I'll Introduce myself

[Lanky Craig]

My name is Craig. I am 17 and a Senior in High School in Texas. I am very tall but no I dont play damn basketball or any other sport (unless I have too but I suck at it).

I have worked hard for decent grades with hopes of becoming an Aggie.

I feel like everything I have done could be a waste and I could end up in Iraq, drafted against my will.

I've never even been in a real fight, let alone fly thousands of miles to kill someone that isn't a threat to me.

Texas has a bad rap. 1/2 of the kids at my school hate Bush. It is the voters that are ignorant. Many are voting for him ONLY BECAUSE he pretends to be a Texan, which he is not.

Anyway, every day when I do homework I think "What's the use, you're just going to die in Iraq anyway."

I don't think I am depressed but I am very confused.

We must stop this war. Haven't we done this before? Oh thats right, another war based on lies - Vietnam.

Anyway, Hello all.

PEACE

[MnFats]

1. Welcome.

I think you must have a good head on your shoulders.
Stick around, read a lot of posts and related articles and you find a lot of good ideas.

Confusion? Well, there's a lot of that going around. Don't worry about it too much.

Again, welcome.

[JimmyJazz]

2. I am sorry. I live in Pennsylvania, but you have a lot of support

from other Texans on these boards. Hang in there, love. :hi:

[mhr]

3. You Sound Like A Good Kid - Don't Make The Mistake Of Going To A&M

It will brainwash you into a Freeper faster than Texas lightning can part your hair.

Go to UT instead.

[Lanky Craig]

6. Unless I go to A&M my dad (Aggie) won't help me

So I don't really have a choice.

He is a hard core Republican who actually doesn't think to much of me because I didnt play football and don't like to shoot his stupid guns or just about anything else he thinks is "fun".

It's A&M or nothing (maybe Taco Bell).

What is a freeper? A Republican I assume?

[mhr]

12. I Understand. If That Be The Case, Go With The Knowledge That

You will have to hold your nose for four years and find some way to regularly purge your mind.

I lasted two years before I had to bail. It was that bad.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

35. I hear ya

I did last until graduation, but by the time I graduated (after five years) I would sooner spit nails than hear anyone say "Highway 6 runs both ways!"

Grrr, I was SO ready to leave.

BUT it made me stronger as a liberal. Much more ready to fight repukes. So in that way, it was good training.

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

64. Same with me at UC Irvine

In the heart of Orange County, CA during the first BFEE adventure in Iraq.

[LeighAnn]

13. Freepers

Visitors of the website www.freerepublic.com (and their ilk) which is pretty much the right-wing version of this website, except that it's totally lame.

You won't have to spend much time in their forums to see what we're up against (classic Bush-voters: idiots, bigots and greedy people).

Yuck.

[ZombieNixon]

43. Freeper (n.)

(FREE-purr) a wacko Republican who subcribes to FreeRepublic.com. Genus: Homo. Species: not-quite-Sapiens. Tell tale signs of a recent Freeper prescence include VIVA BUSH stickers on road signs, traces of sweat and cheap beer scent in the air and an overall aura of stupidity permeating the surrounding area. Wild Freepers have been known to assault Democrats outside of grocery stores, though these incidents are seldom covered by the mainstream media. In the event you are touched by a Freeper, it is recommended to flush eyes with water and seek immediate attention at democraticunderground.com.
<freeper English from Old English fréa "ugly" and pærre "stupid bastard">

[Catherine Vincent]

66. I am sure there may be discreet liberal groups that you

can sniff out at A&M. I work with a guy that is an Aggie and I was shocked he went there. It didn't change his liberal ways so I am sure there will be plenty of others there like yourself.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. I'll sceond that

Go to Austin, young man. In the meantime, come up with lots of physical ailments that would eliminate you as a draft pic.

I really feel for you...too young to vote but you could be committed to the consequences by a group of ignoramuses who think George Bush has moral values.

[yellowdogintexas]

4. welcome from another Texan

Do consider other schools besides A&M! You might be pleasantly surprised!

although I do know a young man who is active in College Democrats down there, you will find more like minded folks in Austin.

[GregD]

5. Time for revolution

You kids are going to have to start screaming about this stuff.

Back in the 60s and 70s, we marched. And we screamed. And we had gatherings. And we marched and screamed some more. And eventually we brought the bastards down and stopped the war.

