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Email from our local Homeschool Defense group...I heard about this, vaguely, a few years ago, but now it is coming closer to being a reality. I will be in prayer and fasting, that if it is the Lord's will, this bill will not be passed. I do not believe it is a young woman's duty to defend her country in this manner. But He works all things to His glory and to the good of His children, and if He wishes me to go to war, then I will go!


Subject: Mandatory Draft Legislation Please Read

Mandatory draft for boys and girls (ages 18-26) starting June 15,
2005,
is something that everyone should know about. This literally effects
everyone since we all have or know children that will have to go if
this
bill  passes.

There is pending legislation in the house and senate (twinbills: S89
and
HR 163) which will time the program's initiation so the draft can
begin
as early as s        pring,2005,justafterthe2004presidentialelection.
The
administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while
the public's attention is on the elections, so our action on this is
needed  immediately. Details and links follow.  This plan, among other
things, eliminates higher education as a shelter and includes women in
the draft. Also, crossing into Canada has already
been made very difficult.  

Actions:
Please send this on to all the parents and teachers you know, and all
the aunts and uncles, grandparents, godparents. . . And let your
children know - - it's their future, and they can be a powerful voice
for change!

This legislation is called HR 163 and can be found in detail at this
website:  http://thomas.loc.gov/ Just enter in "HR 163" and
click search and will bring up the bill for you to read.

It is less than two pages long.  If this bill passes, it will include
all men and ALL WOMEN from ages 18 - 26 in a draft for military
action. In addition, college will
no longer be an option for avoiding the draft and they will be signing
an agreement with Canada which will no longer permit anyone attempting
to dodge the draft to stay within it's borders. This bill also
includes
the extention of military service for all those that are currently
active.

If you go to the selective service web site and read their 2004
FYI Goals you will see that the reasoning for this is to increase the
size of the military in case of terrorism.

This is a critical piece of legislation, this will effect our
undergradates, our children and our grandchildren. Please take the
time to write your congressman and let
them know how you feel about this legislation.
www.house.gov  www.senate.gov

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

The draft $28 million has been added to the 2004 selective
service  system budget to prepare for a military draft that could
start as early as June
15, 2005. Selective service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that
the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for
activation.
Please see www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the Selective
Service System annual performance plan, fiscal year 2004.

The pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350
draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide.
Though
this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and
influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's
prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan (and
permanent state of war on terrorism) proves accurate, the U.S. may
have no choice but to draft.
www.hslda.org/legislation/national/2003/s89/default.asp entitled the
Universal National service Act of 2003, "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."

These active bills currently sit in the committee on armed services.
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. Signed by Canada's minister of foreign affairs, John Manley, and
U.S. Homeland Security director, Tom Ridge, the declaration involves
a 30 point plan which
implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people
entering and departing each country. Reforms aimed at making the draft
more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher
education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone
service until the end of their current semester. Seniors would have
until the end of the academic year.

What to do:
Tell your friends

Contact your legislators and ask them to oppose these bills
Just type "congress" into the aol search engine and input your zip
code. A list of your reps will pop up with a way to email them
directly. We
can't just sit and pretend that by ignoring it, it will go away. We
must
voice our concerns and create the world we want to live in for our
children and grandchildren.

Sister Willowbirch,

Something like this would take some thinking time to digest. I'm somewhat surprised to hear about this. I thought that the all volunteer Armed Services were a huge success.

If we starting having attacks across America like they do in Israel, there would have to be some changes. I was just thinking about the old Civil Defense we had while I was growing up. Nearly every city and town had unpaid Civil Defense workers for all kinds of functions that related to attacks on our own soil. They were like an unpaid Army that could respond with food, water, and all kinds of plans to deal with military attacks on civilian populations. They also had many tasks that were preventive in nature (i.e. watching water supplies, etc.). There were Civil Defense volunteers of all ages, but most of them were retired. I would hope that something like this would be one of the first things to put back in action. However, combat was not part of their mission, and they were not armed.

I'm also thinking of some recent legislation that allowed retired police officers to carry weapons nationally. This has already passed and might have something to do with thinking that America will be attacked throughout our country. This would provide a large number of armed and trained people, most probably willing to volunteer without pay. Even the disabled could guard water supplies, power plants, chemical plants, railroad yards, harbors, shipping, and any number of other targets that have the potential to kill many thousands of innocent people.

I hope and pray that we never have to live like the people of Israel, but that could happen. If it did, we would either have to defend ourselves or die. In a worst case scenario, we would need a massive number of unpaid volunteers, but we might also need a much larger Armed Forces.

Sister, it is possible that terrorists could remove some of our choices if we want to survive. I would have to be a volunteer for the armed wheelchair brigade.   :D  I would be willing to fight and die to preserve our freedom and protect my family. If we become like Israel, we won't have much of a choice.

