Warriors and wusses

The Los Angeles Times ^ | January 24, 2006 | Joel Stein, Los Angeles Times

[seanmerc]

Warriors and wusses

I DON'T SUPPORT our troops. This is a particularly difficult opinion to have, especially if you are the kind of person who likes to put bumper stickers on his car. Supporting the troops is a position that even Calvin is unwilling to urinate on.

I'm sure I'd like the troops. They seem gutsy, young and up for anything. If you're wandering into a recruiter's office and signing up for eight years of unknown danger, I want to hang with you in Vegas.

And I've got no problem with other people — the ones who were for the Iraq war — supporting the troops. If you think invading Iraq was a good idea, then by all means, support away. Load up on those patriotic magnets and bracelets and other trinkets the Chinese are making money off of.

But I'm not for the war. And being against the war and saying you support the troops is one of the wussiest positions the pacifists have ever taken — and they're wussy by definition. It's as if the one lesson they took away from Vietnam wasn't to avoid foreign conflicts with no pressing national interest but to remember to throw a parade afterward.

Blindly lending support to our soldiers, I fear, will keep them overseas longer by giving soft acquiescence to the hawks who sent them there — and who might one day want to send them somewhere else. Trust me, a guy who thought 50.7% was a mandate isn't going to pick up on the subtleties of a parade for just service in an unjust war. He's going to be looking for funnel cake.

Besides, those little yellow ribbons aren't really for the troops. They need body armor, shorter stays and a USO show by the cast of "Laguna Beach."

[blackdiamondracer]

I respect this guy for saying what he believes. Many of his fellow democrats just won't admit it. To say you support the troops but you are against what they are doing makes no sense. How can it be reconciled in the liberal's mind?

[Checkers]

Related thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1564299/posts

[stephenjohnbanker]

Okay Star......pass the Maalox... : )

[StarCMC]

Hey there's a thought. Maybe the author is just REEEEALLY constipated a needs some EXLAX!! He he he!

[RBroadfoot]

Unlike most liberals, this one is at least coherent when it comes to expressing his view of the military.

[Hildy]

Listen, please, I beg you people..don't give this guy the response he wants. If you take the time, please read the story on Drudge's page about the new literary fraud. Facinating story...but it comes down to the same thing. Some writers will do anything for attention. And negative attention is sometimes even better for some.

If you click on Stein's bio he admits it. He'll do anything for attention. I've seen this guy on VH-1 shows when the do little commentaries .... and I never knew who he was. Well, now I do. He's just a writer trying to get a name for himself. If you start writing letters, and making a big deal about this, YOU'RE ONLY GIVING HIM THE PUBLICITY HE CRAVES. You're falling into his trap. LET IT GO. People will read this...it's not going to change any minds or hearts. If we let it stand as it is, a pathetic grasp for attention, then he just looks stupid. If you insist on making an big deal of it, just frame it that way, that this is how liberals feel they need to get attention...always negative. But in my so ever humble opinion, don't give this guy any more attention than he's already gotten.

[Toadman]

You're right. Don't give the narcissistic prick the attention he craves. He wants you to notice him, he wants to be considered cute and coy, when all he'll achieve in the long run is to embarrass himself into obscurity.

[Hildy]

bingo....click on his bio...HE ADMITS IT. If you turn on any of those E entertainment show...like the 50 best bodies in Show biz...or Back to the '70's...he's always a commentator. I never knew where they got these people...now I know...they line up at the door because the CRAVE ATTENTION. They think they're funny and insightful...and sometimes they are...but this time... Nope.

[OB1kNOb]

I'm not just any wuss. I'm an elitist enlightened metrosexual pantywaisted wuss.......Myles Crain (from Frazier) is my idol........

[bella1]

Personally, i hope more liberals who in their heart of hearts believes like this guy does, will have the guts to say so. It will only help our side, so to speak.

[mattdono]

I simultaneously found this article appalling yet honest.

All of the premises and conclusions in this article are absolutely appalling. But, at least this guy is saying what all the leftists demoKOOKs in the Senate want to say, but don't have the spine to say (because it threatens their power).

At least when this guy pissing on our leg, he's saying, "No, that's not rain. I'm pissing on your leg." In some strange way, he's more of a man then Ted Kennedy or John Kerry...but, when you think about it, that's not really saying much anyway.

Aall of that considered, this guy is still making the typical leftist argument that we have "no business being in Iraq", when the facts clearly point that we have many reasons to be there.

But, he still is an idiot.