I'm still amazed that no mass response has been made to the election, and will be there in a heartbeat when such a mass-mobilization is announced. Hell, I'd call for a march tomorrow, but I don't have the list of a hundred thousand e-mail addresses.

Peace back at ya

[madfloridian]

7. I feel your pain.

We have grandkids almost your age. It is a sad and confusing time for young people here in the US. You seem aware, but I feel even worse for the ones who are not up on what is going on.

I taught school for many years, and I have much empathy for your age group.

Remember this, at given times in history when things were most bleak...someone has come through to keep our country on the right track.

I have a feeling this time it may be the *real* Republicans, not the extremists. Moderate Republicans are as appalled as we are in a big way.

Let's hope for that.

[LeighAnn]

9. Welcome! Glad You've Joined the Fight

Don't let that happen to you! You're on the right track, buddy. Hope you find a lot of support here. This is the best site on the internet, in my book. Glad you found it.

Samuel Adams said, "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds..."

That's our job, glad to have you on board!

[NightOwwl]

10. Peace Craig...

Welcome to DU :hi:

[Kali]

11. hi Lanky Craig

You just reminded me of my 6'4" oldest son who was always tired of the basketball comments too (gee how original, tall kids never heard that before right?), just turned 19 wanted to play soccer, but inheireted his mother's NON athletic genes. You are both good kids facing a pretty messed up near-future. Bt I think the key to making it better lies right with you younger people. Just like that other screwed up war was brought to a halt in large part by the action of young adults.

Confusion is just a state of questioning and curiosity - now it is the time in your life to search for answers to who you will be as a human being - partly because your brain is still forming physically and because you are young and have the energy and stamina to do the work involved. Try to find some things to enjoy. Its not all bad! And none of it, especially learning, is a waste.

Best of luck,
the Mom of another tall non-basketball player

[NamVetsWeeLass]

14. Welcome to DU Craig.

Let me first state something-- You are this country's Future. A 17 year old Kid (I don't mean that to be condescending) that knows that Bush is bad, Wow, what a Concept. I Have hope that there will be an America to again be proud of, an America that thrived like it did in the 90's (all under the Big Dog's reign...)An America that is free of the constant use of Big Brother tactics. Keep fighting for those good grades, You can still be an Aggie. I am not going to lie to you, You may face a draft. I can only tell you to do whatever you deem necessary in that case. I will not tell you to run, John Kerry didn't. Nor did my Dad. I don't want to see a bright young person in this country with hopes of a College education led to slaughter. I also know that America does need a Military. I am not that Naive.
I hope for all the Oil in Texas that nothing bad ever happens to you, and I mean that. I look at posts like yours and I think "wow, there is hope, it is the bright mind of a 17 year old." I wish I could tell you more good things. I can say that We need you. Keep working for the grades, You deserve an education, you deserve a future. The future of this nation depends on you and thousands of young people nationwide. Don't give up the fight, PLEASE Craig. Keep up your hard work and if you go to your Prom, we want pics!
Peace!

:hi: :hug: and don't forget your :tinfoilhat: Welcome to DU!!!

[iamsofnsorry]

15. Welcome and FUCK EM!!!!

It's very simple.

You might start thinking about making your own path as well. My parents were similar to your parents -but guess what! They both voted Kerry. So there is hope they will wake up.

Don't go. I'm not sure there will be a draft but it does look like a possibility - but if it starts, I am not going. No way in hell.

Good Luck To You!

[Lanky Craig]

17. No I'll just go and die. I figure I'll last about 12 minutes

in combat. But I wont run. If Bush wants to kill me, then so be it. Let that be on the shoulders of everyone who voted for him.

[NuttyFluffers]

29. remember one of randi rhodes' favorite sayings

"success is the sweetest form of revenge."

don't go fatalistic; live, prosper, become someone. "all it takes for evil to win is for good to sit by and do nothing." don't be an enabler -- you've been given a fight that wasn't meant to be yours. but still stand up and stand your ground, you'll be a stronger person for it. you'll just have to learn how to choose your battles (it gets a little easier to tell with time)

[NightTrain]

16. Glad to have you here, Craig!

Welcome aboard! And for chrissake, try to keep the faith, OK? We don't have a draft *yet,* after all.

