Conscription = Slavery ?

[Belsnickel]

Truthfully, the only thing that makes conscription not slavery is one qualifier: they get paid. We also have to keep in mind that forced labor is, by some definitions, a form of slavery (and conscription is forced labor) but chattel slavery is what the 13th was all about. Essentially, it is a question of society. This was all hashed out in 1918 in Arver v. United States. Here is the last paragraph of the court's opinion:

Quote:Finally, as we are unable to conceive upon what theory the exaction by government from the citizen of the performance of his supreme and noble duty of contributing to the defense of the rights and honor of the nation as the result of a war declared by the great representative body of the people can be said to be the imposition of involuntary servitude in violation of the prohibitions of the Thirteenth Amendment, we are constrained to the conclusion that the contention to that effect is refuted by its mere statement.

Essentially, it is because of the court's view of serving in the military as "supreme and noble duty" that made them see the imposition of involuntary servitude, which conscription is, to not be in violation of the 13th. They are saying with this that you shouldn't not want to fight, so your opinion doesn't matter.