I'm still feeling a bit hung up on the fact that my oldest son has just turned eighteen. But more so than that, I am disturbed by one ridiculous, sexist law that remains on the books in this country. Even though the US armed forces have been all volunteer for many years now, upon a man's eighteenth birthday, he must register with the selective service. The same is not true for women. Well, excuse me! What has happened to all of those no discrimination based on gender laws on this one? I realize that the draft is non-existent, but that is not my point. Why shouldn't young women have to register as well? What happened to all of those cries for equal rights on this one? Does not equal responsibility come with equal rights? Everyone or no one, I say. No one is my preferred option. Since we are all issued social security numbers along with our birth certificates these days, couldn't they just as easily track down perspective draftees this way? It really makes no sense. But then, does any thing done by the government ever make any sense? I can, in all honesty, tell the army that they really do not want my son. They might think that they do, but I know him much better than they do. He's got a big mouth, a hot temper, and an aversion to following orders. All of these are traits that I am proud to say that he inherited from his mother. All of these are also traits which would cause him to spend most of a military career in the brig! I suppose that were the draft reinstated and he was unfortunate enough to be drafted, I would personally have to buy him a one way ticket to Canada for the protection of everyone's best interests!
