In January of 2003, when it was obvious that the President intended to go to war against Iraq with or without just cause, several members of the Congressional House of Representatives sponsored the Rangel/Conyers bill, HR 163, which would reinstate a national draft.

Oh those bad boys in congress, was the immediate response from the opponents of the present administration, but this time it was not the bad boys. No, it was the ones who are aware that while all men are not really created equal, they deserve to be treated equally whenever possible.

For the sake of clarity, let’s call these folks the good guys. They know how one war can lead to another and they felt that Americans must be prepared to endure the cost.

According to this bill, all Americans between the ages of 18 and 26 must perform two years of national service either in the military or as a civilian, to be decided by the President. Conscientious objectors would not have to be involved in combat but no one could get a deferment or any special preference, regardless of how well connected or wealthy they might be.

There are many who object to a draft, but without one, the poor, the disadvantaged and minorities, would make up the majority of those who serve. Our President didn’t have to serve and out of the more than 500 members of Congress, only one has a child who is actively serving. How can these members murmur words about feeling the pain of our loss when they have never felt the pain themselves? Would they be more cautious about involving us in a war if their children had to bear arms in Iraq or Iran or possibly Korea?

Along with friends and relatives we have been there and we have all experienced the fury and hopelessness at thoughts of a child having to fight, especially in a senseless and totally irrelevant war waged only to satisfy the imperialist leanings of an administration.

No one is actively espousing a draft at this time – but the present Administration is not allowing reservists to return home and in essence has transformed voluntarism into compulsory service. If it looks like a draft and acts like a draft … it’s a draft. So they let the good guys tell it like it is. Our leaders tailgate on soft murmurings about a draft in June of 2005 but of course, to espouse such a step now, would be political suicide. (A89 is a Senate bill similar to HR163). But we all know, if wars continue, there will be a need for more manpower.

So we can eliminate thoughts of a draft by replacing the hawk with a dove. We must wait for the slow ebbing of the middle eastern waters which have been roiled by the hawk flying above us. “Next, Noah sent forth a dove which found no resting place and returned to the ark ….he sent forth the dove again and at evening she returned with an olive leaf in her beak.”*

From the wisdom of the ages and the Bible comes a message. We must choose a leader who approaches the rest of the world with an extended olive branch instead of the pointed barrel of a gun.

(the Jewish Encyclopedia viii. 5-14).