[Lanky Craig]

18. Thanks everybody!!!!

Very cool website. Wish I found it earlier. Very nice.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

19. If there is a draft

show up in a dress. :)

[iamsofnsorry]

21. I was going to recommend that

or talk to voices no one can see.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

24. If you do that they make you an officer.

Only kidding folks some officers are good people too.

[Dzimbowicz]

31. Just walk into the shrink's office wherever you are

and sing a bar of "Alice's Restaurant" and walk out. They'll think you're really crazy and they won't take you.

"You can get anything you want
at Alice's Restaurant...
Just walk in, it's around the back,
just a half a mile from the railroad track..."

Sorry for showing my age here.

On edit: Welcome to DU

:hi:

[auburngrad82]

54. I WANNA KILL!!!

Alice's restaurant is a Thanksgiving tradition in our house as is Firesign Theater ("Humboldt County") We play the every year while making Thanksgiving dinner.

[proud2BlibKansan]

62. Firesign Theater

was awesome. How cool to see another fan here on DU.

Georgie Tirebiter - remember him?

[Andromeda]

20. Welcome to DU, Craig...

Thank you for your honest post. I can understand how you must feel and most of us on DU will do everything we can to give you moral support.

We are doing our best to fight back and right now we are going in a lot of different directions in trying to organize but I know it will come together soon.

Just hang in there and remember that when things are tipped too far in one direction it will start to go the other way.

Religious extremism has never been able to thrive for very long because it's not reasonable. Our forefathers fled Europe because of oppressive religious beliefs and taxation. Attempts to control the masses with fear of God's wrath only serves to spark the independent streak in most Americans.

[intheflow]

22. Start building a Conscientious Objector (CO) file.

If you can show a pattern of peaceful (very important) war resistance, you may be safe even if the draft is reinstated.

So go to every protest you can. Write editorials for any newspaper, even your high school rag. Write letters to the editor. Make a donation to the War Resisters League. Find a Friends (Quaker) or Mennonite Church and attend a meeting once a month, or, if you go to church, research what your denomination says about war. (Most mainline churches come down against war.) Keep a dated journal of everything you do/have done, with pictures and copies of writing you do if possible.

Here are some links to help you:

Selective Service statement and procedure for applying for CO status:
http://www.sss.gov/FSconsobj.htm

Excellent site from the Quakers with great links:
http://www.quaker.org/visalia/CO /

American Friends Service Committee: http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/ConscientiousObjector.htm

War Resisters League:
http://www.warresisters.org /

Good luck! And welcome to DU! :hi:

[Lanky Craig]

25. I was thinking about some of that stuff

But I really dont want to be a laughing stock if word gets out. There is not one Democrat in my whole family.

[intheflow]

26. Mine neither!

Still, if your family goes to a mainline church (Methodist or something that has a liberal branch), you can get anti-war statements from their websites. And like I said, keep a journal. The Selective Service asks you how you came by your beliefs, so a journal would help but not be public.

BTW, my son is 22 and my boyfriend is a Gulf War vet who's worried they're going to try to retro-enlist him into service again, so I feel for you, Lanky Craig. I really do.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

36. Even bush's own church

the United Methodist Church, came out against the war and is still against it now (even more so now).

[mtnsnake]

23. Welcome Craig & don't give up.We'll do our best not to let them draft you

or anyone else. You wait and see. Everything will work out fine, so don't worry and keep doing the things you've gotta do.

[lavenderdiva]

27. Fellow Texan from Houston here...

Like you, I found myself 'surrounded' by Republicans after getting married and moving here so my husband could be close to his family. My father and my husband's father both graduated from Texas A&M in Engineering. Both Republicans, although my father was much more 'liberal' in his viewpoint than my father-in-law. I have never seen such an allegiance to a university as with A&M!! My husband went to U. of Texas in Austin, and like other posts here have mentioned, it is a liberal atmosphere and you would probably feel much more at home there. Is it possible that you could go to your freshman year at A&M, and then transfer to U of Texas? You may not know at this point what you will be studying, but could you 'work' on your father during your freshman year saying your course of study would be stronger at U of Texas?

I really was kinda quiet about my political leanings prior to this election, as I felt that most Texans were for Bush, and it caused all sorts of arguments in our immediate family. Our neighborhood would be considered one that would be strongly Bush territory. However, I was oh-so pleased to see sooo many Kerry/Edwards yard signs, car stickers, etc. and signs of support for the Democratic ticket. There are like-minded individuals here in Texas! I had to see it to believe it. My husband's family still doesn't see the light, but plenty of other people do, and tried to vote to prove it. Hang in there...

