My Heart on the Line

the Washington Post ^ | November 26, 2002 | Frank Schaeffer

[MudPuppy]

Before my son became a Marine, I never thought much about who was defending me. Now when I read of the war on terrorism or the coming conflict in Iraq, it cuts to my heart. When I see a picture of a member of our military who has been killed, I read his or her name very carefully. Sometimes I cry.

[MudPuppy]

The shock factor here is that it was printed in the Washington Post newspaper. Great read however, and points to one of the major disconnects in our country today.

[MudPuppy]

for your reading enjoyment.

Semper fi!

[aBootes]

Good read. This man has finally discovered something important in life. Marine Bump.

[knarf]

My son is 16.
I've initiated military conversation and he is thinking.

I was Army, Signal Corps in Korea (peacetime), but I don't care which branch he might choose.

This is a good article for patriotic parents of sons.

Where was the mass of young men at the recruiting offices on September 12th?

right.

And it will all come back to us, Dads because of our talk or lack of it, at the supper table.

[Bahbah]

"Have we wealthy and educated Americans all become pacifists? Is the world a safe place? Or have we just gotten used to having somebody else defend us?"

Yes. His son must be one heck of a guy.

[AnAmericanMother]

Amazing that some people fail to understand the basic truth that we all depend on the "few good men" to defend us.

I'm glad this fellow has seen the light, but I wonder where this man's father was in 1942-1945. Those of us with fathers who served (and some but fewer mothers too) never did forget our obligations to our country.

The other thing that struck me immediately is that he writes like a woman. (I am a woman, but I've been trained to write like a man, at least for publication.) I thought the piece WAS written by a woman, and a weepy emotional one at that, until I looked back at the byline. That tells me something about where this guy's head is at, I'm just not sure what or where.

[Soaring Feather]

Wonderful read! Thanks much!

The shock factor here is that it was printed in the Washington Post newspaper.

Indeed!!!

My uncle did boot camp at Paris Island WWII and my brother 1950s.
Semper fi!

[OldFriend]

When I was discussing my son's desire to serve in the military a friend looked at me and said, none of my brothers ever served, that's for the 'lower' classes.

That statement sickens me to this day and it must be about ten years since she uttered those ignorant views.

[SES1066]

These father and son authors were the speakers on a C-SPAN / Book-TV program over the past weekend. Excellent show and the son was wearing his dress blues and looked SHARP.

While I like the all-volunteer military greatly, this article illustrates one of the losses from the old military draft days. It was a social class mixer that gave an entire age group a mutual experience. In the barracks and the showers, all wore khaki and skin, not ghetto rags on one and Bill Blass Blazers on another. Any number of Hollywood movies dwelt on the cameradrie built between the Brooklyn argot and the Texas Twang.

This article well illustrates the void that the absent draft left. Now these prosperous liberals see interior America as fly-over country and ghetto blacks see white oppression [carefully taught]. This is not only classism rising but also self segregation into insular mind-sets. A familiar complaint about 'limousine liberals' is that they talk only to other such liberals and that only reinforces their biases and blinders.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

My son has accepted an offer from an Air National Guard "air squadron"? -- I don't even know the correct lingo. I know that he has always wanted this, and, even as a conservative, I came to distrust, not the military, but the people who sent the men of my generation to Vietnam and then refused to let them win. I've been angry about that ever since, and angry about the way those men were treated when they managed to come home.

So, as a mom, I'm feeling a little of what this dad is feeling for his son.

Good article. Especially from the Post.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

A weird man, this writer. He writes like a hippie yet he's the editor of a Greek Orthodox newspaper called The Christian Activist.

[Bug]

So much about liberals is revealed in this short essay. The word "think", in the form of thought, makes but a single appearance, and the author informs us that he hasn't thought. "Feel" is used 3 times. Note the liberal prejudice embodied in the statements "But aren't the Marines terribly Southern?" or in "What a waste, he was such a good student,". What a waste? A good student willing to defend YOU from our enemies?

[MudPuppy]

he may be weird but he's obviously raised his son Right.
:)
Ohh-Rah.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Excellent read PING!

[dakine]

That is how the liberals in D.C. area view the military, as lower class, especially the enlisted.

[Wright is right!]

"he may be weird but he's obviously raised his son Right."

It appears that he's either INADVERTENTLY raised his son well, or that he's raised his son well in spite of himself - with perhaps some overlap to boot.

And yes, the guy DOES write like a girl. The piece has a "tea-room" feel to it.

Michael

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[pgyanke]

Another thought... how many times do we have to hear that the Demo-nuts are for the little guy and the Republicans are the party of the rich? This article demonstrates the mind-set so clearly:

1) Liberals are "above" military service and see the military as for the "lower" classes

2) Conservatives are about patriotism and service and see no disconnect

The longer we, as a nation, continue to elect elitist jerks to positions of power, the longer we stay divided in a class system forged by them. The lower classes love America for the opportunity to succeed. The elite fear America because their position is attainable by others... and, therefore, not so elite.

[Cold Heat]

Thanks for the ping Tonk.

I recall similar sentiments from parents in 68. I also saw the same things about race relations as this author related.

[ladtx]

Yes. His son must be one heck of a guy.

I would wager his son has a brighter future than some of the others in his high school class. He has a greater understanding of this country and its roots and knows what must be done. Too bad more of Frank Shaeffers ilk have not had this revelation.