Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to Depends on where I walk.

re: Depends on where I walk.
azstrummer — (archived)

Tom, if you continue calling me a "liberal" I will refer to you forever more as a "bonehead". I have some liberal views but some conservative views as well and I hate damned labels. That said, given the preponderance of corruption, greed, and avarice we're seeing out of so called conservatives these days, if I had to choose one of the two labels, "liberal" would make me sleep better at night.

I'm fully aware we have an all volunteer army and that there is no draft but I also have a brain cell working still to tell me that the Army is not the first employment choice of many of the members. Many economically depressed people would much rather be brain surgeons or stock brokers than staring down a rifle barrel or mincemeat on a Baghdad street corner but that's hardly an option. For many the military is their only choice to move ahead in life and for many, that teenage perceived invulnerability gives them the impression that it's just going to happen to someone else. I'd guess that almost nobody that joins the military believes they're going to get killed doing it. I certainly didn't when I went in.

I'd also guess a majority of the present volunteer military enlisted after 9/11 with eyes on revenge in Afghanistan against Osama and company and had no clue their enlistment would lead them to Iraq. A person without compassion for natural human gullibility could easily make the case that you do, that they signed up for the risk so they need to bear the burden of whatever misadventure the administration sends them into. That's a pretty cold heart Tom and I'd hope it brings you pause when you look into a mirror. These are young human lives you're talking about not just cannon fodder.

You'll just never get it will you.

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