This is something we all need to pray about.

Love In Christ,
Tom

I had heard of this and what bothers me the most is the fact that the women could be drafted, too.  :-X

I know it's unpopular to say, but I was against the whole women in combat thing from the start. I have personally seen too many families torn apart when both parents are active duty and called to serve in different locations. There's the frantic search for a place to leave the children for 6 months to a year.... :-\

Women's 'rights' seemed to have replaced children's.... :-X

Oklahoma Howdy to SincereHeart,

I certainly have mixed emotions about women serving in combat, but those we have now are volunteers and their value is unquestioned. I would have many of the old fashioned ideas about women that would make some women mad at me. I taught my son to open doors for ladies, use terms of respect, and everything my dad taught me.

I really don't like the idea of women being forced into a draft, but I don't know what the future holds for America. If it became like Israel, I would think that the women of America would be a formidable force to be dealt with. We can look at history and see that women held our society together during WWII at home, but they also served all over the world. I wouldn't want to say anything at all that would discourage many of the fine young women that I met who are currently serving their country. To say that they can do the job is an understatement. However, I would prefer that women be given a choice to serve in the Military or serve at home in many other tasks that are just as important. If our schools started coming under attack, a mother with an M16 would be a fierce warrior.   :D  In fact, a mother protecting her children and grandchildren would be fierce bare-handed. I'm sad to say that we might have to train those mothers and grandmothers one day and arm them. I pray this never becomes necessary.

I would vote to exclude women from a draft, but I'm positive women could and would do their part in protecting their families here at home. Those who volunteer for the Armed Services should never be underestimated. They have earned our appreciation and thanks.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Sincereheart, there is nothing worst then a woman defending her children. I know, I wouldn't want to get in front of a mad woman. :eek:

I will not post what I am thinking. That would get alot of women, here mad at me. I have some old fashioned ideas about women.

Amen!

I have heard that the mandatory draft for women has been "debated too long in commitee" etc., and therefore is less likely to be passed, but I think it is still a serious issue. I have nothing against women volunteering for the army, and I'm grateful for their dedication and sacrifice, but I sincerely hope that it will not become mandatory.

Lord, You show us not to favor one over another, to have non-partiality! Bless us as we stuggle as a nation and as individuals with this issue. Give us the ability to see Your desire in this and all things... in Jesus' name, let it be done, amen

Deke

wow, this is quite disturbing to think about,, I am in agreement about  the fact that women shouldnt be forced to draft but in the same sense i fear for the men as well!i guess i just hate the fact that any of our young men and women have to go and fight, Dont get me wrong im not niave, i understand that there needs to be men that will go and fight for freedom and we need our army and navy and etc... i guess i just ant even remotly imagine how it would feel to know I HAD to go and fight or go to help keep the peace etc, so as much as the people feel they want and need to go it just cant ever be an easy thing for anyone male or female. Anyways i guess im maybe just thinking outloud here...
As far as old fashioned ideas about women.. im guessing id likey agree with most or all ,  ;)
SH i agree.. :( its sad truly!

Another email received:

Both bills died about 18 months ago in their respective committees
for lack
of co-sponsors.    Both bills are dead, and have no chance of being
revived
in this session of Congress.    There is every indication that there
is no
interest whatsoever in either the House or Senate of reviving the
draft.
Thank you for writing
Dan Amon
Public Affairs Specialist

****************************************************************
I looked into these bills and they were both introduced by VERY
liberal
Congressman and there is very little or no chance of these passing.  
This IS
NOT something our current administration is trying to get passed as is
stated in the text of the alert.  I think it is important to clarify
where
this is coming from because rumors are being spread attributing this
to
Bush.  I called my Congressman to confirm this.

Thank you for doing that, Willowburch.

bep brings out the illustration of Israel.  I understand the American actress Debra Winger, from Ohio, before she became an actress, went to live in a kibbutz and joined the Israeli army.  

Everyone there seems to be in it sooner or later.

But there it's a matter of do or die.  It's all vividly portrayed in the Eva Marie Saint/Paul Newman movie, Exodus.  Everyone's automatically conscripted.  But there everyone had just come out of the Holocaust; they figured they were probably going to die anyway, at the hand of the Arabs, and many did.


very well said, sincereheart:
I had heard of this and what bothers me the most is the fact that the women could be drafted, too.  

I know it's unpopular to say, but I was against the whole women in combat thing from the start. I have personally seen too many families torn apart when both parents are active duty and called to serve in different locations. There's the frantic search for a place to leave the children for 6 months to a year....

Women's 'rights' seemed to have replaced children's....

:-\ Yeah!

Brothers and Sisters,

From everything I see and hear about Israel, all have a choice of defending themselves and their families or dying. That would include the old, the young, men, and women. I hope and pray that it never comes to that in America, but that is what the terrorists want. They have already declared war on us in the 90s, and they obviously want to kill us. They view the sick, children, elderly, and women as the perfect target to instill fear and terror.

