Hi guys. I just recieved this e-mail today from one of my closest friends.
Names have been changed to protect the innocent. (Joe Smoe is her Boyfriend, and NutNut the Fluff Nugget is her little brother.)
I of course told not to go, and that I defenatly wouldn’t be tagging along. I also told her some things about the draft and Antrax to try and calm her down. I told her that there is no draft right now, and the fact that she is neither famous, nor a postal worker makes the likelyhood of her catching Antrax very rare. I didn’t have any cites to back up my words. I ,of course, being the idiot that I am told her that I would get her actual information (not word of mouth) to back up what I said. Well, I just tried to find some valid info on The Draft, and Antrax and I couldn’t find anything useful. I went to Snopes.com and I couldn’t find anything useful there, and all got from Google was stuff about the draft of Vietnam which doesn’t really apply. Everything I found on Antrax would have just made her more scared. If you guys could please help me find some legit information on either of these to subjects, I would be eternally graetful. Thank you.
She is one of my best friends, and while I don’t really agree with her point of view about our counrty, I just try to keep in mind that she is a 17 year old girl who has had a lousy life and doesn’t really understand what’s going on. If you were seventeen and you thought your boyfriend was going to have to fight (and possible die) in a war you felt you had nothing to do with, I imagine that you would feel the same way. She is like a sister to me and I really don’t want her to go.
Sorry, I have nothing to offer. On the contrary rather, Demo and I live in Santa Rosa and have been scoping out Mexico for the past few months. (note: Our reasons are not political in the slightest, we just want to hang out on the beach with margaritas)
People move out of this country all of the time. It’s really not a big deal. I’m sure you worry for your friend, and I think giving her some cons to moving is an excellent idea, as it should be thought out and looked at from all aspects, but in the end if she decides it’s in her best interest, then wish her luck and keep in touch.
Lynn has posted a board-wide announcement listing links to reputable information regarding anthrax at the top of each forum. click here.
There have been a lot of articles in our media lately about people reacting to current events in ways which are out of proportion to the actual risk. My observation has been that this reaction has been most common among people who are getting their information from the tabloid media, and who are spending large amounts of time looking for new information. Apparently our own immigration service has been swamped by people wanting to move here because Australia is perceived as being a safer place than the US right now.
There have been a great many counselling services set up here to help people deal with their anxiety regarding the events of September 11 and its aftermath. I recall reading that many such services have also been established in the US, and I’m sure someone will be along soon with some specific links to them. I would encourage your friend to make use of those services, as I suspect that right now she’s feeling incredibly unsafe and wants to do something, anything, to make herself feel that her safety and that of the people she loves is within her control and not that of the terrorists. I’m pretty sure these counsellors will be able to suggest some less extreme strategies for feeling safe than a reactive move across the border.
There is certainly no need for the introduction of conscription at this stage, and I doubt very much that if it was to be re-introduced there’d be no warning that such a move was coming. It sounds to me like your friend is feeding her own fears. Encourage her to get professional help to break that downward spiral.
I am not so worried about her moving, that’s not really what’s bothering me about her plans. What’s bothering me is that she is only 17 (she’ll be 18 by then) and she doesn’t have very much money. I can totally see her moving to Mexico, getting there, and saying “Uh…we’re here. What should we do now?” One of the reasons I suggested she move-in with me in Santa Rosa, is because I can at least help her with the planning and preparing her for moving out of her house. I know I am not her mother, but I do worry about her, she isn’t exactly well known for her planning skills. If i can’t get her to change her mind, I will at least try to help her get ready to go.
reprise Lynn’s post was actually the first place I went for the info, but both links said things about Antrax being Deadly if not caught in time, and didn’t really metion how rare it was or how easy it is to cure. I really don’t want to send her anything like that because it would just scare her more. Those counsling service sound like a good idea though. Maybe I could try that.
If she feels this way about this country, then go, you know the saying, Love it, or leave it.
