# Hey all you right-wing “patriots”, where are you now that the Guard needs you to help **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601 "2004-12-19T04:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leroy\_the\_mule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6a8cbe/32.png) [@leroy\_the\_mule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leroy_the_mule)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/1 "2004-12-19T04:06:25Z")
Jeez, would ya believe it–the National Guard has [recruitment problems](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002122338_guard17.html)! > [@](#): > > The National Guard has faced recruitment and retention problems since last summer. It fell 7,000 short of its target of 350,000 members in September and has struggled since then. The Guard’s recruiting problem compounds those of the Army Reserve, which also has failed to meet its goals for the past two months. Together, the two branches of the Army make up 40 percent of the 140,000 American troops now serving in Iraq. After all the flag-waving we saw this summer, and millions of votes cast for our Fearless Misleader, I wonder why we don’t see millions of you war-lovers lining up to spill blood and kill in Iraq. Bunch of chicken hypocrites. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/2 "2004-12-19T04:11:47Z")
So in voting for Bush and having pride in my country, I am obligated to join the National Guard? How would you feel if I said in voting for Kerry, you must be a tree hugging, gay, French hippee that wants to kill my babies? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/3 "2004-12-19T04:14:26Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > So in voting for Bush and having pride in my country, I am obligated to join the National Guard? How would you feel if I said in voting for Kerry, you must be a tree hugging, gay, French hippee that wants to kill my babies? Well, I can’t change my ethnicity. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/4 "2004-12-19T04:18:55Z")
Huh. So nowadays, soldiers who reach the end of their tours just leave the army, rather than signing up for the Guard like they normally would. Whoda guessed that? ---
**Author:** ![leroy\_the\_mule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6a8cbe/32.png) [@leroy\_the\_mule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leroy_the_mule)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/5 "2004-12-19T04:38:03Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > So in voting for Bush and having pride in my country, I am obligated to join the National Guard? How would you feel if I said in voting for Kerry, you must be a tree hugging, gay, French hippee that wants to kill my babies? What do you have “pride” in? Sitting in front of TV on your lazy ass, watching someone else’s children die? I am a hetero American redneck dirt farmer and chainsaw guy who sees no shame in someone being French, gay, a hippie, or hugging trees. I do see shame in you expecting someone else to do something (i.e. kill or die) which you personally would not do. ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/6 "2004-12-19T04:44:44Z")
So what makes me worse than yourself? Did you vote for Kerry, a man who said he would NOT pull troops out of Iraq? Pride in my country != me being happy about Americans dying. And I DON’T have a problem with someone being a hippee, gay, French, or a tree hugger. I was purposefully being stereotypical to show how idiotic your comments were. And how am I lazy? I work 40 hours a week, go to college full time and workout 4 days a week. I’d say I spend less than 2 hours a day “sitting on my lazy ass”. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/7 "2004-12-19T04:50:07Z")
I’m in the fucking Guard. In fact, I did some time in Iraq, I’ve been deployed to various places for at least six months of my three years, I volunteered to go back to Iraq and was shot down by my commander, I would go back in a heartbeat if I could, I’ve been shot at in my 16 combat missions, and I just now got off duty from carrying a gun and walking the line because we’re so short on people. How about you, hero? Be careful who’s credentials you’re questioning, lest someone turn it back on you. Ass. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/8 "2004-12-19T04:54:12Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > How about you, hero? Be careful who’s credentials you’re questioning, lest someone turn it back on you. Ass. The point was not that there are not any patriots like yourself. The point was that there are far more conservative hawks than there are volunteers for the Guard. Why is that? ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/9 "2004-12-19T04:56:13Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > The point was not that there are not any patriots like yourself. The point was that there are far more conservative hawks than there are volunteers for the Guard. Why is that? Why is it that people feel that I, a person who votes Republican based on fiscal policy, am obligated to join that National Guard? ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/10 "2004-12-19T05:04:30Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > Why is it that people feel that I, a person who votes Republican based on fiscal policy, am obligated to join that National Guard? Fiscal policy? What, are you in favor of deficits? Do you like seeing the dollar fall to all time lows against the Yen and the Euro? ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/11 "2004-12-19T05:09:42Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Fiscal policy? What, are you in favor of deficits? Do you like seeing the dollar fall to all time lows against the Yen and the Euro? Of course I don’t like deficits. The weak dollar is a mixed bag, but really doesn’t bother me. Anything to give less incentive to outsource jobs is good for me. I do, however, love the opportunity to keep some of the significant amount of money taken from my paycheck for SS. Bush is actually getting the ball rolling on this issue, so I feel my vote was well placed. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/12 "2004-12-19T05:09:43Z")
