President George H. Bush in recent interview with Imus:
Sorry, no. To paraphrase the psychologists, nobody can make you obsessed but you. If you have chosen to let yourself be consumed with vitriol for someone you’ve never met to the point where you seriously have lost all perspective, that’s your problem.
Just imagine all the ways Bush has screwed up the country and pissed off the populace in four years of office.
I know, it’s a long list, take your time.
Okay? Now…
…imagine how much more damage he can do if he has another four years – without having to worry about running for re-election again!
Man, that’s some damn scary shit.
I can honestly say that I am truly frightened by the prospect that Bush will win the election tomorrow. Not annoyed, not angered, not unsettled – frightened. Frightened for this country, for the freedoms upon which it is founded that this administration has no qualms about removing, for the “shoot now and ask questions later” method of handling conflict, and for the “we’re a superpower, so agree with us or get out of the way” approach to international affairs.
I’m frightened also for my own future. A few months back, I made an agreement with a friend of mine to go into the U.S. Air Force with him, under the linguisitics program. I’ve talked to various recruiters, and thanks to my SAT and ASVAB scores, I’ve gotten quite an excellent package: two years of linguistics school, during which I’ll learn all manner of interesting and challenging languages, followed by two years of duty assignment of my choice, and 80 college credits for having accomplished this, after which I will get $23,000 to finish college at the school of my choice. I will procede to double-major in Philosophy and Psychology, which will enable me to carry out my long-term future plans.
And all of it hinges on the results of tomorrow’s election. If George W. Bush wins this election, under no circumstances will I even consider going anywhere near the United States military. I cannot and will not place myself and my life at the beck and call of a man whose morality I find questionable at best and despicable at worst. I do not trust Bush to make the best decisions for this country; I certainly don’t expect him to give any regard to me. My grandfather is USAF (retired), and I would be proud to follow in his footsteps, in my own way, under John Kerry. The prospect of doing the same under GWB sends chills down my spine.
So no, I do not join you in pitting Napier. I am not ashamed to be an American, but I am ashamed of what my country has done, presumably in my name. I am ashamed to think that 50% of my countrymen can find it in themselves to agree with and support the actions of this subversive, pejorative, and (for all their talk of “values”) lackadaisically immoral administration. I am doubly ashamed that that same 50% would willingly accept four more years of the same. I am not a Democrat. I tend toward Libertarian. Which is why I beseech you: cast your vote tomorrow for Sen. John Kerry. I’ll be at the polls today. I hope to see you there.
So, you’ll take the excellent package offered by the gov’t, but only if you dictate the terms? There is a reason the benefits are so good. You’re agreeing to put your life on the line for the US if called upon to do so.
The military isn’t a jobs program, the bennies are compensation for service. Frankly, if you’re basing your service on which President is asking you to do any work, I’d suspect many soldiers would prefer you not join.
And for the bolded part, don’t think any of them will get to know you personally and invite you to Thanksgiving at the family home.
Yeah, duffer, funny thing, but I tend to be picky about exactly whom I’m willing to put my life on the line for. I’m just odd like that; I like some choice in who gets to dictate the odds of whether I live or die. After seeing what I’ve seen of Bush, and knowing what I know about Kerry, I believe that Kerry would not send me to die for no good reason (and yes, I’m aware that Linguistics is not exactly a front-line position; I’m being largely figurative here). I am not at all sure that Bush wouldn’t do the same.
I am willing to die to defend this country. I am not willing to die to indulge the whims of our president when this country is not under attack. I am willing to put my fate, to some extent, in the hands of the United States government, under a leader whom I feel is fit for the job*. If Bush wins, I will under no circumstances join the military. If that makes the soldiers happy (or unhappy; I can’t quite decipher your point there), then so be it. I don’t recall asking them. I have been quite up-front with the Air Force recruiters about my terms, and they have been obliging on all of them (and no, it’s not a flimflam; I’ve read what I’ll be expected to sign).
In regard to the bolded comment, by “regard to me” I meant regard for the life of the individual solider. War is not something to be handled in a cavalier manner. No, I don’t think Kerry would particularly care about Airman Roland, USAF. I do think he cares about Airman Everyman, and everyone else in the armed forces, far more than does Bush. Yes, that’s just my opinion. But guess what? My opinion is the one that gets to dictate my course of action.
Yes, I will only put my life on the line if it’s on my own terms. Anyone who would do otherwise is blind, deaf, dumb, and incapable of rational thought.
Hey, I wasn’t trying to flame you, join or don’t. It was more a buildup of so many others thinking the military is there for job training and college money, and don’t send me in harm’s way.
Joining based on which man is in office, is IMO, not a very good reson to decide. I wonder how many people would join before 9/11 as opposed to now. The world changes, and while I understand your reasons for not joining now, Kerry can’t exactly guarantee you won’t be asked to fight at all. You may agree with Kerry asking you, then again you may not.
It’s a volunteer military. You decide if the benefits outweigh the risks. Personally, if I had it all to do over again, I would have signed the papers to enter the USMC when I was 17. I’d be 5 years from full retirement.
All right, then. Seems we agree on the definition of the issue, just not the relevant points for the decision. The benefits offered by the military are most definitely excellent. My questions, then, are: 1) do the benefits outweigh the risks?, and 2) how likely is it that I will be asked to do something with which I morally disagree?
The answer to #1 does not, as you rightly point out, necessarily hinge on which man occupies the White House next year. The answer to #2, however, does. You see, there are risks that I’m willing to take, up to and including the loss of my life, if I agree with reasons for which I’m taking them. That, in a nutshell, is why I’m more willing to put myself in Kerry’s hands than Bush’s.
I had (obviously) originally thought you were telling me that joining the military would be equally “right” for any given person no matter what the current leadership happened to be. Now that your position is clarified, I retract the snarkiness of my last post…but not the message. I respect your position, and I hope you respect mine.
Of course I respect it. As well as you. Just not your political views. 
