Parents with draft age kids: how prepared are you as a family?

[mopaul]

http://www.fff.org/comment/com0506a.asp

A recent front-page story in the New York Times reported growing opposition among parents to the U.S. military’s efforts to contact and recruit their children to join the U.S. armed forces. In the process, parents are also discovering some uncomfortable things about the federal government.

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i'm not saying a draft is coming, but i do suspect it is, and i have two draft age sons, one 33 and one 21.

son one was 19 during the first bush war and wanted to sign up but ol' dad talked him out of it. i told him bush was a liar and a thief and a jerkoff, he declined the military.

now my younger son is living under bush's son, another huge jerkoff warpig, and again, i advised him strongly to stay out of the military whenever there is a bush, or a republican in office.

but what if they did have a draft? another terror attack would galvanize some of the nation into acceptance of more wars, and it must be thought out in advance, these fuckers play hard ball.

we don't really have a plan, other than resistance. i guess a few thousand would possibly go to jail and then maybe a trend would start. are there really enough prisons for all the draft dodgers that there would surely be? and canada don't even want to talk about it.

what will you do american parents?

[annabanana]

1. my boys are 16 and 18

And I'm starting here:
http://www.objector.org/

[bklyncowgirl]

2. My daughter's 16--I'm trying to convince her to marry her best girlfriend.

if the draft happens and they take girls.

Just think, a little trip to Massachusetts or Vermont, a few bucks for a marriage or civil union license and you can get a state verifed proof that you are morally unfit to serve this nation in time of war.

So far neither of them are particularly interested--both like boys--but if threatened with being sent to the killing fields or going to jail a same sex marriage might start looking good. After all no one said they have to have sex--if that was a requirement half of long term married couples would have to file for divorce.

We also have a relative in Canada who'd be willing to take her in until she got on her feet.

[Clark2008]

5. You know, this is an excellent idea.

Years later, after the country stops fighting in its many wars and/or the kids are too old to be drafted, our children could make millions selling books on how they were once married homosexuals and then became "scared straight" by the grace of God and we could all retire and live on the profits of the book tours, books and promotions.

I sound flippant about this, but, in our culture, it's easy to see how I could come up with such a plan.

[B Calm]

3. I would like to see it mandatory every citizen upon turning age 20

has to do two years in the military. No exceptions.

[liberal N proud]

4. My wife and I have discussed it and are prepared to send them

out of the country.
We have girls, the oldest just graduated High School, as soon as there is word of a draft. Assuming they will draft girls, we are sending them on vacation to France. Passports are ready.
I don't care what my brothers all say, they will not get my little girls.

[Clark2008]

6. I have a 6-year-old boy.

No worries just yet, but he does have a passport.

[mopaul]

7. will we still be warring in the middle east in 12 years?

i hope the hell not

[Clark2008]

12. Depends on if we can ever wake the sheeple up.

Nothing else seems to be doing it.

Wars can last decades, and have. With candidates who either embrace the military industrial complex or fail to realize they are merely puppets of it and; therefore, don't make moves to change it, then we very well could be at war in the Middle East for more than 12 years.

[booksenkatz]

16. Those of us with young kids (my son is almost 6) won't take that chance

Hell, I don't even know where this country is going to be next WEEK, much less when my little boy is of draft age. But in the current climate, I can tell you that it's not a chance I'm willing to take. I'm leaving no stone unturned. We have relatives abroad in Europe. I'm trying to establish a medical record for asthma as well as looking around for a Quaker-type religious organization to join. I'm an agnostic who leans Deist, but I'll join whatever group I have to join, I don't give a shit. These warmongers will not touch my peaceful liberal child for their oil wars.

P.S. My son is finishing kindergarten today -- he spent the year asking Repub children why their families support Bush when he wants to go around starting up wars. I did NOT fill his head with that, dammit! I want to raise a freethinker, not a clone of me. When he asks me about current events, I do my damndest to present both sides, but then of course, he wants to know what his parents think. When I describe my viewpoint, I try to be as dispassionate as possible and try to avoid inflammatory words. But this kid came out of the womb a liberal, you can't fool him, he can easily deduce what Bush is up to and he despises it! LOL If a kindergartener can figure it out, you'd think the rest of America could???

[Tesha]

18. What? 2000 years of history hasn't convinced you?

> will we still be warring in the middle east in 12 years?

What? 2000 years of history hasn't convinced you? As long as there
are two or more persons in the Middle East, there will be war there.
12 more years is just a drop in the bucket.

Tesha

[cornermouse]

8. Probably end up in jail for protesting.

I'm sure by then, they'll have found a felony or two to threaten protestors with.

[tenshi816]

9. My older son is about to turn 14,

so I guess I'm worrying prematurely, plus we're in the UK. Two things worry me though:

1. It looks like we'll be in Iraq for a long, long time, and possibly Iran and Syria as well, so I'm not kidding myself that my boy won't be fair game in a few years.

2. My sons both already held British passports, but last year I was informed that they would no longer be able to travel to the US unless they obtained American passports as well - the US would no longer honor their British passports because they have one American parent and are thus considered by the US government to be Americans, therefore requiring American passports. The reason given to me for the new requirement is "homeland security", but I can't help but wonder if it's another way for them to keep track of potential future draftees who live abroad (call me Paranoid Mom).

So, now my boys are dual nationals. If the army tries to take either of them, though (assuming they got so desperate they were ready to go after ex-pats), I'm pretty sure they would both be prepared to renounce their American citizenship.

[Call me Deacon Blues]

10. My child WILL NOT serve

There is no way I will let my child be cannon fodder for that smug, cowardly christofacist. Never. I will go to jail before that happens.

[FourStarDemocrat]

11. I think a draft is coming

I have two sons,12 and 9. I wouldn't allow them to serve as cannon fodder for Bush's wars either. My older son has documented medical issues which would stop him from being drafted, so we don't worry about him. My younger son would probrably be eligible in the future, but his father would take him to Canada before that would happen or maybe we would explore some other option. Either way, neither of them will go.

[Atman]

13. My boys are 17 and 19 -- I'm terrified and unprepared

I don't know what we'll do. Not at all. We've thought of lots of options, but all the sixties running-away stuff doesn't seem do-able anymore. I think the Real-ID act is tied to the draft. We're behind the Berlin Wall...no one can leave the country without ze papers. Canada will probably not be an option. My boys aren't the type to go underground.

So, so far, I just hope like hell, and keep fighting the power.

[H2O Man]

14. My sons are 21 and 18.

We have had serious discussions and have made plans in case there is a draft. There is zero chance that either one would wear a uniform in the name of Cheney.

[LifeDuringWartime]

15. i'm 18

if i dont get CO status, i could just sit in prison for awhile. then again, we all now what military prisons are like these days.

at least i have a passport

[ecstatic]

17. But will it happen during Bush's term?

Or during the next administration, which will no doubt be Democratic?

[JNelson6563]

19. Very prepared

As my family immigrated from Ireland we went through Canada. Many many stayed. I have a whole island of relatives up there and wouldn't hesitate to flee with my kids (who are teenagers).

Lots of upsides to having a large clan. :toast:

Julie