I learned different opinions, Exapno. I am going to listen to all viewpoints, listen to all sides. I want to hear from all of you. This is a forum and we are all friends.
My nephew joined the Navy to get an education and a paycheck because his parents couldn’t afford to send him to college. He didn’t do it for “love of country,” as far as I know. But don’t worry, he’s a nice straight white male, so your co-workers don’t have to worry about him being the wrong kind of people sucking off the government’s teat. I can’t speak for the rest of them low-lifes enlisting as way to support themselves and their families. You know, the black and female ones.
No, we don’t hear anything but what your co-workers and friends are saying. If they want to tell us what they think, they should get their own accounts here. Don’t start thread after thread telling us what they think. Tell us what you, yourself think.
I’m certain you do. Now, prove what you stated in the OP.
I have a busy day tomorrow. Have to head to bed. I’ll discuss this later tomorrow.
Why do you think you and your friends who have never honorably served in the United States Military have any fucking clue compared to veterans in this very thread? You talk about “honor” and “education” and fighting extremist and terrorists as if you have any idea. And you claim we are the ones who don’t understand what’s happening in America? What makes you such an expert?? You’ve never served in the military, you’ve never fought against terrorism, and Im betting you bearly have a high school education.
You want a smart, reasonable discussion? Let’s start with this: I am a career combat infantryman and paratrooper with over 25 months of my life spent fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. At no time have I ever felt I was at war with Islam or fighting Muslims for being Muslim. On the contrary, I’ve fought alongside Muslims (from other countries as well as American Muslims) to achieve a common goal. I consider all of them my brothers in Arms.
And by the way, I am an atheist. Yet, somehow I value things like education and honor and making this country and the world a better place. Education? I am three classes away from finishing a graduate degree in aero/astronautics. I think it is YOU and your friends who fail to understand what’s happening around them. You are the ignorant ones incapable of reasonable discussion.
Much of my post is directed toward your statements in the other train wreck of a thread that was mentioned above.
It seems to me that what you want is to express opinions without having to claim responsibility for them by asserting that you’re merely reporting what ‘your friends’ and ‘your co-workers’ and ‘lots of Americans’ think.
Why don’t you tell us why you think people join the military?
A lot of my co-workers complain about the how country is run by rich white people who’re only out for themselves and don’t give a shit about us wage earning motherfuckers. And my black co-workers have got more even more shit to complain about.
Too late to edit:
Next time I see my uncle I’ll ask if the old men at the legion hall are asking the same question as “your co-workers.”
I hope you read this tomorrow morning, before you head in to work. Ask every co-worker if he served. (And I get the impression they are mostly white guys.) If not, why not? Lack of patriotism? Not needing GI benefits? If any of them did serve, why? Did they accept any benefits?
Also, why did you not serve? Lack of patriotism? No need for GI benefits? Rejected as unfit?
Bottom line: is serving for money or other benefits somehow worse than not serving at all? If so, why?
You know, in my case this is true; I had absolutely no idea that there are people condemning women and people of color for joining the military. Maybe I am getting old, but if beliefs this racist and sexist are openly espoused, I fear for and am shamed by my country.
The United States truly has entered her decline if her citizens are this ignorant and divisive.
Why would people get angry if someone chooses to join the Armed Forces to pay for their college with their sweat and perhaps their blood? They even pay in advance, unlike people with student loans.
Get your coworkers some Xanax, industrial strength. I’d suggest working hemispherical brains but that’s more difficult to obtain.
Maybe you should dine at nicer establishments.
My apologies, my reply was unprintable and unworthy of a gentleman.
This says nothing about whether or not he’s a racist.
Why do you believe your co-workers have a better understanding of “what’s happening in America” than we do? Especially when they spout bigoted crap like black people join the military for more selfish reasons than others? From what you’ve said about them, your co-workers and friends have a very poor understanding of “what’s happening in America”.
What is happening then?
Some ‘co-workers’ are feeling disappointed.