Oh, I get it. Because you vote for a person you automatically have to support and participate in every thing that person does. After all, a vote means 100% commitment, doesn’t it? I hate to use this sort of crude language, but it’s the only thing that suits in this case. This thread is really fucking stupid. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/13 "2004-12-19T05:13:52Z")
So everyone who voted for Bush has to go join the Guard? 😕 How are the recruitment rates for the other branches of the military? Maybe the Guard is lower because everyone who’s joining up is picking the Army or Marines. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/14 "2004-12-19T05:20:09Z")
No, the Guard is down because nobody believes that it’s “one weekend a month, two weeks a year” anymore. They know that they’ll go to Iraq. And the reality is that nobody wants to go to Iraq, except for people like me, and my motivations are different. I’m motivated by the men that are over there risking their lives while I am home, and I am shamed by it. I want to be with my people. That doesn’t change the fact that behind the coziness of his computer, jackhole up there has the nerve to insinuate that I am a “chicken hypocrite”. That may be the worst case of pot and kettle I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![leroy\_the\_mule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6a8cbe/32.png) [@leroy\_the\_mule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leroy_the_mule)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/15 "2004-12-19T05:21:02Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > Why is it that people feel that I, a person who votes Republican based on fiscal policy, am obligated to join that National Guard? Don’t pretend that you are a Republican who does not support the war. You are trying to dodge the point–you supported the war, and you want someone else to fight it for you. I say your position has no integrity. > [@Airman Doors](#): > > I just now got off duty from carrying a gun and walking the line because we’re so short on people. I respect a person doing what they believe in, even if their fair-weather friends have abandoned them. > [@Airman Doors](#): > > How about you, hero? Be careful who’s credentials you’re questioning, lest someone turn it back on you. Ass. I don’t question credentials, I question the personal integrity of people who talk one way and walk another way. I never claimed to be a hero. As far as this discussion goes, my only credentials are publicly protesting the build-up to war for many months in late 2002/ early 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/16 "2004-12-19T05:21:19Z")
Wow. A thread that starts off as a train wreck! ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/17 "2004-12-19T05:26:44Z")
> [@leroy\_the\_mule](#): > > Don’t pretend that you are a Republican who does not support the war. You are trying to dodge the point–you supported the war, and you want someone else to fight it for you. I say your position has no integrity. I am registered as an independent, and I think we went to war prematurely with a country that ended up not being a threat. But I certainly won’t condemn it as I feel some good can come from it. You still haven’t answered my question: Did you vote for Kerry? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/18 "2004-12-19T05:32:14Z")
Of course he did, unless he went Nader or Badnarik. I am also a registered independent and I voted Kerry. I’m not sure why that matters, though. Is it because Kerry said that he wouldn’t withdraw? Realistically speaking, there’s no way that Kerry could have withdrawn. We have to see this thing through, one way or the other. Otherwise, all we would have done was light the powder keg over there. Right now we still have some control over the fuse. I think Kerry knew that, so he took a responsible position on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/19 "2004-12-19T05:32:30Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > That doesn’t change the fact that behind the coziness of his computer, jackhole up there has the nerve to insinuate that I am a “chicken hypocrite”. That may be the worst case of pot and kettle I have ever seen. Are you having reading comprehension problems? The OP clearly is talking about war supporters who could volunteer but somehow don’t. You, obviously, did and have actually been over there. You aren’t one of the cowards he is denigrating. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601/20 "2004-12-19T05:33:43Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > Why is it that people feel that I, a person who votes Republican based on fiscal policy, am obligated to join that National Guard? Do you support the invasion and occupation of Iraq? If not, then you are not a hawk, conservative or otherwise. If you do, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and enlist? Your forefathers did in WWII; would they be proud of you today? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-right-wing-patriots-where-are-you-now-that-the-guard-needs-you-to-help/280601.md?page=2)