Letter: The draft and health care

In the wake of Chief Justice John Roberts' Obamacare decision, I've seen a lot of angry posturing from those opposed to it.

For some, it's the end of American liberty for the government to force us to buy health insurance, even if it's a responsible and good thing to do. Will the government fine or tax us now if we don't eat broccoli? That seems to be the mantra.

True, drivers are forced to buy auto insurance, but citizens can choose not to drive — or fire insurance, but citizens can choose not to purchase homes.

But when I was in high school, I was forced to register for the draft. I didn't have any choice in the matter.

The coercive power of government forced me to do something I was completely opposed to.

If drafted, I could have been sent to a country with whom I had no quarrel, to shoot strangers and be shot at by them. If I didn't register, I could have been imprisoned.

So when people talk about the unprecedented nature of the health care mandate, I'm unimpressed. If the government can make you become a soldier, then making you take care of your family's health and future seems comparatively insignificant.

Eric Samuelsen

Provo