Posted on 07/15/2007 3:36:47 PM PDT by infoguy
The 21-year-old nephew of Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez has enlisted in the Marines, and Lopez isn't happy about it. "Don't become a pawn, I told my nephew," Lopez writes. His column is, "When the reality of Iraq hits home" (Sun., 7/15/07).
Says Lopez:
Some have argued that without a draft, enlisting in this war is a matter of choice, so what happens, happens.
But that's not necessarily true in the case of National Guard troops who have been called up. And as for soldiers as young as my nephew, I don't see enlistment as a well-informed choice but as a product of manipulation.
Not a "well-informed choice"? A "product of manipulation"? At 21 years old? Am I the only one who think this sounds a tad condescending?
So, why did Lopez's nephew join the Marines? Lopez tells us that he has written from boot camp.
"What I want for my life is to stand above the majority," [the nephew] wrote. "I believe in honor, discipline and courage…. I wish to be bigger than myself, to be a part of something more — something important and significant…. I hope that you will understand my reasons for this decision and will continue to support me."
Lopez has a justified worry that his nephew will be deployed to Iraq. Nearly everyone can sympathize with that anxiety. But Lopez claims that President Bush "misled us from the beginning" and "will keep sacrificing lives in a vain and futile attempt to save face." Bush's campaign has been one of "deceit and simplification," says Steve.
"Misled us"? "Deceit"? Ugh. It seems Lopez has bought into the "Bush lied" canard. Being from Los Angeles, Lopez should be well aware of KABC radio host Larry Elder. Lopez needs to take Elder's "'Bush lied, People Died' Challenge." (Scroll down to the lower left of the home page.) It could be that the nephew knows more about the Iraq war than Lopez does.
+_+_+_+_+_+
(P.S. - After reading Lopez's column, I thought of this ... Back in 2005, Californians debated Proposition 73, an initiative that would require minor girls to acquire parental notification before getting an abortion. In an October 2005 column (I found it reprinted here), Lopez talked with a group of high school-aged girls, most of whom were against the initiative. One girl even insisted it was "nobody's business" (Lopez's words) if a 13 or 14 year old had an abortion by herself. Despite misinformation and relativism ruling the discussion, Lopez beamed at the end of the column that he had "much respect" for the girls. Lopez wrote that he hoped his own daughter "will be able to handle herself as responsibly as these girls have." It sounds like these teens have earned more respect from him than his own adult nephew.)
As a parent, I would be scared poopless if one of my sons enlisted. But only as an adult worried for my kin. Now if my kid wrote me that letter, my God, what a man. You have to support that sentiment to the fullest, IMHO.
No, John, you didn't miss a thing. More succintly put than I could have done myself...
the infowarrior
Hmmm.
Why didn't you join at 35 or when you became wiser?
*BEST* way? Nope it's the *ONLY* way...
the infowarrior
Without a doubt we were on the grinder at the same time. Semper Fi
Could it be the positions of people like Lopez?
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MEL’s -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~aloharonnie/
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~anita1/
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“and, i pray to God that america’s enemy within is rooted out and destroyed...”
fat chance with just about half of the population voting them into office. (just wait until heil hillary! wins the presidency. anyone disagreeing with her and her ilk will be considered the enemy within.)
Ditto here.
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Many come out to show war support across land
http://www.post-gazette.com/nation/20030324antiwar0324p7.asp
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Sounds like the “kid” hit a nerve.
It's a good thing I'm not inclined toward envy.
HF
What a fool. I spent 29 years in the Army, and never once thought I was being duped. I, for one, am proud of my service!
WRM, MSgt, USAF (Ret.)
I sure don’t regret my decision to enlist, nor to re-up repeatedly. I do regret getting too old to stay in, but I only knew one way to avoid it, and that didn’t happen...
I think you misspelled the four-letter word for fecal matter, but otherwise, not a thing. ;)
You ought to post this guy’s email address. This is a slap in the face to those wearing a uniform and this guy ought to hear about it.
Mr. Lopez,
Sorry to tell you your nephew did not get manipulated into enlisting. He saw that something needed to be done to protect his family from people who would maim or kill them because they were different, with different beliefs and ways of doing things than theirs. He is a fine young man with a sense of his own worth, and the desire to accept challenges to determine just exactly how far he can go. You have the right to write the drivel you produce because of people like him. Enjoy it, take it seriously, and thank him and his brothers at arms. If they fail, you will lose that right, and probably your head. With the encouragement you’re giving them, you might just want to be concerned about that.
Question for you: Why do you think your nephew was manipulated at his age, but think thirteen and fourteen-year old girls are well-informed enough to choose to have abortions without parental consent? Do you not see how incongruous that is?
Excellent.
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