The Draft and Men in Ballet

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

What will happen? I mean they want to do the Draft in 2005 anyone from 18-35 will be acceptable. You can't run to Canada and hide and college is not an excuse anymore. If you are in college you can only postpone your draft until the end of the semester then your off to war.

 

A lot of Male Ballet danseurs in America are from the ages of 18-35. I am not sure of any famous ones under those ages. Is there a chance there will be less men in Ballet and more women, even though women will be drafted too. I am worried, I still have shows I want to see and I don't want to see our great dancers sent off to war and lose their chance of dancing that they trained and worked sooo hard for It makes me mad honestly if you really wanted to know what I thought. Even if they come back perfectly healthy in body and no battlefield injuries. Their mind isn't back its like they lost their soul over there, and that would destory their dancing. I'd rather see all of our dancers safe and on stage rather than dodging bullets and bombs and what not. If any of them go over I'll say prayers for them all, even though they won't come back the same.

[Mel Johnson]

Ask again later, when there actually IS a draft to deal with. The present bills are still referred to subcommittees in the House and Senate, and are unlikely to emerge to committee before the elections. The chance of their becoming law during the "lame-duck" period is near zero.

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

So your saying there will not be a draft or there might be? Im confused on the lame duck thing you stated????? Im having a blonde moment here.

[Mel Johnson]

There is next to no chance of either of the draft bills currently in the hopper becoming law.

 

There may be new proposed draft bills next Session of congress, but the ones proposed for this Session are nearly certain dead meat. They will not come to the floor for a vote between the election and the end of the Congressional Session which cannot extend into the new year.

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

Ok.

 

How was the ballet world affected with the draft in the past?

[Mel Johnson]

It hasn't been especially good for it. Let's leave it at that.

[BarreTalk]

Don't Panic. Nobody in the United States has received a draft notice since the Vietnam war, and it would (literally) take an act of Congress to reinstate the draft.

 

Your concern about how dancers are affected by war is selfish. It could be expanded to any group of young men and women who are potential draft material. When national needs and foreign policy get in the way of individual goals and dreams, guess who wins?

 

If you don't want a draft to alter your plans for the next few years, be sure to let your elected representatives know your position and support those who support foreign policies that make the need for a draft less likely. Finally - VOTE.

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

Aren't the dancers in the companies under a contract of some short?

[Mel Johnson]

A call to government service trumps all civilian contracts, except for defense work. The only thing the dancer under contract has going for him is what is commonly called "The Soldiers' and Sailors' Relief Act" which states that if you are drafted out of a job, you can have that job back when your service expires. Whooppee.

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

Thats it we going to mexico. I'll take my brother with me he speaks spanish fluent along with english, thank goodness he studied spanish good.

[Mel Johnson]

Try Brazil. Mexico has a draft-dodger law that sends you right back to the US. So does Canada. Hope you can learn Portuguese!

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

Brazil, ok they speak spanish there right? I may seem like a coward to run and hide. But I am not going to war or whatever. I wanna live they should send off criminals instead of us, prisons are overcrowded. Do they ever think that?

[DancesInHerSleep]

Ummm...knock knock. A mom here....

 

 

Actually Mel, you can get your job back even if you weren't drafted. And it has to be paid at the current rate, not the pay rate at which you left. But, like it was already stated, likelihood of a draft is next to zero. I would like to know, Until The End of Time, what got you thinking the draft was going to be reinstated?? The military meets its quotas and even routinely give members incentives to retire early to make room for the new recruits.

 

The other thing that happens routinely is what's called a stop-loss. It happens both during war, and during peace time. It's just that no one (meaning civilians) hears about it during peace time. A stop-loss keeps members experienced in certain fields from being able to be discharged EVEN when they're contract has expired because of a critical need. However, everyone who enlists (reserve and guard included) knows that this is a possibility.

 

All that said, if you're the ONLY son in the family you wouldn't be able to be drafted even if it was reinstated. But that won't work for you because you said you have a brother. There are other LEGAL ways as well, including being able to prove that being gone would be a hardship on your family. In other words, are you the primary caretake of your elderly disabled mother, and is there no one else who could take care of her? And if you're a concientous objector, or have religious beliefs that contradict with the military standards.

 

Finally, I spent 15 years in the Navy and served proudly and voluntarily (including during Desert Storm), as is everyone in the US military. And I sure as wouldn't want to be protected by criminals!!! Would you??

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UTEOT, I'm a new member, and therefore can't check your profile, but I think if you are a young man it may seem as though I came across harshly. I did some research and many of your facts regarding the so-called draft that is in congress are wrong. You should do some research for youself, and not count on what you hear from others. Secondly, the sponsor of the house bill is a Democrat from your state. So, if you're old enough, take the advice already given by BarreTalk and vote in upcoming elections. I would also suggest you write a few letters. You can do that even if you aren't 18. It will empower you. Third, take the time get to know some vets in your hometown. Many who served during war time have trouble with PTSD, many do not. Most will tell you that they are proud to say they served. Finally, don't reserve your prayers just for those who might be drafted. The men and women who volunteered and are serving today are just as deserving.

 

And now I'll get off my high horse!!

Edited June 7, 2004 by DancesInHerSleep

[Mel Johnson]

Well, as a decorated Vietnam veteran NCO in my regular service, I can tell you from experience that war does nothing to help the ballet world, and rarely anyplace else.

 

But I wonder, too, why you think that there's a chance that a draft will be activated. There's great opposition to it in the Army, which would be the primary recipient of the draftees, and the other services don't want their recruiting being driven in part by fear of conscription.

 

And while we try to stay away from politics on Ballet Talk, the fact is that both the House and Senate bills which are languishing in subcommittee schedule are sponsored and co-sponsored exclusively by Democrats. In this partisan atmosphere of today, that gives them NO chance of passing either part of Congress which have Republican majorities, and vote often along party line. The exhortation to vote for candidates who support your values is well taken in this corner.

 

The draft is not active. It may never be active, short of declared war; don't borrow trouble. This matter is closed.