Fuck you. I reacted to an asshole prating partisan rhetoric at the outbreak of war. Some of us support our country ahead of our party.
And if I hadn’t failed the physical 20 years ago, I would have served. At least I tried. Did you?
Speak for yourself. You sure don’t speak for me.
And since when is opposing agression a purely partisan activity? Surely there is a Republican or two who oppose this war. Maybe you don’t hang out with them, but I do, and I’m damn proud to count them among my friends, even if they are Republicans.
War vs. peace, Democrat vs. Republican; the world is not so black and white, and just because we peace activists disagree with you doesn’t make us ignorant, stupid, or even unpatriotic. There are plenty of ways to support America without signing up to kill people. I’d be far prouder of any American who signed up for the Peace Corps than for the Armed Forces. YM obviously V, but you don’t see me swearing at you for it.
Airman, I wish you and the rest of the troops nothing but good luck and a swift and safe resolution over there.
Having said that, GWB deserves no support whatsoever. Supporting the troops does not mean I have to support the president, nor does it mean I have to support his cause.
To step in as a fellow 'mo, as well as an American disgusted by Bush’s actions, I did attempt to enlist, and was also rejected by medical reasons.
Does this give you or me any moral superiority? No.
So, partisan prattling, or using the right to free speech?
Hmmn.
For once, why don’t you shut the fuck up, you hairtrigger reactionary tool.
I don’t have a party, but IMO, gobear, this president is the one who is putting politics ahead of his country.
[off-topic digression]I served almost twenty years ago, and let me tell you gobear, I think you’re idealism would have been pretty severely challenged by the rampant homphobia that was present in the military back then (I don’t know how it is now, maybe it’s better).
They actually used homophobic taunts as part of training (“What are you, some kind of faggot?”)
Just out of curiosity (I don’t talk to very many gay conservatives) how do you think you would have dealt with that aspect of the military?[/digression]
If you wind up over here and are able to stop by Riyadh I’ll buy you a beer. well, actually I’ll make you a beer. Bring your friends with you and we’ll have a barbecue.
Take care and all the best.
Testy
—That being said, at this point there’s nothing jingoistic about respectfully asking you to abstain from ripping Bush.—
Jingoistic isn’t quite the right word, but it certainly isn’t a laudable or respectful request. Telling people what their moments should be, how they should feel, how they should observe various times: I don’t think that’s a legitimate general request. If you have a private space in which you are trying to create a tone, then disrupting it would be rude. If you are a member of the armed forces, for which deference to civilian leadership is an important value to maintain, that’s great. But “now is not the time” isn’t respectful of other people at all when directed generally. Now is always the time for everything.
—What I would respect even more is if you guys could put that aside for the moment and give good wishes to people on both sides of this war.—
But people can, and do, do both (though they may not parade them around for others). The internet is not going to run out of space anytime soon.
—Right now, that’s just a bit more important.—
I don’t see how, or why its more particularly important to wish that as few people die now than it always is.
I heard about it on the radio, driving home from the library. I had tears streaming down my face the rest of the way home.
I am extremely saddened that people from both sides will die for something that (I believe) is completely wrong and unjustifiable.
It’s begun, and I’m glad of it. I hate that people will die, but Saddam Hussein and his filthy genocidal regime are doomed. Good riddance, you fucking scum.
Take care, boys. Don’t be stupid, shoot straight, and come back safe.
I’m not going to give my opinion on the war (I’m a relative newbie and afraid of arguing at this point), but I will say that my mother works at an air force base as a civilian, and I’m afraid for her. I know that’s nothing compared to those with relatives who are actually serving overseas, but it’s frighteniing nonetheless.
I don’t know what my point is, and I’m sorry if it’s a hijack, I just wanted to share my fears with someone.
(((((((KCSuze))))))
Lord knows we all need a hug right about now.
(((((((GROUP HUG)))))))
Well that’s great, gobear, but for the fact that this war isn’t about America. Fighting in Afghanistan, looking for ObL, that was about America. This war, however, is about nothing but Bush.
Truth.
We tried for 12 years to get Saddam to play by the rules. He ignored them. He has used the sanctions against his country as a bargaining tool, and starved his people while building palaces all over the country.
He has shown himself as an aggresive, unstable leader who’s only concern is for himself and his ego. He cares nothing for the people under his care.
We tried diplomacy, and he laughed. We tried being polite, and he ignored it. We tried tough love, and he only smirked, and put the screws to his people even more.
Do I wish the UN could have resolved this? Yes.
Do I wish Saddam had stepped down? * Yes.*
Do I wish this could be resolved without military action? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.
But it was not to be. No amount of UN inspections, or sanctions, or diplomacy was going to work. And so now, our brothers and sisters, fathers and sons are going into harms way. My brother is in Kuwait right now, as a matter of fact, and my other brother will probably be joining him soon.
May the fighting be over soon.
May the soldiers of the US be safe.
May the civilians in Iraq suffer as little as possible.
May justice be done, and Saddam be dealt with.
I wish there were another way, but now that we’re on our path, we are going to bury the Iraqi army and wipe the name of Saddam Hussein from the earth… and I hope we finish it quickly.
Hitler had no beard… nor does Saddam…
Look for a Wall Street rally tomorrow!
[/War’n Buffet]
Thanks, Jomo Mojo , I just hugged my mom. I feel better now.
hugs Just popping in to wish you luck…be careful hon, okay?
And yeah, if there’s anything I can do for Robyn and/or Aaron while you’re gone, lemme know.
I guess I’m missing something.
BTW Tristan, I think you’ve explained the situation admirably.
No further explanation needed.
If you have the means, invest tomorrow.
Invest in America. I am. The war will be short. The market won’t.
That’s all I’m saying.
—If you have the means, invest tomorrow.—
Yes, please shuffle around your money from one place to another (both places almost certainly being American) for no particular reason other than you mistakenly think that the stock market is a measure of economic health, rather than simply being one part of economy, and that you can magically help the economy by pulling your money out of an American bank and putting it into an American stock for no reason other than that you think that doing so helps the economy.
No, actually: invest in stocks if you have good reason to think stocks are likely to be a better investment than wherever else you’d otherwise put your money. Otherwise, don’t. If you want to benefit the entire economy (sans yourself) the best thing to do is to convert all your money into cash and burn it (in private of course, as this is illegal).
Cite?