I have one son. He is a delightful and bright boy. He is a good big brother to his four living sisters. He was huge comfort to my husband and I when we lost his fifth sister a few years ago. According to the latest town hall, McCain wants to bring back the draft.
http://thinkprogress.org/...
Either that or he wasn't listening to the lady in the town hall when he agreed with her that we have to bring back the draft to take the burden off our stretched military.
My son would be draftable age in the last year of a two term McCain presidency. Given that in my lifetime we have been involved in, almost exclusively, wars of choice rather than necessity, I say no. He can't have my son. We will not support using cowboy bravado and blood to retain our place as world bully-in-chief. Not his blood anyway. I know I could possibly lose him in a freak car accident or to a incurable disease, but I don't think I can outlive another child. Losing one was barely survivable. Gold Star mothers have my total admiration, but I am not brave enough to be one nor trusting enough to think the current corporatocracy that passes for our American Republic would not start another war for profit using the young males of my generation of mamas.
And so we are starting a "peace file" for him. It is my way of protecting him from a bloodthirsty government that regularly chooses war over diplomacy and sends middle class sons like mine while their own do not serve. I feel fairly certain the chattering/governing classes would again find a way to keep their children out of a draft. I first heard about the idea of a peace file in Mothering Magazine (my all time favorite parenting magazine). The article:
http://www.mothering.com/...
describes how to build years of proof of a child's commitment to the principles of non-violence to avoid the possibility that a future administration might reinstate Selective Service. Fortunately I live near DC so I will get some great pictures with him at the very next peace rally we can attend. We homeschool, so he will have a couple writing assignments this year about war and about alternative ways to serve his country that I will add to this file. I may try to enter one in some kind of national essay contest as well. And I will continue to try to find more ways to add to this file to build a comprehensive history of peace oriented activism. Should he choose to be a soldier I would not prevent it, but I am going to make sure that if he wants to be a conscientious objector in some future conflict, he will have a paper trail to support it. If your family does not belong to an acknowledged religious denomination whose tenets do not allow for military service (say Mennonites for example) then a paper trail could really be a lifesaver for any son you want to make sure has the option to claim this exemption from service.