Got a Registration Letter From The Selective Service

[rdowns]

Originally Posted by Squilly

The People.

Maybe you should invent some system where "The People" vote on someone to represent them and "call the shots".

[Squilly]

Originally Posted by rdowns

Maybe you should invent some system where "The People" vote on someone to represent them and "call the shots".

I don't mean a vote system. I mean a regular system. People choose to enlist. There's winning and losing, one of each. One side has to lose. Big deal if we lost, we still have the UN and the rest of the military.

[VulchR]

Originally Posted by Squilly

... Vietnam. A **** ton of people died there and was utterly pointless.

Perhaps. However, it's not as though the communist regimes in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam covered themselves in humanitarian awards. Being against war is all very noble, but there are times when it is the lesser of two evils.

[DakotaGuy]

Originally Posted by Hugh

I guess lawmaker wants to bring back the draft, even though it wouldn't effect me, I hope it doesn't come to be.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/25/opinio...html?hpt=hp_t2

Hugh

Mr. Rangel has been floating this whole idea for several years because he feels most recruits come from lower or lower middle class families and by drafting we would spread military service equally to all socioeconomic classes.

It will never go anywhere so if you are worried or scared about a draft I wouldn't be. With that said, I have been an Army National Guard member for 18 years and it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. Most... not all... but most will tell you they enjoyed their military service and would do it again if they had the chance.

[rdowns]

Originally Posted by DakotaGuy

Mr. Rangel has been floating this whole idea for several years because he feels most recruits come from lower or lower middle class families and by drafting we would spread military service equally to all socioeconomic classes.

It will never go anywhere so if you are worried or scared about a draft I wouldn't be. With that said, I have been an Army National Guard member for 18 years and it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. Most... not all... but most will tell you they enjoyed their military service and would do it again if they had the chance.

I think a better argument is that if we had a draft and those who served weren't primarily from the lower socioeconomic class, our leaders would be a hell of a lot more cautious before embarking on military adventures. It's a lot harder to send people into combat if they're sons and daughters of politicians.

[snberk103]

Originally Posted by LIVEFRMNYC

You don't have to sign or register for anything unless you receive registered mail which you have to sign for. ....

Originally Posted by LIVEFRMNYC

It called the law. If they decide to penalize you, they would first have to prove you received the mail.

Actually, I think it is a courtesy reminder - that they send to remind you about something that you have to do regardless. Sort of like the insurance company sending you a letter to remind you that your car insurance needs to be renewed. I still have to get the insurance, whether or not I get a letter.

Originally Posted by rdowns

Tell me Mr. Squilly, who should be "calling the shots"?

Originally Posted by Squilly

The People.

Didn't you guys set up a Republic down there, where The People elect Representatives to 'represent' The People? Seeing as how fitting 300 million people into DC might make things a bit, um, crowded...

---

What is interesting in this discussion is that nobody seems to be raising a 3rd option... compulsory service for all. Many countries have it, including the ones normally considered "pacifist". After your 2 or 3 years you can 'volunteer' to stay on in a career role, or not. Sort of a draft where everybody gets called up.

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Originally Posted by el-John-o

No, not really.

The law states that you have to report for jury duty if summoned. If you fail to report, a warrant can be made for your arrest. Some courts, it's routine. They have a list of who showed up and who didn't, those who didn't get a warrant. After your arrested, you can plead your case and perhaps win, but you still got arrested, you'll still pay court costs, you'll still pay other fines and penalties.

Also, regardless of whether or not you'll "Get away with it", what you were suggesting was a felony. It's still against the law even if you have a decent chance of 'getting away with it'.

Innocent until proven guilty is a great concept, but it's put into place by taking the innocent into custody and trying to prove them guilty! There's simply no reason to put that theory to the test. It's pretty easy to get out of if it's a real issue. There's a bazillion legal excuses you can use. And if you get some hard nosed judge who just won't let you out, so what? 9 times out of 10 it never goes to a jury trial anyway and it's settled out of court, so all you do is show up for an hour and go home. You get a day off work with pay, AND you get some cash from the court as well. Plus, there's that whole, supporting one of the liberties that makes this country great that we the people still have a lot of control and we don't leave everything up to the government!

Anyway, your statement was "You don't have to if". That's not at all true, you DO still have to. You just might be able, with a decent lawyer, to fight it if.

Also, you have to register for jury duty and for selective service. It's the law. Failing to do so is a felony. The letters they send you in the mail are courtesy reminders, but you still have to register whether you get something in the mail or not.

You have to file your taxes even if the IRS doesn't send you a certified reminder in the mail. When you become an adult in this country, you have certain responsibilities that exist whether or not you got the courtesy reminder in the mail. I didn't register for selective service when something came in the mail, I registered online the week after I turned 18. It's not optional, so I did it. It's very difficult to be a college student over 18 who hasn't registered!

Also, "The law" doesn't recognize ignorance. Not knowing it was illegal, not knowing you had to, not getting the letter, forgetting your court date, all of those 'excuses' mean nothing. Citizens are required to know and abide by the law, not abide by the laws for which they were recently and expressly informed...

What your referring to is a Jury Duty summons that people rarely get warrants on. The letter you get to register for Jury Duty is completely differ. If you don't sign the register letter, you'll never get summoned. The register letter must come registered for them to take action. Any thing said otherwise is pure scare tactics.

[2020mike]

Sign up, man up and do your duty as an American. The military has plenty of non cry babies to do the job at present and you more then likely wont get drafted anyways.

[DakotaGuy]

Originally Posted by 2020mike

Sign up, man up and do your duty as an American. The military has plenty of non cry babies to do the job at present and you more then likely wont get drafted anyways.

I agree. I'd be more worried about being killed in a car accident on the way to sign up for Selective Service then actually being drafted and killed in combat.

[TPadden]

Originally Posted by DakotaGuy

I agree. I'd be more worried about being killed in a car accident on the way to sign up for Selective Service then actually being drafted and killed in combat.

Besides, if drafted for the next one, they'll give you such a pretty baby blue helmet.