DISCLAIMER: I know already that there is a sizable group of "my country right or wrong"ers who will be offended by this proposition, so don’t bother with any moralistic posturing about how nothing would be more honorable to than to die for the causes of cheap oil, globalization, and a high Presidential approval rating for the 2004 elections. If these sentiments strongly offend you, hit the back button on your browser immediately and return to watching your “fair and balanced” Fox News Channel to hear what you want to hear.
With the drums of war with Iraq beating more intensely by the day and the chance of a draft increasing, an interesting idea came to me, one that takes advantage of the delusional paranoia of an institution that is out of step with the increasing tolerance of most Americans. Would it be possible to avoid conscription into the military by simply proclaiming to your draft board that you a homosexual or a bisexual? This would put the military in the position of having to choose whether to induct you as an openly homosexual service member or to just pass you over for selection. The first option sounds to me like it would strictly be prohibited by the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell executive order of Clinton. Under DADT, anyone who is outed while in the military is promptly discharged. Only homosexuals who keep their sexual orientation strictly to themselves are allowed to remain. I see no reason why the DADT provision would not extend to cover anyone who voluntary reveals their sexual orientation to their draft board. Input on this thought is very welcome, so long as it is focused on the practicality of such a strategy and not a general rant against people opposed to the idea of a draft or national service.