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From: renner@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Re: Heinlein's arguments in _Starshi
Message-ID: <36200175@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Jan-85 04:31:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.36200175
Posted: Tue Jan 22 04:31:00 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Jan-85 06:44:12 EST
References: <187@ttidcc.UUCP>
Lines: 23
Nf-ID: #R:ttidcc:-18700:uiucdcs:36200175:000:1202
Nf-From: uiucdcs!renner    Jan 22 03:31:00 1985

>  Sigh.  Yet another Heinlein fanatic.  And what a book [Starship
>  Troopers] to  quote  from!  His greatest  "glorification  of  war  and
>  violence" novel ever.  I've read it, several times in fact (ah,
>  youth).  The punishment proposed in it for  most misdemeanors  and
>  minor  felonies  is public flogging (e.g.: 50 lashes for drunk
>  driving), to give you an idea of where he's coming from. (Citizenship
>  and  the  right  to  vote are based on military service, but that's
>  another issue.)		 -- Jerry Hollombe (hollombe@ttidcc)

A correction:  in Heinlein's book, the right to vote is based on *public*
service, not *military* service.  The book clearly states that the 
overwhelming majority of voters served two years at desk jobs -- the
equivalent of Civil Service -- and not in the military.  Of course, you
don't get to choose; you sign up, then do as you are told for 2+ years.

The effect is to limit the franchise to those who have demonstrated --
through personal service, possibly through personal risk -- that they 
place the interests of the society ahead of their own interests.  I can't
imagine a better qualification to vote.

Scott Renner
{pur-ee,ihnp4}!uiucdcs!renner