I think that our current efforts are very simple:  (1) fight the terrorists on their soil, not our soil; (2) preserve our freedom and way of life on our soil; (3) Keep our soil safe if we can.

Love In Christ,
Tom

'Interesting that both Israel and U.S. now are "under seige" in, generally, an increasingly *socialist* world...

Symphony,

I'm sad to say that I think it will get a thousand times worse in America. I think we are seeing just the beginning of our troubles with terrorists on our own soil. However, I think that the American people will all do their part when the time comes, including grandma and grandpa.   :D

The below is just my opinion. The inevitable will happen. There are already thousands on our own soil who wish to do us harm. It really won't matter how professional our Armed Services and Police are. Our entire society is vulnerable, and it would be impossible to completely protect it. Limiting or stalling the inevitable is probably the best that can be done.

Someone saying that we can stop all terrorist activity on our soil would be like saying we can stop all crime. I honestly think that prayer is our biggest weapon.

Love In Christ,
Tom

GOP Gets House to Nix Draft Bill 402-2

Tue Oct 5,11:13 PM ET

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - House Republicans sought to quash a persistent Internet rumor that President Bush wants to reinstate the draft if he is re-elected, engineering an overwhelming vote Tuesday killing legislation that would do just that.

Republicans accused Democrats of feeding the rumor mill to scare young voters and their parents into voting against Bush.

"This campaign is a baseless, malevolent concoction of the Democratic Party and everyone in this chamber knows it," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas.

The House voted 402-2 to defeat the draft bill offered last year by Rep. Charles Rangel, Dem-N.Y. We can see who introduced the bill, a democrat.  DW

Even he urged Democrats to vote against the bill, and charged Republicans were cynically trying to use the measure to escape election-season questions about the war in Iraq .

Just two lawmaker, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., and Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., struck off on their own and voted for the measure.

"We are in a war, and not only a small segment of the population should fight in that war," said Murtha.

The specter of a wartime military draft like that of the Vietnam era has lingered around the presidential campaign for the past few weeks, fueled by an e-mail driven rumor mill and a campaign by Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan group that seeks to boost voting among young people.

The White House on Tuesday accused opponents of President Bush of trying to scare voters with false rumors.

Much of the Internet gossip circling the World Wide Web has suggested that Republicans, including the president, have a plan to surreptitiously bring back the draft in a second Bush term. Democrats say worries about it are spurring voter registration on college campuses and among people in their 20s in urban areas.

"Everywhere they go on the Internet, all they see is the draft, the draft, the draft," said Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. "The Rock the Vote effort among kids in this country is afire and they (Republicans) know it. They're trying their best to tamp down this fire."

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., called the talk of a draft "the hoax of the year."

The Bush administration has strongly denied any plan to reinstate the draft, but the denials have not killed the rumor.

"There are some who have tried to bring this up as a scare tactic and that is highly unfortunate," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Tuesday. "The president does not believe we need a draft and he's made that repeatedly clear."

Speaking to Iowa voters Monday, Bush said, "We will not have a draft so long as I am president of the United States."

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has suggested the draft could be reinstated if voters re-elect Bush.

Kerry said his plan for Iraq, which calls for a summit and for allies to share a greater part of the burden, would not need a military draft.

Campaigning in Iowa on Tuesday, Kerry told reporters, "I've never said they're going to have a draft. I've said I don't know what they're going to do. I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to pursue a policy that guarantees we don't have to have a draft."

At a time that the Army is already struggling to meet recruitment targets, Kerry has proposed boosting the U.S. military by tens of thousands of troops, though he argues any increases in Iraq would come from foreign allies.

Rock the Vote said it is raising the draft issue because the presidential candidates haven't addressed it.

"This is not an Internet rumor," said Rock the Vote spokesman Jay Strell. "Young people in America deserve an honest and open debate about the possibility of a draft. Neither side has offered up what they're going to do to meet the current and future military needs."

Strell said his group's Web site has seen a huge spike in recent days in downloads of voter registration forms, now up to about 40,000 a day.

The draft legislation was introduced by Rangel, a fierce critic of both the Iraq war and the Bush administration.

"I would not advise anybody that's running for election as a Democrat to vote for this," said Rangel, who contended Republicans abused parliamentary standards to rush a vote to the floor without hearings or discussion. "It's a prostitution of the legislative process," he said. He doesn't like his own bill, which he wanted in the first place. Just shows how some democrats will try and twist, what they want.  DW

The measure would require two years of military or civilian service of men and women aged 18-26.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist ruled out consideration of a companion bill in that chamber, saying, "To the leadership of the United States Senate, it's a non-issue and it's one that's not going to be addressed."