My son will not go down that road with Casey...

[txaslftist]

I swear this every day. I will raise him to be strong and brave, but not to wear a uniform.

I come from a family of uniform wearers, none of whom evokes more pride than my grandfather, WWII veteran, Korean War veteran, hero. He put on the uniform to fight fascism in Europe. My father put on the uniform to fight the cold war. My brother put on the uniform to defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic, but served in a time of peace. I could not wear the uniform because of a physical limitation, although I tried and tried to get into the service.

But I cannot imagine anything being worth the life of my son, this stubborn, wilful baby with big bright eyes, dribbling spit up and a propensity to scream at the top of his lungs.

When I hold him to my chest and feel the rise and fall of him, the warm fuzzy dampness of his still hairless head...

No. I won't give this son to anyone. I will raise him to be nonviolent, to be brave in the cause of peace. He will not carry a gun.

I pray this and swear it each day of his precious life. All honor to those who serve, but you cannot have this one. Not him.

[lildreamer316]

1. I swear with you.

I never knew I could love anything as much as I love my baby boy; and the thought of anything happening to him leaves me absolutely helpless with fear. NOW I get it.
Beautiful Description.
I take your pledge.
Not my son.
Not this generation.
You get no more fodder for the cannons.
I swear.

[txaslftist]

2. Thank you for getting it.

[EFerrari]

3. Good for you.. Be strong.

I once promised/threatened my bro with kidnapping if we invaded El Salvador. I said, "You'll be over the Canadian border before you can say WTF?!" And he looked at me with big eyes, he was only 17 or so.

I also honor our service people, maybe today more than I ever have. And there's no way I'll allow anyone I know to be drafted or recruited while these CRAZY PEOPLE are calling the shots.

With you,
Beth

edited for a gender booboo. :silly:

[txaslftist]

4. That's brother, actually, but thanks.

[EFerrari]

5. Sorry! I tend to be gender deaf!

lol

[cynatnite]

6. Sadly, they do grow up...

He will make his own decisions eventually and it could against what you believe if you raise him to be indpendent thinking and strong.

I don't blame you at all. I have the same strong feelings with my children, but watching one grow up and making her own mistakes, she will live her life as she sees fit. Even when it goes against my own beliefs, it's still her life to live.

[txaslftist]

7. I'll drag his happy ass to Canada first.

[elehhhhna]

13. Volunteer, fine. Draft? No thanks.

[elehhhhna]

8. My gals will buffalo in on Family in Holland.

Second cousins. Hope they have the AnneFrank attic suite ready.

[EFerrari]

9. (What does the verb "buffalo" mean? Just in case.) n/t

[elehhhhna]

11. Just made it up--seemed like the right word for horning in, uninvited,

on distant relatives who are too polite to say "nay".

LOL.

[EFerrari]

14. LOL! Perfecto.

"Buffalo gals woncha come out tonite --" :)

[elehhhhna]

16. horrible use of the word buffalo:

knew a secretarial-agency recruiter who was SO cynical she called the churnng of applicants "shufflin' buffalo". THAT is BAD.

[EFerrari]

17. Some of us just don't get that the furred and haired four leggeds

(how do I say this?) are just a valuable as we are.

Don't start with me. I'm a catlady and the Eye of Mom is Upon Anyone who is off the res.

:)

[Bjornsdotter]

10. Today, my son....

...went to school and asked 5 of his teachers to write letters for him to place in his CO file. All 5 turned him down....their reasoning you may ask....."There will never be another draft".

My son will be 18 on Dec 4th, I have never not looked forward to celebrating his birthday, but this one has me in tears.

I know how you feel, not mine, not yours and not all of the others who choose not to go.

[elehhhhna]

12. emial them teachers yourownself pronto

but be sweet and nice.

[Bjornsdotter]

21. Great advice....

I have sent emails to the teachers and my husband will be paying a visit to the teachers tomorrow. We'll see what happens...I don't expect these teachers to change their minds but I do want to remind 3 of them that IF there were a draft they would fall in the age group that would be eligible.
Cheers!

[elehhhhna]

22. lol hub's visit

we had a pediatrician who's wife worked in his office. When the opr woman went mental and wouldn't do a referral for my kid for a cast om her broken wrist (I am to busy., I don't have time to send fax to Ciga-nah"...husbum, went to the office and stood over her desk, hands on hips, and asked "do you have my daughetr's referral? I'm not leaving 'til you send it." Nicely.

[EFerrari]

15. **They turned him down? Here's your homework**

Formally request that the same people write a letter to you explaining why they turned him down.

Push it, push it as hard as you can. No one can give you your son back. Up to you, my dear DUer, to hang onto him in the first place.

Make it an issue. Can you do that?

[Bjornsdotter]

20. Thank-you!

It will definitely be an issue.....I've sent emails to all of the teachers and my husband will be "visiting" the school tomorrow to talk with the teachers.
Cheers!

[EFerrari]

26. Great! Make them look you right in the face and explain

this behavior.

:toast:

[KansDem]

18. My son is 7 and no way in Hell will he fight for Bush Family oil...

If the GOP thinks it can enact a draft for Oil War II, then they've got another thing coming. I've endured the lies, corruption, and overall evil of this administration. I've ranted and said plenty to anyone who would listen. But the GOP hasn't seen acrimony like what I would give them if they even dare suggest establishing a draft.

NO WAY, NO HOW...!!! :grr: x 1,000,000

[shadowknows69]

19. recommended

You just said so much with so few words. Beautiful.

[lostnfound]

23. I said to my young baby boy...not long after 9-11..

Life can be scary..but that's why God made you brave.
Life is complicated sometimes..that's why God made you smart.
Life can be cold..that's why God gave you compassion.
Life is difficult sometimes..but that's why God made you strong.


I realized that the fear that I felt for him would disempower him, in some sense it was a failure to give respect to the strong, competent, wise adult he would be someday. A failure to imagine his own future contributions.

I don't want him to ever fight in a war either. I'm not disagreeing with anything you've said.

But I have to keep reminding myself that his life is his destiny and his meaning to shape. A pawn in some war for oil or other resources? No. I believe in nonviolence. But there's a tiny little window open that says, some things are worth risking your life for.

[fighttheevilempire]

24. When i was about 1 yr old...

my mom asked my dad (Vietnam vet):
"what happens if he wants to join the Army?"
Dad: "he can't. he has bad knees."
Mom: "What do you mean he has bad knees?"
Dad: "If he tries to join the Army, I'll break his knees."

Also before I was even a thought, he was quoted as saying " they can keep their VA, and their so called benefits. But they're not coming for my son."

[GetTheRightVote]

25. I hear you, my son will never join up until theirs do, so I quess he is

safe for now !!

:kick: