With the Central Coast community and U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal.

When: Thursday, September 3, at 6:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time)

Truth in Recruitment and the Santa Barbara Friends Meeting (Quakers) invites the Central Coast community to a virtual Town Hall with U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal to discuss proposed legislation that will require women to register for the military draft.

Here is how to “attend” the Town Hall from the safety of your home or business via Zoom and Facebook Livestream:

Please register in advance for this meeting: TruthinRecruitment.org/TownHall

After registering, a confirmation email will be sent with information about joining the meeting.

The U.S. Congress is currently debating the future of the Selective Service System (SSS). For the last four decades, only men between 18 and 26 years old have been required to register with the SSS for a potential military draft. Earlier this year, the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service (NCMNPS) recommended that Congress expand SSS registration to women.

Truth in Recruitment, along with a network of peace activists, feminists, faith communities, draft-resisters, and draft-age youth disagree with this recommendation. We firmly believe that instead of trying to expand draft registration to young women, Congress should end draft registration for all.

“As a young gay man I will not fight for a country that is not inclusive towards everyone’s needs. Expanding the Selective Service System to womxn will not fix sexism, it will further divide the nation. As an ally to womxn, I will fight along with my sisters for the freedom of choice.  Many say the Selective Service System is just a safety net in case the US goes to war, but why is that even a thought? The United States should not have lives on standby.”

— Osiel, TIR intern and Alta Vista Alternative High School student

We do not believe that mandating women to register for a military draft supports equality for women; extending coercive measures to women will not expand their opportunities, it will merely remove their option to choose. We believe that the best way to promote gender equality is to end draft registration for all.  Extending mandatory draft registration to new groups is neither an expression of expanding liberty nor is it an ‘insurance policy’ to avert war.

The Town Hall will serve as an opportunity for the local community to learn more and voice their concerns about the SSS. In attendance will be U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal, who is co-sponsoring Congressional Bill, H.R. 6415, that would mandate young women to register for a military draft. Another bipartisan bill, H.R. 5492, calls for elimination of the SSS, to move beyond forcing young people into the military.

Please click here to learn more and register for the event. 

Sponsors include: McCune Foundation, Fund for Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Friends Meeting, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE SB), Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN), House of Pride and Equality (HOPE) and Women’s March Santa Maria Valley.