So what would you do if you were drafted?

[CoffeeCat]

Since a draft is entirely possible--has anyone contemplated what you might do if it comes to that?

A recent DU post discussed the possibility that those 18-34 would be eligible, and women could be drafted as well.

I am 40, so I it wouldn't affect me. However my husband is 34.

I cannot even fathom, hearing the news that my husband would have to go fight in this evil, demented, BushCo foundation of lies and sickness. I can't imagine tolerating that. I would be proud if my husband fought for a worthy cause (WW2). However, I know how corrupt and sick this war is. I can't imagine my husband playing any part in it.

Others might find this radical, but if my husband was drafted, I would do everything I could to convince my husband that we should leave the country--for good.

Has anyone else mulled this over in your mind? What would you do?

[sarcasmo]

1. Being 36, it makes me wonder will they really cut the age at 34?

Having a metal rod over my bone in my right leg probably wouldn't keep me home. I have been hearing the gay angle wouldn't work. I however told my wife that I would show up in drag way hotter than Max Clinger and freak them all out hoping for a Psych exam.

[leveymg]

10. You must have seen "Alice's Restaurant."

That's exactly what Arlo Guthrie recommends.

[Skittles]

2. tell them I already served

nt

[leveymg]

7. They'll make you an NCO. Welcome back, Sergeant Skittles!

Here's your whistle and an armband. Now, show those ladies how to be men. Hut! Hut!

[CoffeeCat]

8. LOL! Taste the rainbow! (n/t)

[Skittles]

9. back then I showed the MEN how to be men

weren't too many enlisted females back then :D

[leveymg]

13. With regulation hair and no makeup, everyone looks like an ugly recruit.

Just get real close to their face, and shout "You're an UGLY recruit!" That's one that I remember vividly. Along with the little specks of spittle.

Ugly? You should have seen the rest of the guys in the training platoon.

[Mojambo]

3. If it were for an imperial Bush war I would refuse to serve.

I wouldn't leave the country though. I guess I might spend a lot of time in prison.

[Maraya1969]

4. I'd say I was gay

[chicagojoe]

24. A friend of mine got out of the Navy that way.

He joined up, and after a year, he hated it. He went to his CO, and told him he was gay. He was home in two and a half weeks. This was in the late 70's.

[lonestarnot]

27. They put gays in front lines.

[Maraya1969]

30. Hey, no gays in the military is the RULE - you mean they are going

to break it now? I'd go to court over that one. I don't know why others in the military aren't using it to get out that mess. Maybe they feel like they have to support their fellow soldiers. But the ones in the national guard who are being called up could certainly say they are gay even if they are married. They could say they hide it from their wives.

If I had to French kiss a sheep to get out of going I'd do it!

[uppityperson]

50. Bill being introduced to override no gay policy

I heard about this bill today on NPR. It was part of a story about how kicking gay people out who told costs the military so much to replace them that they're thinking about getting rid of this ruling altogether. Also it said how problems have not been found from having gays in the military, and about England's gay contingent and their military having a large float in some gay rights parade. Anyway, this would be good and bad so don't count on it. Besides, rumor has it (and rumor is always true you know) that you'd need to provide dates, names, etc which leads to another whole civil liberty thing.

[leveymg]

5. Dunno. Not sure I can learn how to speak Canadian.

Know anyone who gives classes?

[dweller]

14. Check with HeyheY

heheh.
:D
dp

[leveymg]

20. Not sure I could learn how to drool like a true Canadian there.

How much do you charge for lessons, HehHeh?

Do you accept dog yummies? US Dollars will be nearly worthless come summer, I hear.

[DeathGrind]

6. .....

Not fighting and sure as hell not dying for this or any other country. Nations can blow eachother to hell for all I care, just leave me up on the surface of the earth.

[Vickers]

11. I'd show them my DD-214

And tell them to cull their recruits from young registered Republicans.

[leveymg]

15. Bet my FBI file trumps your DD-214!

No, Young Republicans isn't on the list.

[Hapameli]

12. Taking pictures of myself and DH at the March 18-19 Antiwar March

How to file a C.O. claim
http://www.objector.org/coclaim.html

[leveymg]

18. Yeah, show us a picture! - just copy and paste it in.

We'll vote and decide whether it gets you a deferment.

[Zinfandel]

16. Just be sure your passport is up to date, if they stop issuing passports..

See you in New Zealand.

[AuntiBush]

60. Te-Hee!

I was thinking the exact same thing... I want to say I'm too old and a woman, but if they keep hitting that elder dentist out west to sign-up again offering bigger bonus to the guy, New Zealand isn't a bad idea...

