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This War
Wed Mar 21 2007

I try not to get political in here or in my every day life too often, unless something comes up that really steams my broccoli. Something like this happened yesterday.

A person at my son's orthodontist clinic was complaining about This War, and that our soldiers were being forced to go fight just like during Viet Nam. The person making these statements was not alive during the Viet Nam times, and was barely old enough to have memories of Desert Storm, but she was making these claims as if she had complete knowledge of the circumstances of both. When she went as far as to state that she was totally against the Draft and sending our folks off to fight for our government, and just like our people that were drafted for Viet Nam and Desert Storm, it was wrong that they were being Drafted now for This War.

I couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

I pointed out to her that while young men are still required to sign up for selective service, the Draft hasn’t been used since 1973. Our Soldiers that were being forced to go fight this war had ALL enlisted voluntarily. There are not any members of any of our military forces who have been forced to join.

Do they want to go to war? Probably not. Oh, there are some who joined for the sole purpose to go fight for what they believe in, but there are many who join hoping they don’t have to. Despite this, they all joined voluntarily.

For those who oppose this war, carry around banners and signs demanding that our troops be brought home now, remember please that they are all volunteers who knew that the potential existed that they would be sent off to war. Knowing this, they still VOLUNTEERED to join the military. Don't presume to speak for them.

Oh, another thing, for those who chose to protest in Seattle at a time that was guaranteed to cause traffic problems? I guarantee that you did not sway any of the commuters over to your point of view by making them sit in traffic for longer than they usually do so.

4 Comments
  • From:
    Toxicepiphany (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Mar 21 2007
    My uncle has been in the Marines since he graduated from high school. He's had multiple opportunities to get out. He is now in his mid-40s, and is still active. He has been to Iraq, and still supports what we are doing over there (though at this point, he would not want to go back because he wants to stay with his daughter and soon-to-be wife), but I'm sure if they needed him again...he'd go.
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Mar 21 2007
    The best thing about being a grandparent is sending the kids back to their parents.

    When I observed Megan and Rena going toe-to-toe, Megan looked at me and asked: Payback? My response was a grin and "Yep!"

    About "This War," I'm opposed to it. We shouldn't have been there in the first place. And, yes, they VOLUNTEERED, knowing full well that they might go into battle and hoping they wouldn't. G-d bless and protect them all!!

    I remember WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and now Afganistan and Iraq. I dearly hope there won't be an Iran!

    Shalom
  • From:
    BakeACake (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Mar 22 2007
    I agree with you about the war. This war is bad...all war is bad. We all know this.

    As for LOST, I was totally SHOCKED when I saw Locke's dad sitting there!!!! That show is OUTRAGEOUS!!! I love it though....Peace!
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Mar 22 2007
    Bless you for speaking up about "This War". I had to smile at your last comment. I had much the same reaction to the protestors in our town the other night. I don't suppose they were actually holding up traffic, but they sure weren't helping matters any if only because they were such a distraction..... come to think of it they were pretty presumptuous too. I wish they would stop and actually listen to those soldiers who have been there. What a different picture they paint.