[Lanky Craig]

28. Thats an idea

All those type of things are what I need to think about

[xchrom]

30. welcome, lanky.

glad to see you here.
i came from the viet nam era -- and resisted the draft.
try to remember -- it's your life.
live it as you see fit.
i count as a hero anyone indepent minded enough to think for themselves -- and see the world without the shading the staus quo gives it.
your life is precious -- peace is precious.
treat it all with respect.
you'll make friends if you hang out with the right folks who can help if the going gets tough.
and as far as school and money -- just remember the advise given to hamlet -- ''to thine own self be true''...
you can survive any right wing propaganda get your degree and move on if you remember that and make friends accordingly.
there will be others there in the same boat -- find them and you'll be ok.

[Justpat]

32. Dear Lanky

Welcome to DU. You sound pretty depressed to me. One of the ways
to get out of it is to find your way of fighting back against Bush
and the madness that has enveloped our country. I have been pretty
depressed too, but hearing from young people like you makes me have
hope that we can turn this around. And I have been lucky to find
places like DU and Bartcop to pick my head up and help me cope.

You seem like a great kid. Stick with the people here who will listen
and understand. It'll help. But if you are totally depressed, then
you need to find a good counselor or doctor to help. Don't worry.
Love travels across time, the internet, space etc. and there is a
lot of love here for you.

All the best... Old Broad

[dbt]

33. An Arkie welcomes a Texan to DU? What's the world coming to???

Hi, Craig!

I know you're not old enough to remember the great Southwest Conference football rivalries between our states, but there is still a special sort of kinship between us. True Arkansawyers LOVE True Texans; y'all are as full of the old piss-and-vinegar as we are.

It is for that reason that I want to grab you by the shoulders and shake you 'til you lose that fatalistic streak! Hell, Son, if I made it through the Viet Nam era, you will probably make it through the Iraq Error. I believe the Regime would have an extremely hard time drafting anyone under the age of 19 for combat duty--which leaves you two years until you seriously would need to start worrying.

At your age, two years is an impossibly long time. (I was 17 once, myself. I must have been to get to this advanced age.) I will be greatly surprised if bu$h manages to go another two years without shooting himself in both feet. He is SO overdue for a Karma Smackdown that earthquakes are breaking out all over the globe!

Meanwhile, you have landed in a very supportive place. You will make many friends here and they will put hitherto unimaginable resources at your fingertips.

Welcome and Peace back to you!

:hippie:
dbt

PS: You know why Aggies don't drive BMWs, don't you?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

34. Hey there!

I am a liberal and a Democrat who attended Texas A&M. I was class of 92. Yeah, it's rated the #1 most conservative school in the country (yikes). BUT it has made some progress since I was there (precious little, but that's a lot for A&M) AND what happened to me was going there only made me stronger as a liberal.

I heard all the other side's arguments and I didn't speak up at first, I just listened. I got really good at deconstructing their arguments.

Then towards the end of my sophomore year, I got sick of being quiet and started speaking up. The more I spoke up, the stronger I felt. I suffered quite a bit for it, too, but even that made me more sure of how I felt. I saw how AFRAID they were of my opinions.

You'll be fine. Work hard, get into A&M if that's the only school your dad will pay for you to go to (BUT DON'T FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GO INTO THE CORPS OF CADETS!!!! You'd be miserable.). It'll bring out your "inner liberal" even more than you thought possible.

And freakazoid really hard core regressive neocons will NEVER scare you, because you've been surrounded by them, up close and personal, for four years.

Don't worry about the draft. Just focus on getting to college. You're gonna need that degree. Take care and talk to an empathetic adult in your real life, too, if you think that will help. And/or keep posting here. There's a guy here your age (JohnKleeb) who might could help. He lives in conservative hell, too.

As do I (Dallas area). Take care and hang in there, ok?

Oh I forgot, as soon as you get to A&M, get in touch with these people:

http://aggiedems.tamu.edu/

Texas Aggie Democrats. There only NINE of them my senior year. Now I understand there are HUNDREDS. Email them if you like! They'd be happy to hear from you.