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

73. Learn some French and German; don't limit to Anglophone countries

If you really want to emigrate, be careful not to limit yourself to Anglophone countries. Canada has already said that they would categorically not allow a raft of draft dodgers into their country, and New Zealand-- besides being a tiny island country with relatively little room for accommodation-- has also erected barriers to such mass moves by Americans, and in any case might itself be drawn into the Bush orbit for a wider fight in Iraq/Iran. (New Zealand did send troops to Iraq.) And Scotland of course has to ultimately follow Blair's lead in the Middle East fight; even if the UK didn't itself initiate a draft, they already have steps in place to block a draft dodger migration there from the US.

France and Germany OTOH have a very generous welcome mat out for Americans, especially for professionals who have some familiarity (not necessarily fluency) in French and German. And of course in those countries, you won't have to worry about being used as cannon fodder in the neocons' crazy ambitions, even indirectly (e.g. thru Britain's alliance with the US neocon establishment). Germany and Austria IIRC also have special "Aussiedler" policies in place to greatly ease immigration to those countries for Americans with some German or other northern European ancestry. Also, don't rule out those warm Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy esp. if you have some ancestry there and know some of the local languages.

[ticapnews]

17. Scotland. (eom)

[Maine-ah]

47. another Mainer that wants to go to Scotland!

:hi:

[ProgressiveConn]

19. Conscription = Slavery

I know some will view that as over the top but I completely stand by it. If the government is putting its own people into slavery they should not be allowed to exist any longer. Odds are most Americans will blindly accept the draft if it comes and go along because of some misplaced sense of loyalty to people who are sending you to your unwilling death.

I'd be on a plane to Europe calling for a resistance to conscription.

[leveymg]

21. Worse - they generally don't try to kill slaves.

[followthemoney]

22. I would call my daddy in Washington and tell him to make them

leave me alone. And ask for money for bidness and baseball teams. I like baseball teams.

[followthemoney]

36. In short , I would act presidential

[Kitsune]

34. That's not over the top at all *nt*

[Solon]

23. Well, considering I'm in this age group...

And not getting out of it for about another 7 years, it isn't academic for me to postulate what I would do. So, right now I'm trying to document my protest to the current war and war in general. Now, assuming this doesn't work (and remember, it may not, even if you do everything right), then I flee to Canada.

Also, it isn't a hypothetical for my family either, my younger Sister is barely 20 and her fiance is the same age, so if one of us can't get CO status, all of us are leaving, already been decided, depending on who the first one is to be drafted. That way we can support each other as best we can once the decision is final.

[cire4]

25. Probably go live in some cheap Eastern European city

n/t

[simcha_6]

38. Baku ROCKS!

But then, they'd probably extradite you...

[Padraig18]

26. I'd go, if they would take me.

I'd not weasel out and make some other poor schmuck go in my place.

[FromTheLeft]

29. I agree

I won't let one of my friends die in what was supposed to be my place.

I'd protest loudly until I or one of the Bush children was drafted (or at least one of the Hilton sisters).

And when I get home I would tell of the horrors and atrocities, but I would not leave my country that I currently am fighting to get back.

I do think that a fair draft(preferably mandatory service) would go a long way to righting this country but I don't think a fair draft is what is in the cards.

[lonestarnot]

28. DON'T FORGET CAPITAL 51 MARCHES ON 3/19/05 n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Laugh my ass off.

They'd really be scraping the bottom of the barrel. A 60 year old anarchist who loathes the military. A marine vet who told them to shove it when asked to extend his enlistment to go and kill the "commies" in Vietnam.

They'd have to be truly desperate.

[Paranoid_Portlander]

43. I'm even deeper in the barrel.

Age 61 with a really bad attitude toward authority. I don't mellow with age.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. i have 3 children that would be drafted and 1 near draft age.....

and family in Canada ready to take them.

:scared:

[ArkDem]

33. Hit the brakes, HARD.

[KansDem]

35. I would simply say, "no..."

No way would I fight for Bush Family oil profits, only to have my service ridiculed by the GOP (ala McCain, Clelland, and Kerry).

I was just say "no"...period...

[ElectroPrincess]

37. Go visit my cousins in London a.s.a.p. and perhaps GET LOST! LOL

[simcha_6]

39. Not sure yet

I might try for a C.O., if those are still valid. If not, I might go to New Zealand, or some third world country (Somaliland!).

But then I might go. I'm great with languages, and I'd probably request training so I can translate. I'd actually like to see Iran and Iraq, and if I were given language training, I'd enjoy talking with locals and trying to give them a friendly view of Americans, if not America. Help the people, too.

Of course, I could go to Israel. I'd rather be in the IDF and spend my time evacuating Gaza settlers than fighting in Iran.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

77. Israel has been making a big immigration push

Some of my Jewish friends on the E Coast have been talking about moving to Israel-- the Jewish Agency in Israel and IIRC Nefesh b' Nefesh (an American organization-- www.nefeshbnefesh.org ) have been offering all kinds of generous grants to American and Canadian Jews to immigrate to Israel. One guy I knew, who spent a semester there, said he's already making plans. IIRC it used to be very tough to move there, but there are quite a few organizations these days that are smoothing the process.

