What To Do If There Is A Draft
Alexander S. Peak
President of the College Libertarians of Towson, at Towson University, Maryland.
23 October 2005

If there is a draft two-, five-, ten-, twenty-years down the line, and you're one of the unlucky souls who gets picked, what will be your course of action?

"A draft?" you say. "How can there be another draft? Aren't we way past that in American history?"

I guess I should address this first. Yes, we haven't had an active draft for some time now. However, this fact alone does not make it impossible for a draft some time in the future. Every American male, upon reaching the age of 18, is supposed to register with Selective Services. It's against the law not to. Through this arm of government we can be drafted.

"So what are my options if I'm drafted?"

You essentially have three options. One: submit to the government. Two: run off to Canada seeking asylum. And finally, three: just say no.

In my humble opinion, it is your duty to God and country (or just country, if you disbelieve in God) to resist the draft in some manner. Many of you may think, "hey, why not go with option one?" You may even support the war into which you're being drafted. But make no mistake, this isn't about the war, and whether or not it is justified. This is about the draft, which is never justified.

"Never? What if we're invaded?"

Never. In the unlikely event that we're invaded, more than enough of us Patriotic Americans will sign up voluntarily to fight and defend the country. Any war that's justified is a war that doesn't need military conscription. For example, we could have fought World War II without a draft and still won.

There's another, more-important reason why the conscription is never justified. It is called the thirteenth amendment. The first section of this amendment reads:

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

The draft, as anyone with a brain will tell you, is servitude to the military without your consent, or in other words, involuntary servitude. The draft is as unconstitutional as the FCC’s pro-censorship policy and gun restrictions (or gun "control," as some call it).

All true American Patriots oppose the draft, and call on the complete abolition of Selective Services.

"So what happens if I just say 'no'?"

To be honest with you, you may go to prison. Yes, you may be sent to prison for defending your constitutionally-acknowledged Natural Right to not be enslaved by your government's military.

But don't fret. This is the path I plan to take if the draft is ever reactivated. To me, this is the best option available, even better than running off to and hiding in Canada. It comes down to the ideal that you can make a huge impact on policy through non-violent civil disobedience.

This wouldn't be easy. To hold up your pocket-sized Constitution, and stand there as the government -- whose job is supposedly to serve and protect you -- puts you in prison, this will take sacrifice. Many, including myself, are prepared to do this, to take a stand for freedom, if the day ever comes.

Now comes the time to ask yourself, are you?