what will you do if you or your kids are drafted

and asked to fight in this screwed-up occupation? Personally, i am leaning toward, "you can have my kids right after the next June frost in Baghdad". How are the rest of you leaning on this issue?

and if that doesent work, i show them my scary side

This is a relative point!

It depends on who is in office. Even then, it will be tough. But it will be a little easier to take if it is Kerry in office and Bush's girls have been conscripted to serve.

will that work?

We had that argument with the kids here who are liable to it

And we are sure that no ask don't tell will morph into you can
tell, we don't care

This is a post I made a while back about this subject--I think it is somewhat relevant so I'm going to repost it:
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Allowing homosexual men and women in a draft would be a hot topic if a draft is ever called. You would think that the military would want to keep that "high morale and unit cohesion" act in place during war time? No?

Oh wait. Homosexuals can only serve and die for their country during war, but in peacetime, we are a threat to military. Go figure...lol

I will guarantee you this, Article 125 will be repealed before the draft is ever enacted. This would void any reasoning to keep homosexuals from serving. If they didn't do this, then they will have legal challenges popping up everywhere. You will have two laws that trump each other and the USSC will be left deciding which holds precedent. If the military doesn't void Article 125, the USSC would more than likely do so following its ruling in Lawrence.

Historically, they have ruled that the UCMJ holds precedent in all military issues. I highly doubt the USSC would rule that the government has the right to draft homosexuals into combat during war, but can uphold the UCMJ statute as binding during peacetime. Unless the government could prove that the reasons to prevent homosexuals from serving in peacetime somehow disappear during war time, I don't see the government getting far. Homosexuals could view this as a victory in gay rights but then we have the bigger issue (i.e., Draft) to worry about.

A more far reaching outcome could be that they rule that homosexuals can be exempt from the draft based on rulings from previous DODT rulings, the fact that there isn't a constitutional right to serve in the military, but the court has voided this logic before in its ruling to uphold the legality of the draft. Another approach, and a way for the UCMJ to uphold its statute, would be to grant CO status to homosexuals. It might get a little hairy when you have to "prove" your homosexuality, but it would be the only way to keep Article 125 on the books during and after a draft period.

lay out the situation as I understand it, point them in the direction of additional information, counsel them on their options, then hope they make the best decision. I've raised them to be freethinking, independent individuals. I've not raised them to live my beliefs. They have their own minds and will live in accord with the dictates of their own conscience. Why would anyone want anything less for another sentient being?

My older one will qualify for CO status if they have such a thing - she is a very passionate anti-war Catholic.

My younger one has only heard my anti-Bush and anti-war sound bites. I guess it's time for a long heart-to-heart. She is very liberal and very bright, just needs to get all the facts to make the right choice.

They are 20, 22, and 24.

The oldest is gay. She will tell them so. She will also tell them no, go to hell, if asked to serve. She will be 25 in September, and unlikely to be called.

My son is 22. He will turn 23 just after the election. He thinks I am nuts, that there will be no draft. He is not worried. But I am worried. He is a computer specialist, and they need those kinds of people. He also runs a college radio station, and is a big ham radio guy. They will like his electroncs skills.

The youngest is 20, will be 21 in December. I am the most worried about her. She says, "What can I fucking do? If they call me, I will go." She has language skills. They will like her, too.

My kids are good Democrats. But the two younger ones think kind of like their dad. He was drafted, and he went.

I can't run their lives. All I can do is worry.

