Tell Congress: Don't Force Women to Register for the Draft, Dump the Draft Entirely

  • by: Julie M.
  • recipient: Your representatives
The House Armed Services Committee just passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would authorize the President to require women to sign up for the military draft.

Right now, every man has to register for the Selective Service at age 18, and they can be drafted for war until they reach age 26. Not so for women. While this is unfair and sexist — women should be allowed to serve in combat roles just as men are — it is immoral to force people to go to war, no matter their sex.

The full House will consider this bill in May 2016. Please sign my petition to trigger an email to your Representatives to vote NO on forcing women to register for the draft and to introduce legislation ending the draft requirement for both sexes!

While this amendment may make things equal, bodily autonomy should be taken into account and military service should be based on choice. Our bodies are not communal property, and we should NEVER be compelled to fight in a war we may disagree with. 

Many say forcing everyone to register for the draft will cause Americans to think twice about going to war. But, as writer Lucy Steigerwald points out, anger over the draft helped to end the Vietnam war only AFTER 60,000 Americans and 2 million Vietnamese died. "You don't stop the runaway truck of U.S. foreign policy by throwing a man in front of it, and you definitely don't stop it by throwing a man and a woman, just to make things equal," Steigerwald writes.

Please sign my petition to trigger an email to your Representatives to vote NO on forcing women to register for the draft and to introduce legislation ending the draft requirement for both sexes entirely.
We the undersigned urge you to vote NO on the National Defense Authorization Act's amendment that would force women to sign up for the Selective Service, and to introduce legislation that would end the draft for both sexes.

While it is unfair and sexist that only men must register for the draft -- women should be allowed to serve in combat roles just as men are -- being forced to go to war is immoral no matter your sex.

While forcing women to register for the draft may make things equal, bodily autonomy should be taken into account and military service should be based on choice. Our bodies are not communal property, and whether you're male or female, citizens should NEVER be compelled to fight in a war they may disagree with. 

Many people say forcing everyone to register for the draft will cause Americans to think twice about going to war. But, as writer Lucy Steigerwald points out, remember what happened during the Vietnam war: anger over the draft helped to end the war only AFTER 60,000 Americans and 2 million Vietnamese died. "You don't stop the runaway truck of U.S. foreign policy by throwing a man in front of it, and you definitely don't stop it by throwing a man and a woman, just to make things equal," Steigerwald writes.

Please vote NO on this amendment to the NDAA, and introduce legislation ending the draft for both sexes.

Thank you.
Update #66 years ago
As part of Congress' bill that requires a review of the entire Selective Service System to see if the idea of a military draft is still realistic and cost-effective, the federal government is now taking public comments on the draft! Please submit your comments here by the April 19 deadline! >> http://bit.ly/2Eq5In9
Update #56 years ago
Partial success! Congress dropped its plan to require women to register for the draft, and the bill requires a review of the entire Selective Service System to see if the idea of a military draft is still realistic and cost-effective, which is awesome! Please share this petition on Facebook! >> http://bit.ly/221O939
Update #47 years ago
URGENT: The Senate has voted to force women to register for the draft. But because the House version of the bill didn't include this provision, there's still time to act! Contact your legislator or share the petition on FB to ask your friends to sign >> http://bit.ly/221O939
Update #37 years ago
The world is mourning the death of the great boxer Muhammad Ali. Did you know Ali was a famous draft resistor who was arrested for refusing to fight in Vietnam? Share the petition on Facebook to honor Ali's activism: http://bit.ly/221O939
Update #27 years ago
Did you know people who don't register for the draft are barred from receiving federal student loans? This bill is advancing; please take urgent action and share on Facebook to encourage others to sign: http://bit.ly/221O939
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