My dad fought in WWII, and was a POW for the last 4 months of the war in Germany. He, and millions others like him fought to preserve the freedoms, that she seems to be taking for granted.
If she thinks that life in Mexico, is going to be anything like the life she lives now, then she is in for a big surprise.
To anyone else who wants to advise me to let her go just becuase you don’t like what she said about our country, thanks for the advice, but that’s not what I asked for. I was asking for advice that might help me bring legitimate information to her so that she could make a more advised decision. I am not going to let one of my best friends go into a bad situation just because she called my country a POS. There are more important things then whether or not a teenager likes her country. So could you please keep your negative advice to yourself. Thank You.
What!? Our beloved friend is moving to Mexico with Joe Shmoe!!!
Ack! Something has got to be done about this!
Well, I happen to know her Shera and I will tell you right now, don’t worry too much about it. You know her. She makes these rash plans, but they never end up happening. She may make plans (well ideas) to go to Mexico, but when push comes to shove I honestly don’t think that anything will come of it. I still think that you should look for these cites though, because she does need to know the facts, just like every person needs to be well informed.
[sub]Joe Shmoe! That SHMOE! Ack, I will have to put a stop to this[/sub]
A lot of 17 year olds want to run away from home, and there’s no reason to trash her for that. I am not defending anyone who calls the United States a POS country (neither should we be trashing Mexico). But some kids just don’t understand or appreciate what they have at home with their families, schools, and even their country.
But to give some practical advice, you can’t just go to another country on a whim. You must have paperwork, permits, and other such things, or you will just be an “illegal” immigrant; with no access to health care, or no adequate legal representation in case she is accused of a crime. Mexico certainly is no kinder to undocumented Americans than the Border Patrol is to undocumented Mexico, if anything she can expect a much rougher time.
If she wants to live like that, let her, as I also have a “love it or leave it” philosophy. It is not negative criticism on anyone’s part. Most of us Americans are here because our ancestors just got fed up with where they were and wanted to try their luck somewhere new. Of course, that didn’t trash their homelands in doing so…If someone wants to respectfully bid farewell to America, let them go.
At this time, yes, it is important about how she feels about her, my, country. But, I won’t get into that right now.
You want information, advice, help in trying to sway her to stay.
Try the Center for Disease Control Website here to get some info on anthrax, and any other diseases that she may be concerned about.
The draft is a moot point because there is no draft, and that is why you couldn’t find anything on the current draft.
Although an 18 year old male must register, the likelyhood for a draft is not very probable right now.
I thought you might find this article interesting. It seems your friend is not alone in her concern.
A couple of points made in the article strike a cord for me. I grew up in an agricultural area and thus have always had an awareness of anthrax. I grew up at a time when people were routinely vaccinated for smallpox. The Vietnam war happened during my childhood.
For many young people, this is the first real encounter they’ve had with threats over which they have little or no control - they don’t know how to cope with something like this. When I hear a young person saying “my country is a POS”, what I hear is “why can’t my country keep me safe from these kind of events and this kind of fear?”. A whole generation has been able to take the security of their nation for granted; we shouldn’t be surprised that they don’t know how to deal with something which has always been a “given” in their life being threatened.
No, Shera, I don’t want to cast your friend aside. As Rick said, maybe an excursion to Mexico without any money or plans will have an enlightening effect on her - if she lives through it.
And that’s the part you’re concerned about. And that’s good; you’re a good friend for her to have. You can see the abject foolishness of her words and plan, such as it is. Anthrax info and Selective Service info has been offered up. Clue her into it.
And like it or not, it’s not a war she has nothing to do with. She is the target of Al-Qaeda, and if she won’t resist she is already lost.
I just want to thank you guys for the links, I have sent them to her, and I think they will have a good affect on her decision. I also hope that she will realize that running away isn’t the anwser. I have done what I can. Thanks:)
