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Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=5834001&content_dir=ua_congressorg

Why is this a huge deal? For me I don't believe in killing. I don't have a justification for murder or death of any kind as a Christian. I don't even believe in capital punishment but man can make laws and I will abide by them.

I've played a number of first person shooter video games. I guess that makes good training but playing them I've realized one important fact: If I were ever in any combat situation I would die, and I would die rather quickly. I may be lucky enough to shoot someone but I have a kamikazi approach to fighting. I run into fire to get the job done, I don't wait around for days shooting back and forth. I may be lucky that way, but most likely I would just die rather quickly and rather miserably.

Here's some information on the bills and how they'll affect Americans:

“to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18--26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.“

Luckily for me in December of this year, I'll be 26. That'll count me out, but it won't count out my potential children or grandchildren. The bill even includes women in the draft, so you women won't be safe either.

Dodging the draft will be more difficult than those from the Vietnam era. College and Canada will not be options. In December 2001, Canada and the U.S. signed a "smart border declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in.

This says nothing about Mexico. Looks like a bunch of people will cross the border back into Mexico. I need to find me some immigrants so that I find the good spots to cross. Sure it may be a poorer standard of living but at least you'd be living.

Please also contact your representatives to ask them why they aren't telling their constituents about these bills -- and contact newspapers and other media outlets to ask them why they're not covering this important story.

I agree here. Alert everyone you know and pass this around. Don't let this go unchecked because it could affect millions of people. They're trying to slip this in 'under the radar' like they slipped in the Patriot Act, and we're just now realizing how incredibly wrong the Patriot Act really was.

I can see the benefits of a draft but it's not necessary. We have enough men and women prepared to fight in a war. You don't need to drag people into a fight they don't want to fight. Let those that choose to fight, do so. I praise the men and women of the American armed forces for putting up with everything for our country. They've fought and died to protect us and for that I'm greatful.

I do not want to serve in any military of any kind whatsoever, period. I used to have dreams of maybe taking over the country or the world but those dreams have long withered away. I no longer care for power nor do I care for any conflict whatsoever. I'm not fighting this war, or any war. Nothing you could do or say would change my mind. Kill my family, I still won't fight. Kill everything I believe, I still won't fight. Kill me and you'll only set me free.

If any of you care for this country, your lives, the lives of your children or grandchildren then you'll make sure this bill doesn't pass. It's probably not as bad as people are making it out to be, but I'm not taking any chances. We don't need a draft, especially not now. Plus I feel the first people that should be willing to fight are the elected officials that have kept this from us. I'm not talking about the President because this is more than one administration or one man's doing. I'm talking about our officials, the media, and whoever has done their part in keeping us uninformed. You go and die first, then we'll follow.

Print | posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 2:07 PM | Filed Under [ Living on planet Earth ]

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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

No one has kept this bill from you or anybody else.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c108:1:./temp/~c108jjwZG5::

I heard it discussed on my local Fox News radio affiliate aproximately 2-3 weeks ago. Most likely the story has not drawn a lot of attention is because then bill is unlikely to get any legs. To paint the news media with headlines implying the likelihood of an impending draft when the bill has not even gotten out of committee would at least be irresponsible. Furthermore, the bill is not likely to gain much support in Congress. There's little justification for it as military recruiting is at an all time high, even as elegibility requirements for military service have been raised to their strictest ever (acknowledged: hearsay from military recruiters and acquaintances currently entering service). By way of a personal opinion, I would guess that the bill's sponsor, Sen. Hollings (D - SC) is not likely to get a lot of love for the bill from the Republican majority in the Senate, or enough of his fellow democrats. As for the companion House resolution being sponsored by Sen. Hagle (R - Nebraska), it's a little harder to guess. Hagle hasn't been known for ruffling feathers so he might put a more palatable face on it, but I still wouldn't worry.

I'm not puting down your post. There's nothing wrong with being concerned about what kind of harmful affects a draft would have on the national mood and, ironically, America's military effectiveness. I just hope you're not losing sleep over this yet -- wait at least to see if it ever makes it out of committee.

Having said that, I have to conclude regarding your statement, "Kill my family, I still won't fight. Kill everything I believe, I still won't fight."

Wow, those must be some really inspirping beliefs if they're worth so much to you (that was sarcasm, in case it doesn't convey). Since that is the case, I hope you do at least appreciate that there are many people who *are* willing to fight for your beliefs for you so you don't have to.
5/27/2004 9:04 PM | macSqueeb
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

Er, that's "inspiring", not "inspirping".
5/27/2004 9:06 PM | macSqueeb
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

The main point I didn't mention from the article is here:
"$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005"

28 million dollars has been added to prepare for something that may or may not happen. It's a wonder why they approved the budget hike NOW rather than after the bills got anywhere. It's really suspicious to just give up that kind of money on a whim or a 'possibility'

I'm not losing sleep over it because honestly, it doesn't affect me yet. It may affect my girlfriend, who will be 24 then but June 2005 is only a year away and a lot can happen in a year. Part of this post is to help remind me later on that this is going to be a problem if I don't do something. I can't do much now, but when it gains more momentum I'll need to act or forever hold my peace.

"Wow, those must be some really inspirping beliefs if they're worth so much to you (that was sarcasm, in case it doesn't convey). Since that is the case, I hope you do at least appreciate that there are many people who *are* willing to fight for your beliefs for you so you don't have to."

I am greatful for them. I'm not knocking the people who have fought and died to protect my beliefs but I'm not a fighter. I'm not suited for combat or conflict because nothing in this life is worth killing or dying for. If you're willing to kill for your beliefs, you win, I won't stand in your way. Personally I don't understand the need to kill, or how it actually solves anything but that's just me. I figure after 5000 years of recorded human history, people can think of something better to do than kill one another but I guess humanity hasn't really come that far.
5/27/2004 10:20 PM | Jeremy Brayton
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

BTW I can't see anything with that link. It's a search page and it doesn't work unless I know what to search for. I'm assuming that it displays where the respective bills are in Congress which is how you found out how far down the totem pole they are.
5/27/2004 10:23 PM | Jeremy Brayton
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

Note that linked article is at congress.ORG, not .GOV. It Tries to look official though...

Useful article analysis of the here:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/draft.asp
5/27/2004 10:43 PM | Rob
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

I know it's not official even though it does try to look it. I should have done a little more homework and I probably would have come up with this site. I guess that's what I get for blindly looking into something.

It is a concern though, even a highly unlikely one but a lot of people would be opposing the idea, especially a 2 year term. The best you could get is to have a bunch of people filling support positions. I highly doubt you'd give many of these people guns but they can do stuff like clean the Latrine and cook. I could do something like that but I'd probably still be too tempted to want to get into some 'action' and I don't think I could live with whatever consequences became of it.
5/27/2004 11:02 PM | Jeremy Brayton
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

yeah, I didn't realize the search created a temp URL When I went back to it I found it was broken, but I didn't want to spam your feedback just to say so.

:-)

If you chop the URL back to it's base you get the search interface.
5/28/2004 9:24 AM | MacSqueeb
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

I think your crazy and if you don't want to go fight in the war just say that, don't go into a huge disscussion about if people kill your family or whatever. If your going to duggest the people who "kept" this from you go and dies before u go and fight, then you are more wacked than i thought you sounded in the first place!
4/19/2005 12:44 PM | Bob Smith
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# re: Vietnam 2.0: Reinstating the draft, but keeping people from dodging it

died** not dies
4/20/2005 1:06 PM | Bob Smith
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