Excellent idea! Lets just educate the ignorant, predjudiced, intolerant terrorists!
But put me in a clocktower with my favorite ought-six, and see what I can do.
Call me a warmonger. Call me a nutcase. call me anything you want, but call me when you need a good sniper.
b.
I wouldn’t. Not unless I had to anywais. I am fairly unemotional and while fighting wouldn’t really bother me not fighting would bother me less. I would rather do as gatopescado said because I don’t see enough difference in between us killing them and them killing us.
I’m still technically in the Marine Corps Reserve, with just under a year left in my IRR contract. I’m not really expecting a call, but if one comes, saddle up, let’s go.
I don’t know how good I’d be in a fight, but I will do whatever necessary to support our Armed Forces in sending the perpetrators of these acts straight to oblivion.
I left active duty in 1984, but I’ve continued to serve as a civilian. Whatever happens, I’ll keep Navy planes flying to the best of my ability, whether it’s routine maintenance or battle damage repair.
It scares the shit out of me too, but this is home and no one screws with my home…
I will fight, and I know who I will fight. My family is of Jewish extraction, and I’m looking at what I have to do to join the Israeli Defense Forces. I saw the pictures of people dancing in the streets of Nablus, and I cannot help but think that I know the bosoms where the viper is nurtured. God help me, I thought I wasn’t a racist, but the helpless rage and some of the things I’ve been feeling are scaring me.
Kudos. I’d just like to say that I’m extremely impressed that you’re willing to admit that you’re scared shitless, Guin. Hell, I am too. But remember that there are other ways to fight, like giving money, blood, relief, or just happy thoughts.
As for me? I’m not making any promises, but If they take 17 year olds, I will consider it stronger than I’ve ever considered anything.
By the way…
In the year and a half I’ve been a member of the Straight Dope community, this is the first thread I’ve started in The Pit.
I will not start a fight. But if I’m forced into one I will do my best to be the last one standing. The goat-felching, excrement-eating, cowardly meatsacks who are behind this heinous attack started it. I realize that I’ll never be called to serve, but given the target I’ll go after it. Need to use young, able-bodied warriors to be the sharp end of the spear? I’ll fly logistical support.
To the terrorists who are behind this: “[T]o the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee… Thus, I give up the spear!”
Well, if we institute a draft, I imagine the first casualty will be the ban on gays in the military. All the right-wingers will be demanding that gays should join by then…
As a former member of the U.S. Army Infantry, I’ll go in a heartbeat. I can take Black Betty with me. She’s awfully thirsty.
Very well said. I would put a bullet in that bastard’s brain fster than you can say UZI. Typically, in most situations, war doesn’t sound too appealing to me. At all. However, this morning, my country was deliberately and savagely attacked by foreign terrorists and I am mad as hell. Just get me to Pakistan (or wherever) and I will show all the rogue nations that if you mess with the best, you’ll die like the rest. Those terrorists have NO idea what they just got themselves in to…The United States is the most powerful nation in the world and it is definitely not smart to screw around with us, as they will soon find out. They can run, but they’ll just die tired. God bless America.
I am a pacifist. There are other ways to fight other than with weapons. I have the will and courage not to use them. Gandhi was very successful at fighting for his (and fellow countrypersons)liberty and didn’t once raise a fist. Neither will I.
Crafter Man-some of us aren’t willing to KILL another human being. I could never, ever take another life. I believe that killing is wrong. Funny how you keep saying abortion is wrong, but you have no problem killing someone who just happens to live in the same country as a terrorist.
I don’t think this is a nation-it’s a terrorist group.
I would be willing to help out on the homefront, and try and work towards helping others. But I know, that in my heart, I could never pull the trigger. I cannot do it. I will not do it. I cannot become what I despise.
Do you despise me, then? For I would pull the trigger in the right situation.
But I am me and you are you. I’d rather not make this thread an abortion/capital punishment debate. I respect your commitment to your ideals. If you would not fight, then that is your decision. In my opinion there is a time to kill. I’ll do what I can to avoid it, but I’ll do it if I have to.
And I would volunteer to support those who do the shooting.
I was born and raised in Manhattan. I’ve lived there all my life and I love the city. I cannot begin to express the fear, sadness, anxiety, and anger in my mind right now.
I will not fight. Enmity begets enmity.
Of course I don’t despise you. I despise war. I hate it. I can understand going to war to support the country-I just cannot, in my heart, pull the trigger. I could not do it. Myself. I admire those with the courage to do so, but I could not.
Hey, both my grandfathers were in WWII, although neither fought-my dad’s father was a mechanic for the Air Force, and my mom’s father was a driver for a general.
There are lots of ways to aid war effort without fighting.
I would fight in a second.
Normally, I wouldn’t either. But like FairyChatMom said, these fuckers have messed with my home, frightened and endangered my friends and family and to protect my children, I would pull the trigger/push the button/enter the launch code/draw the sword.
This has been a soul-searching day for me in this area. I’ve been a pacifist since my younger sister died when I was 9, and I realized that dead was forever, and for every dead person there is a grieving family that would give absolutely anything to have their loved one back. I also come from a Mennonite family, and feel a deep bond with their belief in non-violence. I don’t believe that “an eye for an eye” ever settles anything (see the Middle East). That said, the lure of retribution is very, very strong when something of this level of atrocity is committed.
Any of you people posting here who want to glorify war, and thump your chests and dream about how macho you’re going to be, think again. War is death - yours or somebody else’s. I personally would not go to war and kill somebody, but I have nothing but support for the people who do what they have to do when it becomes necessary, and I suspect that the people who actually kill other people aren’t glorying in it.