Enemy Combatant
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Anticipating Operation Yellow Elephant -- By 25 Years
As a result of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, President Carter ordered all 18-year-olds to register for the draft, beginning on July 21, 1980. I never voted for Carter (a decision -- actually, two -- that I regret today), but at the time (I was 22 years old), I considered myself fairly conservative -- at least on foreign policy issues -- so I supported the idea of draft re-registration.
I don't remember anyone ever saying to me, "Sure, Mike, it's easy for you to support registering 18-year-olds -- because you're not 18 anymore." Nevertheless, since I supported the draft decision at the time, I dutifully went down to the post office, and registered.
I even remember getting a call from Selective Service a few weeks later, asking me to clear up the discrepancy. When I explained why I registered for the draft, for political reasons, even though I was well past 18, the guy on the other end of the phone sounded like he thought I was crazy.
Now, I look back at that, and I'm proud of the fact that I anticipated the arguments of Operation Yellow Elephant by a quarter century, and that I tooks steps at the time to avoid hypocrisy, as I saw it.
But I'm not nearly that young -- or as idealistic/naive about our country's military motives -- anymore. Now I'm 47, and a father.
You know, I used to feel just a little guilty, that I had never actually served in the military; I don't feel that way any longer.
Now, I've got three boys in their teens -- big, strapping six-footers; bright, brash and funny, each one -- whom I love more than I love life itself.
That may well sound like an overused cliche, but in my case it's absolutely true: I will not sacrifice even one of my children to Mad King George's War. Ain't gonna happen.
The FBI can take note: If this war drags on, and if a military draft is reinstituted, I will drive each son to whichever border I need to, myself, to keep that from happening. And if they want to stop me, they're going to have to shoot me.
