My oldest son will be 20 in August. Of course he will be in the first

[hang a left]

round of the lottery if the draft is instituted this year.

From what I understand it only takes an executive order, without congress' involvement to initiate conscription. He is in his first year of college. I am wondering what to do to get him out of here should he need to go.

I don't know anyone Canandian, but I haven't checked with extended family yet.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[malaise]

1. Tell him to start wearing dresses in public and

declare that he is gay.

[hang a left]

2. Not gonna work. Football star, long term cheerleader girlfriend.

One thing he does have going for him is that through his fundy father he has regularly attended church, and is against taking any life. Perhaps a contientious objector status is something else to consider.

[jonnyblitz]

25. and of course we all know a football star could NEVER be gay.

:sarcasm:

[hang a left]

29. I was more referring to a long-term documented relationship with

his 18 year old girlfriend with many overnights in the same bed.

on edit:

I am no gay basher or homophobe for what it is worth. But I will wash down your sarcasm with my next sip of french roast.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. He doesn't even have to declare he's gay. He can just say that he can't promise not

to enter into gay relationships.

[malaise]

22. Good point n/t

[valerief]

24. Great idea. He just needs a loyal boyfriend now. He won't have to

sleep with him, just dance with him at weddings.

[H2O Man]

3. Contact the CCW

Center on Conscience & War
1830 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington DC 20009

202-483-2220

[hang a left]

6. Thank you H20 Man

I called and recieved voicemail and left them my contact information.

[H2O Man]

26. They also have

a good website, though the link isn't working well this morning. But I think that you will find they provide valuable information.

[unhappycamper]

4. Here's some VFP resource links:

http://veteransforpeace.org/Recruitment_Education.vp.html

[NNN0LHI]

5. Republican Jack Kemp received a medical deferment to avoid combat

And that was while he was still playing professional football.

Use your imagination.

Don

[librechik]

7. have him declare immediately as a Conscientious Objector

and begin building a paper history that demonstrates it. For example, he couls write an antiwar letter to the editor and that would go in the file. He calls/writes his representative in congress
and a record of that goes in the file.

There are draft resisance sites on the internet--start with the Quakers in your search.

Good luck!

My 25 year old is marrying his Australian girlfriend and emigrating. Guess he's safe!

[DeeDeeNY]

8. From what I've heard, I don't think there will be a draft anytime soon

Or have you heard something recently to the contrary?
(For the record, being a football player doesn't mean
someone can't be gay.)

[hang a left]

12. Oh I definately agree.

Too many photos and overnights with the girl though

[hang a left]

21. Just one more thing.

Don't believe anything you hear. I am preparing myself. A blood thirsty, insane, lame duck ** and a bunch of pissed off blue people, plus not being able to see over the top of his desk onto his favored rug becuase of the piles of supoenas, could make him snap...ya know.

[DeeDeeNY]

30. True

But let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Also, it appears that Dems consider it to be political suicide to
vote for a draft, based on the reactions to Rangel's proposal.

[hang a left]

32. I do not believe there needs to be a vote by congress.

It would all be done by an executive order.

[tabasco]

35. The military cannot maintain the current operational tempo without a draft.

Recruiting is in the crapper and thousands are still being FORCED TO DEPLOY under stop-loss. A shortfall of nearly 10,000 recruits last year has not been made up and ROTC enrollment is abysmal. Junior officers are not being replaced and many infantry platoons are led by an E-7 or even E-6's! This can't go on forever and the Army is screaming bloody murder. So, the question is, will there be a drawback in military operations, or a draft? Neocons infest our government so I don't think a draft is off the table as long as Bush is the CINC.

I personally support universal service, instituted during peacetime - NO DEFERMENTS for rich kids. Like in Germany & many European countries. It would greatly reduce the number of war-loving freepers when they have to get their asses away from their computers and have to serve in the infantry too.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. My oldest will be 20 in March and there is now a treatie between the US and Canada,

and Canada is no longer a viable option to leave our country for.

[malaise]

11. If he's in college let him transfer

to somewhere in Europe.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. He is but that would happen in a perfect world. We don't have the money. nt

[malaise]

15. You'd be surprised at scholarship options

He can transfer to UWI, Jamaica, Barbados or Trinidad and Tobago or several other places. The exchange rate would make the switch cheaper.

[hang a left]

17. How could I find out about the schools there and

what type of colleges are they. Are they good schools?

[malaise]

19. UWI is a very good university

we were originally linked to University of London. Many of our students excel in the best graduate schools in the US and Britain. Many also become faculty in those schools and others. PM me and I'll answer some questions
http://www.mona.uwi.edu/about/index.htm

[hang a left]

16. OSM

What does it take to get him into a European school. Can he get a student visa. How would that protect him. What would the cost be. College ain't cheap here either.

[hang a left]

14. I thought that they had different rules.

I know now that in the US, the student only has to finish the semester he is in. I am wondering if there are diffent rules for Canadian colleges.

[Omphaloskepsis]

18. They will push the military accountants into uniform before the draft.

Don't worry about it. If you just want to complain about Bush I'm sure hundreds of other targets are ripe.

[hang a left]

27. I am sure it is fine for you to take it lightly.

I am not taking any chances with my son.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. When this year will the draft be instituted?

:shrug:

[hang a left]

28. My crystal ball is fuzzy this morning stubby

All it takes is an executive order. I don't trust the monkey with the pen.

[Freddie Stubbs]

31. I figured that since you were sure that it would happen this year

you had a particular date in mind. Why 2007 instead of 2008?

[hang a left]

34. I guess it could be 2008, then he would be second in line.

I don't like his positioning.

[cali]

23. My son just turned 20

but this is one thing I'm not worried about. It's highly unlikely that a draft will be reinstituted.

[stillcool]

33. I have no suggestions..

but I applaud your forward thinking. It's funny...we buy insurance for protection from every possible future event imaginable...but we wait for the government to claim children for their own purpose? The time to plan is when there are still choices available, not as others may insinuate when it's a done deal and too late.

[RobofSWVA]

36. the draft?

Wouldn't the new dem controlled House block any chance at bringing back the draft? I thought Congress had to authorize the selective service and not the Pres.

[hang a left]

37. not if I am remembering correctly of all I have read about it.

All it takes is an executive order signed by the president.

[Sweet Pea]

38. Have you ever thought

of letting him make his own decision? He will be 20, after all...

[hang a left]

39. I am sure our thinking is aligned but thanks for the parenting advise.

:rollseyes:

[ThatsMyBarack]

40. Check this out:

I watched the video on this site:

http://www.beforeyouenlist.org/

The kids in that one were military volunteers suckered by recruiters. Now imagine being forced into that kind of crap. Please, do everything you can to keep your son safe! :hippie:

[LWolf]

41. Both of my sons are in their 20s.

I had this conversation with the youngest last week. He shrugged, and said something like this:

"They won't take <my brother> because of all those hernia surgeries; he won't pass the physical. They won't take me; I'm a single parent with sole custody of my child. If that changed, I wouldn't go. I'd get you to sell up and move to Canada, and we'd all join you there. If that didn't work, I'd go underground, or I'd go to jail before they get to tell me what to do. We're your sons; poor candidates for military service even if we wanted to. You did a great job teaching us to be independent, make our own decisions, and not follow anyone else's dictates. We'd be court-martialed and given dishonorable discharge early on, because we don't follow orders."