[flresident]

37. Draft Not Coming

Don't worry Craig, the rumors of a draft are just that -
rumors.  The rumors first started when Charlie Rangel (D)
proposed the idea, but then he later voted against it.  The
rumor got more steam during the campaign, used by the Kerry
camp as a way to energize the young Democratic base.
The US military doesn't even need the draft since enlistment
and re-enlistment numbers are at an all-time high (not to
mention the fact that the armed forces absolutely don't want
to have people who don't want to be there.)
Rest easy, Craig and press on with your plans for the future
without worrying about a draft now or anytime in the future.

[Doctor_J]

38. but even *'s war mongering advisors

admit that the head count in the ME is way too low for the job at hand. The UN won't help *, they'd be more likely to fight for the iraqis than to come to *'s aid. So tell me how this won't happen.

[flresident]

40. Here's How:

1. Over the next few months (hopefully within the next year or
so) the job at hand will be gradually turned over to the
Iraqis themselves (as has been the case and will especially be
so after the Jan elections).  The faster the Iraqis become
self-sufficient, the sooner our troops will be able to draw
down.  A much smaller number may remain (like the roughly
30,000 we currently have in Korea), but nothing like it is
today.  In other words, the job at hand won't be the job
indefinitely.
2. By moving some forces out of Korea and Germany, as is the
DoD's current plan.
3. By offering enlistment and re-enlistment incentives (as was
the case in the late 90's when the military was getting too
small to support all of Clinton's worldwide military
commitments, e.g., Kosovo).
Bottom line, there are much better ways of recruiting and
keeping troops than the draft.  Getting people to want to join
and stay is the only way of attracting the necessary amount
and characteristics of people needed to fight America's wars.

[Doctor_J]

41. riiiiiiiiight

you sound like those Limbeciles who believe that "growth in the economy" will pay for *'s 1/2-trillion $ deficit, or that the man who is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in Iraq is a "man of God". Put down the Kool-Aid, or crack pipe (whichever is keeping you from reality) and speak some sense.

[Mountainman]

67. How's that koolaide taste?

[Gyre]

39. Good on you for being awake.

Now, I suggest getting a passport. They're good for 10 years and what can it hurt?

Gyre

[choicevoice]

42. young adults like you give me hope

As hard as it sounds you need to focus on your everyday tasks. Do not get into the "what if" trap. You need to be prepared for the future we are all trying hard to make better. We will need people like you to help us.

Take a deep breath and focus. This is not bullshit advise.

[ZombieNixon]

44. Hello...

I'm a 17 year old senior in your next door neighbor, New Mexico. I'm glad to see some other young people come out against Bush. It's too bad we couldn't vote. I'm always looking for new young Dems, so keep the faith. He're hoping there's no draft, though I'm not very optimistic.

[deadparrot]

45. Welcome, from a fellow 17 y.o. senior.

I'm from MO, and completely scared that I'll be drafted, too. I'm a girl, and I'll be going to college next fall, but I don't think that matters anymore.

Have you talked to your parents? Mine (both rabid Bush haters) are wonderful, saying that they'd pay for my plane ticket out of the country if and when the draft happens. I don't know your parents, but many would be ready and willing to get their kids out of here, especially those who hate Bush with a passion.

[Lanky Craig]

46. You're lucky

My dad has encouraged me join the military; It will "make a man out of me". I didn't think they drafted women. You don't even have to sign up for the selective service. ???

[deadparrot]

52. I don't know...

from the bits and pieces of rumor that I've been hearing, they don't care about gender, and they don't care if you're a student. Granted, it's only gossip, but I've been hearing it more and more often.

[CanonRay]

58. I don't envy you

People my age (53) are supposed to wish they were 17 again. I don't think so. Hang in there, and work for change. You guys are the ones who will make the difference.

[GreenPartyVoter]

47. Welcome, Craig. If push comes to shove and we get the draft

we'll find a way to get you and your friends out of it.

-----------------------------------
Fight the fraud; fund the recount!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[anarchy1999]

48. Welcome to DU Craig, what part of Texas?

Let us know and we will put you in touch with like minded folk. Check out www.dallaspeacecenter.org

I'm reminded of a couple of kids that were in high school who drove over from west of Fort Worth to attend a rally we held at Flagpole Hill in Dallas in March of last year. Their civics teacher had sent them to the above website and they took the day off from school to attend. It made my day!

[Lanky Craig]

49. Corpus Christi

But I've lived in several other places. I think we are trying to find exactly where the worst place on earth is to live before settling there. This could be it, but I have faith we can do worse if we try really hard.