[RonMrG]

40. I would serve my country

I don't give a damn if it is under a Democratic or a Republican administration either. If the law says to report for duty, I would obey the law. I think that politics stops at the water's edge. Maybe I am just an old fashioned Democrat and maybe these are a dying breed. But I doubt it. I think MOST Democrats would honorably serve their country and not run to Canada.I would bet well over 35% of the armed forces vote Democratic.

[CoffeeCat]

58. With all due respect...

I don't see how anyone could "honorably serve their country" by participating in a war (which is based on lies and fueled solely by greed and corporate interests) that murders hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

How could that possibly be honorable?

Joining the Peace Corp and teaching members of third-world nations to grow crops. That's honorable. Teaching illiterate adults to read. That's honorable. Volunteering at a homeless shelter. That's honorable.

Killing innocent, unarmed Iraqi men, women and children with the world's most sophisticated weapons--in the name of liberating them--not honorable.

BushCo has made it impossible for honorable, well-intentioned, patriotic, United States citizens to serve their country honorably in his Iraq war.

[Capn Sunshine]

41. same thing I did before

mark the notice "Deceased" and send it back. This worked great for about two years. Then They made me go to Central America.:mad:

[Zhade]

42. Refuse to serve, go to jail, go underground, go wherever I can.

I will not serve in imperialist resource wars. I will take a bullet first (death is not an issue for me). If drafted, I will not serve. If shipped to Iraq, I will not fire at "the enemy". I will do everything in my power to be completely useless to the illegal, brutal, immoral mission.

They will wish they'd shot me rather than draft me. And maybe they'd do that, too.

[ieoeja]

44. Look up the Marine OSO.

I'd look up the Officer Selection Officer and see if I could go to Quantico since I have a college degree. I would do the best possible job I could during training. Once I was commissioned I would do my utmost to make my commanding officer's life a living hell. And any time he complained about my bad attitude I would reply...

"Fuck you. I was drafted!"

[independentchristian]

45. They can't make you do anything

Are they going to pick you up on strings like a puppet and make you go through basic training, etc?

Just stand there and look at them and don't say a word or move.

Don't respond to anything that they say, they can't make you talk, and if they hit you, sue the government for enough to pay off the $250,000 fine and still have some left over.

[ComerPerro]

46. If I told you, I would be banned

[JohnLocke]

48. "O Canada, our home and native land / True patriot..." (nt)

[union_maid]

49. I mull over what would happen if they try to take my son

I didn't raise him to be cannon fodder for a neocon cause. No way in hell. I don't know what we'd do, or what he'd do. I do know he wants no part of Bush or his war. He'd go to Canada if Canada was taking people, I think.

[LevelB]

53. I am not worried about myself..I am too old.

But I have a 16 year old daughter and 10 year old son.

I would like for them to serve, but it cannot be in support of this war.

They will be the first generation in our family to not serve in the military in at least four generations.

B.

edit: typo

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

75. Again, Canada's already removing the welcome mat

Among other things, they know that BushCo. would probably censure Canada as the newest member of the Axis of Evil and cut off much of the lumber trade; Canada's already said that they won't allow a draft dodger influx.

Best thing is to brush up foreign languages like German, French, and Spanish and consider moving to one of these countries in Europe. If a draft hits us and the current alignment of countries is still basically in place, the best places to immigrate to will probably be non-Anglophone countries. Besides, there are also nice large expat colonies of Americans and Brits who are already established in Germany, Austria, France, and Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy, so they can easily help you to get re-oriented.

[katamaran]

51. In case they start drafting women....

...my boyfriend and I have been talking about starting a family. The family-first neocons wouldn't draft a pregnant woman. Putting a pregnant woman in harm's way would be tantamount to supporting abortion to some of those people.

It'd be a great way to talk him into having more than one child, if nothing else. ;-)

[coffeenap]

52. My understanding is that if you are on psych. drugs for any

"mental illness" you won't be accepted. Everyone get to a friendly psychiatrist now and get a nice, long term diagnosis plus a prescription!

[Obamanaut]

54. I'd start a car pool northward

As a USN retiree who is too old to be drafted, and who has become increasingly disheartened by the current administration, I'd be willing to drive several of the younger folks northward so their spouses could keep their own vehicles at home.

[d_b]

55. Refuse to go.

End up in jail.

[WMliberal]

56. Leave the US. I'm not dying for *'s fuster cluck.

I don't think it's likely to happen. Although I don't think I could get a visa to stay in Canada. After all, I'm just an underemployed recent college grad. Maybe Mexico is the ticket.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

80. or Europe.

