Rosa Brooks: Was Kerry right?

LA Times ^ | Nov 3,2006 | Rosa Brooks

[Neoliberalnot]

The military isn't full of poor, uneducated kids, but it doesn't look anything like America. November 3, 2006 SINCE John Kerry "botched" a joke and implied that those without education "get stuck in Iraq," political leaders from both parties have been piously describing U.S. troops as valiant young Einsteins in desert camouflage. But deep down, a lot of them probably think Kerry is right.

If those grunts were half as smart as members of Congress, they'd be on Capitol Hill getting sucked up to by lobbyists instead of sucking up dust in Baghdad's bloody alleys — right? Demographically, the military is profoundly different from civilian society. It's drawn disproportionately from households in rural areas, for one thing. For another, the South and Southwest are substantially overrepresented within the military, while the Northeast is dramatically underrepresented.

Compared to civilians, members of the military are significantly more religious, and they're also far more likely to be Republicans. A 2005 Military Times poll found that 56% of military personnel described themselves as Republicans, and only 13% described themselves as Democrats. Nationwide, most polls suggest that people who define themselves as Democrats outnumber those defining themselves as Republicans.

[Neoliberalnot]

Sometimes a poorly educated reporter finds an acorn of truth. Today's military is the best ever. This article reveals the real reasons the RAT party and their leftists allies what to prevent military personnel from voting.

[YellowRoseofTx]

A couple of other truths come through: (broken down by Republican and dimocraps)
The South has more citizens who love God and country more than in the North. The South has citizens who are braver, willing to serve, fight and die for what they hold dear than in the North.
I'm not commenting on the good northern Republicans and moderate Democrats.
Boy, I hope I worded this the way I meant it to come across.

[onyx]

Not to worry. You're right!

[Luke21]

It's ironic that Jim Webb, of all people, summed up what you are saying in "Born Fighting," his history of the Scotch-Irish people, who settled in the south.

[marvlus]

Define North. I assume you are referring to the Northeast part of the country, not the Midwest.

[sport]

John Kerry has never in his life been right.

[Lokibob]

For that matter, NYC and LA don't look anything like average America.

[edpc]

Demographically, the military is profoundly different from civilian society. It's drawn disproportionately from households in rural areas, for one thing. For another, the South and Southwest are substantially overrepresented within the military, while the Northeast is dramatically underrepresented.

Compared to civilians, members of the military are significantly more religious, and they're also far more likely to be Republicans.

This isn't even a veiled swipe at members of the armed forces. Let's draw one major truth from this pap above:

"Rural", "Southern", "Religious" people (read conservatives) VOLUNTEER TO SERVE THIS NATION AND A HIGHER PURPOSE.

"Urban", "Northeastern", "Agnostic/Atheist" people...or liberals....just want to take and stand on the shoulders of others who they believe should provide for them.

If that's not a clear-cut definition of the two ideologies, I don't know what would be......

[DBrow]

Some people love America and some don't.

Also, in the Northeaast, they listen to John Lennon's "Imagine" and wish it were true, while elsewhere it's a lesson in stupidity everyone learns.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

This writer obviously has had little connection with the military. 97% of the officer corps in the Army have college degrees, and a majority of NCOs have either a college degree or associates degree.
The culture in the South fosters a connection to the military. Many southern states have colleges or Universities that are military academies or have a strong military (ROTC) program: VMI, The Citadel, North Georgia, Texas A&M.
Another point that many in this country don't understand. The South as a whole (11 states of the original confederacy) has a higher standard of living than the rest of the country. We do have a couple of states that are below the norm (LA and Miss), but Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Va, Florida, NC and SC are above. I read this in an article in "The Economist" a couple of years ago.

[Rodm]

Yeah, If they were really smart they would be at the LATimes picking their noses! ha

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You summed it up nicely.

[YellowRoseofTx]

Define North. I assume you are referring to the Northeast part of the country, not the Midwest.

No, I was not referring to the Midwest. Sorry, I didn't specify Northeast and Northwest....just assumed that was understood.

[Neoliberalnot]

Sorry I won't be able to respond to mostly, fine freepers, on this issue. I am required to go to Montreal (not my first choice) for a meeting today and will return Wednesday. I am from the Midwest and I can assure you most people here have little in common with the jokers in the NE and NW. I know there are good people in these sections, but it seems their politics and media are dominated by limo-liberals and the like.

[kellynch]

That was an outstanding book. It's a real shame he's left the fold.

[KC_Conspirator]

This is a very condescending article, written by a hate-America liberal, filled with half-truths.

[pray4liberty]

Talk about a coverup hit piece FOR Kerry and a thinly veiled contempt for our military cloaked in superfluous language.

I suppose some people will try to make lemonade out of that lemon. You can't blame them for trying. IF the military is indeed made up of the poor, uneducated and unknown, maybe the failure for them being "stupid" is not the military but the liberal's other sacred-cow, the failing public education system itself.

These kids do, after all, graduate from somewhere. So which is it?

[Anti-Bubba182]

Rosa Brooks

[Toby06]

This New England yankee (conservative, veteran) agrees with you.

[Stashiu]

I recall some liberals calling Pennsylvania as Pittsburgh on one end, Philadelphia on the other, and Alabama in between. I take that as a compliment. It is the large urban areas that drag the Commonwealth down.