--- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Aug 18, 2005, at 10:42 AM, authfriend wrote: > > > --- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> > >> On Aug 18, 2005, at 9:26 AM, authfriend wrote: > >> > >>> I think most people sign up for the armed forces > >>> under the assumption that they won't be asked to > >>> lay down their lives without excellent reason. > >> > >> Then they should have joined the US Coast Guard. Next time > >> Canada or Mexico attacks, we'll be ready. > > > > Did you have an intelligent comment to make? > > Yeah, try to be more thoughtful and insightful--read what the words > are implying. > > The reason one would join the Coast Guard would be because one > might be interested in protecting the US from harm, but not be > willing to be sent to some far-flung country to fight a war not > directly impacting our soil.
Yes, Vaj, I got that. But it seems to assume that harm can come to the U.S. *only* via an invasion of our shores; and/or that preventing direct harm to the U.S. is the only "good" reason for being willing to put one's life at risk in the military. > In other words, if you don't buy into > imperialism but need to do your patriotic duty--or you want to > avoid, say, the draft--join the Coast Guard. Then if America is > truly "invaded", you can perform that duty. Pro- vs. anti-imperialism strikes me as far too simplistic a dichotomy. I'm not an imperialist, for instance, but I'm not an isolationist either. I supported the first Iraq war (even though it was clear that we inadvertently helped bring about Saddam's invasion of Kuwait). Ultimately I'm agin all war, but I don't believe that's a practical stance yet in the face of imminent conflict. Things are still too farked up. (Of course it's easy for me to talk, given that I had the good karma to be born as a woman and grew up in a time when women didn't have the opportunity to choose to risk their lives in the armed forces.) ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/JjtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
