My Son and War

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

[MEG33]

Go Navy!

[rdb3]

We talked about West Point and Annapolis, but he decided he wanted to go to college and ROTC. He got an early acceptance into the program, then he selected a school.

At ease!

That soldier of yours better put his knees in the breeze while or after completing his commission.

Then head straight to Ft. Bragg, NC. Is that understood?

Carry on.

;-)

[gogipper]

You left off this part...

War Is Peace
Freedom Is Slavery
Ignorance Is Strength
Big Brother Is Watching You

[sheltonmac]

Forgive me if I sound narrow-minded, but I have never understood how one can swear an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States" and then willingly obey the orders of those "domestic" enemies of the Constitution in Washington. Shouldn't the oath take precedence over the whim of some politician?

[rdb3]

Shouldn't the oath take precedence over the whim of some politician?

Go ahead. Be enlisted and try it. Watch what happens.

[Cacique]

btfl

[Radix]

It seems that burkeman1 might be off of his meds once again. These things sometimes become evident out here.

Oh yes, I can just about guarantee you that he has no idea in the world who Jody is.

Please don't mind my tag line, it is a secret message to a special woman.

[sauropod]

I don't know who Jody is either ;0). Care to explain?

[Radix]

Jody stays home, lives the good life, gets the girl, and all the other benefits of freedom, while the Troops go off and protect the ungrateful son of a bitch.

There are many mentions of Jody in Army cadence songs. That is about as succint as I can make it.

[trussell]

You cheapen the bravery and sacrifice of our men and boys who are fighting for our safety!!

To all the FReepers with husbands/wives, sons/daughters, and other family or friends who are fighting for our protection, I am sorry you have to see this level of hatred for what they are trying to do.

[sauropod]

Got it. Ty.

[Radix]

Incidentally, I meant to thank you for posting the article. Every once in a while I come across something that is not available on line. Typing is simply not my forte. I appreciate that it took you some effort. Thanks.

[u-89]

>You cheapen the bravery and sacrifice of our men and boys who are fighting for our safety!!

Your statement assumes that our fighting forces are always fighting for our safety. Perhaps that is why most signed up but that does not mean our politicians have honorable intentions and many people see great fault, ulterior motives and even malice in our foreign policy.

[Valin]

Thank you so much for being such a consistently moral midget.

[Valin]

"There has been a 'disconnect' between the men and women who defend our nation and those who are the beneficiaries of that service."

It's not just among the elite. Where I work there are 24 people...4 vets.

[VOA]

bump for publicity

[Colt .45]

No, we don't have a corner on patriotism. However, my feelings come from the abuses suffered in 1974 to 1978. I have seen the all the things you mentioned and congratulate those who have the courage to leave their couches and protest in the streets. But we, who have left home and family behind to go off to some foreign dungheap to fight for your freedom to leave said couch and protest, know more of what the cost of that freedom entails. So I really don't care whether you "buy" the fact that my skepticism is real or not. If you haven't served in the military, you really don't know.

[sauropod]

Still not buying it. I may not personally served in the military, but I know quite a few who did and still do, and further, have been working for a Service in a civilian capacity for 16 years now on weapons systems for you guys to use.

I don't really care about your skepticism. I know that what I do is right and appreciated by others that serve their country and not quite so arrogant as you.

[optimistically_conservative]

Haiti disbanded their military. Might I suggest that you would be more comfortable there?

[armymarinedad]

Shouldn't the oath take precedence over the whim of some politician?

It does. That is why they go when sent. The military doesn't decide when to go to war. Under the Constitution the politicians we elect do. They are just following the Constitution. So don't blame the soldiers or the politicians. We elect them so the blame is in our mirrors.