Mexico has a certain romantic charm I must admit-- serving as a tour guide in Cancun would be an awfully nice way to make a living. :) But Europe (esp Germany, Austria, and France) are offering the best incentives.

[NNadir]

57. I WAS drafted. It sucked even though I actually never went into the army.

I had a temporary extension and was released when Nixon announced that we had won the war in Vietnam just before the 1972 election.

[NVMojo]

59. So that's why that order came out in the federal register the week of the

election requesting all public school, college records going back to 1960 ...for the names of those who had received financial aid, specifically. It was to open the door up for sharing of info between the Selective Service Board and the Dept. of Ed...

[GetTheRightVote]

61. I would not go either, wrong behind these lies of *, nothing against

the soldiers who are serving, my choice is only different from their own.

:kick:

[Up2Late]

62. I'm too old

at 41, they won't even let me apply to be in the CIA or FBI:hippie:

[detroitguy]

63. If my son was near draft age...

...there is a high likelihood that we'd already be in Canada.

[RealLifeNM]

64. I would gladly serve my country!!!!

I Immigrated to the US from Canada several years ago and I would gladly fight for my country. Go ahead and flame me...I dare ya!!!

[Mr_Spock]

65. Good for you - I would serve for a real president

but this one is using the military as a tool for his personal agenda - which I think is really BAD for our country. I support the military and our country - I do not support a lying war criminal.

Nuff said.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

67. Then why wait for the draft? Make yourself "glad" and join up.

Have the recruiting offices closed where you are? Talk is cheap.

[ComerPerro]

68. Why not do it anyway

Whats stopping you from enlisting now? You know, we are needing more troops.

[SammyWinstonJack]

71. Of course you would.

:eyes: Why wait to be drafted? What's stopping you from joining up now?

[followthemoney]

84. I get the joke. You are still a Canadian citizen. Your country is

Canada. I bet Canada goes to war for better reasons than U.S.

[LizW]

66. What if we all went, but refused to fight?

Would they shoot us all? Imprison us all? Torture us all?

How could a war be fought if the majority of soldiers just laid down their guns and said, "No, I won't kill anymore."

[ComerPerro]

70. You would be imprisoned, at the very least

possibly shot.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

78. We'd get shot-- literally

Those who refuse orders like that, IIRC, especially en masse, can be shot as deserters on sight.

[WeGotBTK]

69. I'd have no problem going

[Vickers]

74. So why not join up now and avoid the rush?

:shrug:

[rockymountaindem]

72. I'd go.

Although I'd definately do whatever I could to find some way of finishing college before I go. Not only because I would prefer to be an officer, but also because I really don't want to put the breaks on my education with my degree only half completed. Add to that the fact that I'm attending school in a foreign country and my spot probably wouldn't be guaranteed a spot if I tried to return in 2-4 years. If there weren't a way to finish before going to serve, I guess I'd have to take my chances and quit school. In all my visions of the future, none of them could be accomplished outside America. I wouldn't leave the country or risk jail. I also would not want to dishonor the memory of my ancestors who fought for America, or of all my fellow Jews who laid down their lives for this country.

If it were WWII or a domestic conflict like the Civil War though, I'd enlist right away.

[latteromden]

76. I'm already learning Arabic. Another dialect wouldn't hurt.

I'm believe I'm going to have to join the military as a translator just to afford college anyway, so it doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I, thankfully, have skills they might need in places other than the fronts lines. Although, being a lesbian who refuses to conform to "don't ask, don't tell" for any sect of life, I'd probably manage to get myself kicked out pretty quickly.

[MAlibdem]

79. I'm 18. I'd Go.

Got to, im not a pacifist. id fight and maybe die, price you pay for being part of society. i owe this country a lot.

[cire4]

85. Do you owe Bush alot?

If Bush calls for a draft to help support his wars against Iran/Syria/God knows where else, then you won't be fighting for America. You'd be fighting for Bush, his minions of chickenhawk neo-cons (Cheney, Wolfowitz, Limbaugh), rich corporate magnates who will surely profit on war (Halliburton, Bechtel), and a bunch of religious fundies who want to see the Arab world destroyed so Jesus can come back to a "cleansed" holy land.

Be rational. Fighting for Bush does not equal fighting for America.

[The Zanti Regent]

81. I have rheumatoid arthritis and I'm 50 years old.

Let them try to draft me. They already killed my son, my only child...

[Hippo_Tron]

82. It's hard to imagine that they wouldn't have college deferments

I know that the current law doesn't allow for them, but can you imagine the Republicans trying to win an election after sending thousands of middle-upper class kids to war?

[ZombieNixon]

83. I'm 18 next week. I'd go, reluctantly.

I don't support this war, but then, John Kerry didn't support Vietnam. I just feel that since I'm not a pacifist, I couldn't adequately defend a CO status, and, while I don't hold anything against people who dodge the draft to save their own asses, I wouldn't do it myself.