The draft, the Internet and the buzz

In red letters, the e-mail read, “YOU HAVE BEEN DRAFTED.” The startling announcement was followed by smaller print: “You are hereby ordered for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States, and to report at a polling a place near you on November 2, 2004 at 7:00 a.m.”

Officials at Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan but generally liberal organization founded by musicians, sent the bogus draft card to 650,000 people last month. It’s unknown how many in-boxes the notice was forwarded to, but the “get out the vote” gimmick has substantially cranked up the volume in recent weeks on the already loud Internet buzz surrounding a possible military draft.

Conservatives dominate talk radio, but the unsubstantiated rumor of a draft -- a galvanizing issue for many young voters and their parents -- demonstrates that the Internet has become an election year equalizer for liberals. The online campaign was so effective in alarming voters that it led to a congressional vote and debate pledges from President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry promising that they wouldn’t reinstate the draft.

Young, Internet-savvy and Democratic-leaning voters are deeply suspicious of the motives behind Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. Michael Moore’s blockbuster movie “Fahrenheit 9/11,” released earlier this year, expanded on many of those suspicions. And the youth-based Internet culture has become fertile ground for back-and-forth about a draft, despite efforts by the GOP to neutralize the volatile issue.

“The Democrats have done a very successful job of spreading [draft rumors] on the Internet,” said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Iverson. “It’s absolutely an orchestrated campaign.”

Online hand-wringing, petition-signing and mass e-mailing about a hypothetical draft are “not gossip,” said Jay Strell, Rock the Vote spokesman. “It’s an awareness campaign.”

The Rock the Vote campaign also includes a 30-second public service announcement on MTV and 6,000 movie screens nationwide. The spot concludes with young black actors staring directly into the camera as a narrator says: “The Draft. One of the many issues that could be decided this election.”

Vote in Congress

Experts say there is substantial and legitimate debate about the options left for an administration that has stretched the military thin by extending tours and calling up reservists and National Guardsmen.

Elaine Kamarck, a public policy expert at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, believes the draft rumors “stem from a direction in foreign policy that is just beginning to sink into the consciousness of the country. Which is, ‘Wait a minute, if our foreign policy is to go around the globe and take out bad guys, something’s gotta give.’ ”

But these emotional discussions are happening in the absence of a proposal to call up young men and women.

Both presidential candidates have insisted that they would maintain a volunteer-only armed forces.

Last Friday night Bush was asked during the town hall-style debate how he intended to maintain U.S. military presence in hot spots around the world without reinstating the draft.

“I hear there’s rumors on the Internet that we’re going to have a draft. We’re not going to have a draft, period,” Bush told the questioner, Daniel. “Forget all this talk about a draft. We’re not going to have a draft so long as I’m the president.”

Kerry was equally as clear. “Daniel,” he said, “I don’t support a draft.”

These declarations came after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected (402-2) a proposal last week to reinstate the draft. That vote seems only to have fueled liberals’ fears about the draft. They are convinced, they say, that the vote was taken so lawmakers could be “on the record” as opposing the draft -- a stance that will enable them to have it both ways on the issue if and when they vote in the future to reinstate it.

As a result, organizations like Democracy for America continue to circulate a petition via e-mail titled “Demand Honesty About the Draft.” The top brass of “Democracy for America” is composed of former campaign workers for Howard Dean, the candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination who built a war chest with thousands of small donations from online supporters.

“Sometimes these things take on a life of their own,” said a weary Dan Amon, spokesman for the Selective Service System, which oversees the draft. His office continues to receive e-mails and calls from media and concerned citizens looking for confirmation that no effort to reinstate the draft is in the works.

Striking a chord

The idea of reinstating a draft was floated in January 2003 by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who became a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq. But it’s unclear when the phantom issue reached critical mass for liberal Internet users.

* Was it in April when a photograph of a planeload of flag-draped coffins was published, despite a White House ban on such press?

* Was it in May, when, under the Freedom of Information Act, a Pentagon memo dated Feb. 11, 2003, was released indicating the now-former acting director of the Selective Service System, Lewis C. Brodsky, proposed a “worst-case” draft for men and women with specialized skills?

* Was it in August, when rock icon Bruce Springsteen told ABC’s Ted Koppel that he would travel the country, rallying voters to oust Bush because he was concerned for his son’s future?

* Or was it last month, when Rock the Vote e-mailed “draft” notices?

No one seems to know. But in recent days the rumors have solidified into conviction for many, a new survey shows.

A National Annenberg Election Survey released Friday showed that 51% of 18 to 29-year-olds believe Bush wants to bring back a conscripted armed forces. The survey was conducted Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 and included 1,543 adults.

“It reflects a paranoia. It also reflects, I think, a guilt among bloggers because they know working-class youth are dying for them,” said Charles Moskos of Northwestern University, a military sociologist. “We’re witnessing ‘patriotism lite.’ People put out flags, but we’re not willing to raise taxes, ration gas or have a draft.”

There’s very little discussion of the matter on the conservative airwaves. Syndicated radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh said fears about reinstating the draft stemmed from what he called “these absolutely wacko Internet e-mails.”

Some students interviewed last week expressed confusion about the likelihood of a draft and cynicism about politicians’ promises to not bring it back. Nick Young, 19, a USC student , got an e-mail that there “might be a draft,” but he remained unclear about the issue.

“That’s why I haven’t registered to vote,” he said, “because they both say the same thing, but it’s not believable to me.”

Raquel Chavez, 19, a USC student from Harrisburg, Pa., doesn’t yet know whom she’ll vote for. But she thinks Bush could reinstate the draft, despite his comments to the contrary.

“Sure,” she said, “people lie.”

*

Freelance writer Michael Ordona contributed to this story.