My Son and War

Painfully typed in from the American Legion Magazine, Vol, 156, No. 1, pp. 30-31 | January 2004 | Frank Schaeffer

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

My husband served in the Marine Corps in the early 80's and served in Beirut. He gets furious when he hears parents of active duty personnel complaining about what their children are doing. He says it would have to be such a humiliating and depressing situation for the child.

Kind of a slap in their face I would think.......

[Burkeman1]

Thanks. But you fight for nothing but government salaries that we pay for.

[Burkeman1]

And the men in Iraq are not ensuring my or your saftey. And I will take the job of my families safety on myself. Sorry- don't need you state lover.

[kid_in_kc]

ping

[xsrdx]

But you fight for nothing but government salaries that we pay for.

Usama Bin Ladin thanks you for your unwavering support of the "Keep America Gutless" program.

[Fawnn]

And I will take the job of my families safety on myself.

Just how many families do you have?

[sauropod]

It is certainly unpatriotic military parents that go over to Iraq trying to undermine the morale of our troops that are stationed there.

That was the point of the article I posted.

[sauropod]

That's right. I had (momentarily) forgotten that. Perhaps someone (maybe Taxman?) could read it at the rally?

[sauropod]

"To oppose this war is to be Patriotic! To support it is to be a sycophant of government and tyranny!"

I do not agree with your characterization. Not at all.

[sauropod]

Cool!

[Burkeman1]

And?

[xsrdx]

Sorry- don't need you state lover.

Indeed, I am very fond of Texas. Virginia and Colorado are nice also.

You should talk to the Kerry campaign about a job as National Security Advisor. I'm sure he'd be impressed with your "Conflict Avoidance Through Cowardice" doctrine.

[jigsaw]

The Marine Corps most likely saved my life.

Dear Lurker,

You and the Marine Corps are saving our lives, every day!

Thank you!

[armymarinedad]

Yeah- conscription is great! Try and get me or my sons for your army and wars.

I must agree with you a draft is a bad idea and my sons agree. They are warriors,airborne infantry and marine infantry. The last thing they want next to them is a coward that doesn't want to be there. So don't worry Jody they will take care of your freedom. They will also get the girls back when they return.

[MEG33]

Bravo and Amen!

God bless our armed forces.I thank them for their service to our country.

[Burkeman1]

Right. Keep believing that Kerry is a real alternative to Bush. He is going to change Iraq policy how? He is going to incrrease government? Gee? More than Bush has already? What a choice we have. A socialist and a socialist. And they wonder why few of us vote?

[sauropod]

Well, let me try to explain my reasoning here. First, you should know that I am an evangelical Christian. Thus, I do believe there is a higher law (the Bible) than the Constitution.

Because of this, i do believe that forcefully intervening to stop wholesale slaughter of innocent people is justified. When we do, I believe that is following Jesus's will. America is great because she is good. On the other hand, nobody intervened in Rwanda to their everlasting shame. Or Cambodia. Or a number of other hellholes.

I don't believe in intervening when two sides are slaughtering each other (Bosnia). A pox on both their houses.

I come from the place that believes we will all be accountable for our actions one day to God. I do not want to stand in front of Him and have him say, "why did you not do anything to stop this?"

Now, I have never been a servicemember, but I do work for one of the services in a civilian capacity (not gonna say which one.). I consider my work to be a form of service as I do my activism.

Sheltonmac can verify that I am no bushbot. Normally, I might agree with your point of view in terms of being what some call "uber-Conservative", but not after hearing Aziz Al-Taee speak of quite a few cousins (maybe two dozen?) being murdered by Saddam, the body of one of them being delivered to his front door in a bag along with a bill for the bullets.

I am sorry for your loss. I (intellectually) understand your bitterness, but since I have not lost any family member in war (at least not since the Civil War), I cannot claim to completely understand it on an emotional level. There but for the grace of God go i.

Hope this explanation helps. 'Pod

[Joee]

Just for the record, I was a CO of a Company in the 7th Marines, under Harry Ass Truman, President. Speaking of being short on gear, I had only 14 complete rifle sights in the whole Infantry Company. Only half the troops had armored vests. We frequently rotated chow lines so everyone would get a full tray at least once a day. The sleeping bags were of summer issue, which required as many blankets on top as one could midnight survey.

I also recall major equipment shortages in Vietnam, under LBJ. I suspect there will shortages of gear the next war also, and the next, especially if we have Democrooks running the country.

[sauropod]

"What a choice we have. A socialist and a socialist."

I agree with that. I am very, very unhappy with W.'s domestic policies generally.