Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) argued in a recent hearing on the post-occupation of Iraq that bringing back the draft would spread the burden of war and combat among all economic classes of people. "Those who are serving today and dying today are the middle class and lower middle class," he claimed.
Johnson, of Prop. I, says she hears about the theory of forcing a draft all the time. "We just had a big debate about it the other day." For her part, she says she doesn't think the draft is the way to peace. And despite the recent rumblings about it, many of her fellow activists oppose anything that would forcibly send youth "to be used as cannon fodder in a war for oil."
Paolo Vescia
Anti-war paraphernalia was strewn over tables at a
recent counterrecruitment conference.
Paolo Vescia
Sgt. 1st Class Victor Farrier.
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But the list of San Franciscans, liberal columnists nationwide, and writers in the blogosphere who agree with the sentiment is growing by the day.
"I know one way to get the attention of the American people and stop the madness. It is called the draft," wrote Ed Garvey, editor of the liberal Web site www.fightingbob.com. "Everyone between ages 18 and 30 should be subject to the draft. Our sons and daughters should fight our wars or force the country to seek peace. It is that simple."
But, of course, it isn't that simple. Bringing back the draft is increasingly unlikely, as President Bush's approval ratings are the lowest of his presidency. The political consequences would be too much to risk before next year's congressional elections. And with the death toll in Iraq mounting every day, drawing citizens into the quagmire would be more than just political suicide -- it would likely spark the largest revolution this country has seen since Vietnam.
And that is precisely the point.
"It would destroy the Republicans and motivate the chicken-shit Democrats to do something about the war," Owen says.
Despite the growing number of counterrecruiters nationwide, there is no way to know if their efforts will have the impact activists believe it will.
With an ever-climbing death toll in Iraq, now over 2,000, military recruiting would likely be facing hardships with or without the counterrecruitment movement.
While some experts, columnists, and politicians have been arguing for conscription since the U.S. went to war in 2003, the likelihood of reinstating the draft is slim.
"The young activists are really exaggerating the importance of a draft," Ensign says.
As for Prop. I, if San Francisco's past symbolic war-related resolutions are any indication, it will pass by a large margin. (In 2004 San Francisco's symbolic Proposition N called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and passed with 63 percent of the vote.)
But even those most committed to counterrecruitment warn that one nonbinding action is not enough. "Activists need to take a stronger stance and actually encourage officials to take action," Project YANO's Jankhow says. "I hope that if the initiative passes they will have the sense to take it to the school board or demand something concrete."