[Doohickie]

51. Have you tried Waco?

Waco really sucks.

[anarchy1999]

53. Jeez, I just returned from spending a week in Corpus. Sorry.

Corpus is a lovely place to be sure. The beaches alone make it worth it. Was not a pleasant experience for the most part though, I intentionally cut myself off from the internet and cable and became more familiar with the other side of life than I would ever have wished for. A&M will be okay, UT better, Stephen F. Austin or even San Marcos, better. There are DU'ers in Corpus. Go to State and Country Forums, Texas. You'll see a post from me there where others responded to. Also Houston and Austin.

[Doohickie]

50. Dude. Except for the name and the A&M aspirations,

You could be my son.

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GOPBasher]

56. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Texas_Kat]

57. There are Dems at TAMU

Hello Craig!

As a Aggie former student and the mom of a current Aggie, let me assure you that there is an active group of Democrats at Texas A&M. :-)

Chet Edwards (the congressman who represents the area--and Crawford Texas is also in his district) is the only Democrat who survived the Delay redistricting battle in Texas. He did it with the active participation of several hundred of the members of the Texas Aggie Democrats.

My son, who started his fish year this year (and who is in the Corps) caught some s**t when signing out to go his first Texas Aggie Democrats meeting. He was pleasantly surprised to find over 200 people at the meeting (including some members of Corps staff).

Don't be discouraged. If you can get into A&M, and you're Dad will help, take him up on it!

"Freedom and dignity spring from within the human heart. They are not imposed. And inside the human heart is where the impetus for political change must be generated."
-------General Wes Clark, Undisputed Zen Grandmaster of Political Smackdown (May 2004)

[Dora]

59. Welcome to DU

And come visit Austin on the weekends if you need to escape College Station. We're very nice.

[CroixRoussienne]

60. Dude

I'm like, old, man. Born in '55 and spent half my youth feeling like I was staring down the barrel of a gun (the draft). Every week there were more atrocities reported, death and destruction on the TV news, and the Berkeley Barb carried full-front-page photos of burning monks or blown out brains or fleeing civilians and the Hueys raining death on an exquisitely beautiful country.

My friend Wolfgang Stuhlert drank himself to death at age 39, never able to forget his experience as a door gunner in one of those helis..."After awhile, he said in his sad, drunken reverie, "they just started looking like a bunch of bugs."

"But still the branches are wire
And thunder is the pounding mortar,
Still I close my eyes and see the girl
Running from her village, napalm
Stuck to her dress like jelly,
Her hands reaching for the no one
Who waits in waves of heat before her."

Bruce Weigl - Song of Napalm

Peace, Paix, Pace

[sueh]

61. Welcome, Craig

There's a lot of good advice here from others, so I'll try not to repeat. I would like to tell you not to give up what you've worked so hard for in school. Remember that your education is for YOU, not your parents.
I know it isn't easy dealing with parents whose expectations and what they want you to do in life does not match what you want. Been there. done it, and it was not a piece of cake. The battles I had with my parents were well worth it. Keep reminding yourself that this is YOUR life, YOU have to live it.
And remember we will do everything we can to prevent the return of a draft.

PEACE

[Catherine Vincent]

63. Welcome, Texan from another Texan.

:hi:

Try not to be so down. Hopefully there won't be a draft. Keep the faith.

[Mountainman]

65. I was sent to Vietnam when I was 19. I couldn't even buy booze to drink.

More sodiers survive then die, but survival isn't all it's cracked up to be either. You should join with an anti war movement. Make some noise out there in Texas.

[sadman]

68. I love how they

make it seem like it's a Dem idea to bring the draft back. I heard some fool talking about how two Dems in congress wanted to pass legislation to bring back the draft. Great, now, they're just making stuff up about us. Oh wait, they did that anyway.

[no name no slogan]

70. Actually, Dems DID introduce draft bills

They did it to intentionally defang any Repub attempts to introduce one, and to also put the issue in front of people. The bills have little (if any) 'real' support and will never pass, but they're a damn good political hand grenade to toss at the NeoCons. :hi:

[libpunkmom]

69. Hi Craig

It can be tough! I grew up in rural SE Texas... But I now live in Portland Or. I know that not all Texans love Bush. Every member of my family hates that man with a passion!!!! By the way.. I'm new here too... My name's Johnnie!! 34, mom, screaming Liberal!!!