I have raised my kids very much like you have Journeyman, But I will not let them die for this administration's war of greed. I will do everything in my power to prevent their untimely deaths.
Perhaps when we win the war on terrorism by getting rid of the real terrorists in Washington I will reconsider.

many of my friends sent their boys to live with expatriot relatives in other countries. Many sent their sons to Canada. I would do the same. The only way we can fight these illigitimate destructive wars is to resist participating in them in anyway we can.

i am pretty sure i wouldnt be for them going to iraq. if they were approaching 20.

good question. i could get my kids out of country different places in the world. but then i also feel an obligation to the rest of humanity and if other kids were being called up and taken to war, then it becomes a moral issue and i would have to say if my kid was called and i got him out, another kid would be put in his place. and i dont know that i could do that. i am opposed to the me first over all and screw everyone else theory

this is why i say good question. i dont have to think about this one yet. hm

But, Alas, every well to do kid in the country will somehow have something more important to do than fight in America's wars. But, then again my kids will probably be exempt, because after all, when it came to the draft in Vietnam, according to some folks in Washington, they only had room for minorities, so some poor white guys had to stay home... and it just broke their poor little hearts.

the Conure (pet Parrot) has more brains than those in charge

I will nominate her for JCS Chairman... I hope the stars will not weigh her down too much

We'll take the first tramp steamer to places unknown!!!!

Nobody should die in this stupid, unnecessary war, particularly those that don't support it.

When we get this started I'll set up what is needed over at that end after I arrive and see if I can convince the government there to protect and help us.

Get several plane tickets for me and my friends to take a long vacation in New Zealand and beg for political asylum.

The irony of his 17th year and mine are quite similar. Vietnam was winding down, but the Paris accords hadn't been signed when I turned 17 and still had to register the next year when I turned 18. I knew several people who were in the military and discussed my options at the time. I knew I stood a better than even chance of not getting hauled in if I got into college (incentive). From talking with those who had served, I was told the best option was to volunteer with a skill (if it looked like you were going to be drafted anyway) and hopefully you can end up on the other side of the world. It worked for many who did their time in Germany or Korea. I planned to go into AFRTS (Armed Forces Radio) and hope to get stationed in an igloo in Alaska.

Running to Canada wasn't really an option. First, it would have torn my parents apart. My father fought in WWII and, while he didn't support Vietnam, felt American citizenship was of such value that you do whatever you can to preserve it. Second, I knew of a family where their son had gone to Winnepeg...a kid I grew up with and saw regularly. During a five year stretch, he never came home and kept little contact with anyone. It destroyed both his family and his future, as when he did return (in '77) he was 26 and had to start all over again. Last I heard of him was at a High School reunion when someone said he still lived with his parents and never really had a steady job. This isn't quite what I'd like for my son.

We've talked regularly about what's going and his feelings about how this affects him. He and my daughter's boyfriend (he's 19) regularly discuss how others are reacting to the war and this regime. Both are concerned but I think the war is still too far away for them to feel. They don't know anyone whose been called in or come home in a box. When that starts to happen, then Main Street will react accordingly.

If the draft is restored and my son is called, we'd have to seriously look at the situation. Like my father, I value my American citizenship. My grandparents fought oppression and believed this country stood for all that was good in the world. This was imbedded in my father and runs strong in me and my son.

Lately I've been thinking of flying the American flag, just to say to the bastards that stole it and used it as toilet paper on liberties on people around the world that they can't use it anymore.

Cheers!

Pimpernel to save their kids from Monsieur Le Draft instead of from Madame La Guillotine.

I don't think they'll be drafting disabled women my age, and I don't have children.

If there is a draft, however, I will be one of many protesting in the streets.

It's impossible to draft me. It is, however, possible to REACTIVATE me. Until 2014, I am subject to recall... I can refuse, but doing so annulls all of my retirement benefits.
HOWEVER...
I'm in a specialty that is phasing out in 0ctober of this year. Not likely they'll recall me, unless they decide they need instructors to teach the specialty after deciding that phasing it out was a bad idea after all. Given that the navy is dumping people right now (10,000 people being discharged early between now and September), I find it unlikely that I'll be activated on the short to medium term.

Now, my children.

My oldest is 15. But she's a girl. And I have connections. She's on track to get at least a partial scholarship at SDSU... couple that with a NROTC position (connections, connections) and it will be 7-8 years before she's sent anywhere near the 'war zone'. Given that sailors have it safer than any other service...

My little girl is 10. So there's another 8 years before I have to worry.

My boy is 5. 13 years is a long time.