck-ass job that pays close to nothing, will give absolutely nothing of advantage on a resume, and could involve submitting oneself to an immoral cause they not only don’t support but downright loathe. (I see no conscientious objector status offered here.) I fully support volunteerism, but you have some balls suggesting that only government agencies are truly worthy of my time. To steal a voting analogy I once saw, being able to choose which government agency to which I’ll submit is a choice between shit and shit with corn in it. Fuck that.

Privatization has hardly proved the panacea that its heralds claimed it to be. Think Blackwater and 100,000 contract personnel flying under the radar in Iraq. Or consider the lengthening file of stories documenting problems in privately run prisons or in education with charter schools. There are some things that are best done by government — that is, “we, the people.”

Privatization is not to blame for Blackwater. In fact, it’s government, not private entrepreneurship that creates the distorted incentives for what we all see going on in Iraq. Ditto privately run prisons, sucking off the endless government tit all the while telling us more prisons are the solution, or education, picking every American pocket to further the brainwashing America’s youth into compliant, servile, mediocre sheep who will continue to support the educational system that created them. Every example you’ve named is inextricably entwined with government, which makes them by definition not private. Quasi-public, if you must, but definitely not private. It’s disingenuous to cherry pick those examples and blatantly ignore government’s influence in those examples. I won’t pretend the private—TRULY private—sector is perfect, but even if you’d mentioned Enron, it’s certain I could pick out half a dozen government actions, mandates, warped incentives, and other government meddling that created and abetted the “privatization” you view as ineffective, corrupt, and worthless.

We, the People, are NOT government, Mr. Robinson. Read the Constitution—its framers couldn’t have been more clear or more adamant that The People and The Government are separate and distinct from one another. Or could you be unaware of this because you’re a product of that fabulous government-sponsored education system, perhaps?

It’s for everybody, at least everybody who is physically and mentally able. Part of the downside of the privatization and the volunteer military has been that we have nearly lost the notion of required anything, of giving back, of playing our part. It’s time that Americans are reminded that “we are in this together.”

No, we aren’t in it together, not when your solution to the problem (more government, more interference) and my solution to the problem (less government, less interference) are polar opposites. I’m sure it gives you warm fuzzies to sit back and think of the beauty in forcing people to give up their time and effort in subservience to the almighty State, all under the pretense of doing good works and teaching them your value system. But I don’t share your warm fuzzies or your value system. We have no unity between us, not as long as you think the application of force is an acceptable means to a shiny, happy end where everyone farts rainbows and perfume.

I don’t ask what I can do for my country; my value system makes it morally questionable to support the state. You’re free to think that makes me a selfish asshole, just like I think you’re a brainless twit. But I don’t ask what my country can do for me, either, other than leave me alone, and it can’t even do that right. You have no leg to stand on when you suggest a stint of required national service would set my values straight and put me on the path to righteous unity and enlightenment.

Volunteering is great. It’s not voluntary work when you force or coerce folks into it with the authority of the State behind you. In short, you and the government can go blow each other to your hearts’ content in this circle jerk of State worship and rah-rah American jingoism. Leave me out of it.

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