MDixon6569, Of course, my ego is deluded. Of course it is self serving hypocrisy, and I believe I pointed out my ego when I told my tale.
But also true is that almost no one joins the military without it being a very individual decision that may be heavily strained by psychological forces. I don't think even half the recruits know what they're getting themselves into when it comes to joining the military. I just feel sorry for all of them, because, that's me, that's my life too when I project myself into their lives, cuz I made a lot of decisions that I later was locked into and had to get tough enough to honor my words and complete my promises. Show me a recruitment poster that details and explains what will happen to a recruit in boot camp. Where is anyone warned that your drill sergeant can take your ass into a small room and beat the living hell out of you? Where's it say on the posters that a businessman will be allowed to make BILLIONS OF DOLLARS when he tells you to put your life on the line for Haliburton? Army general after Army general has been fired by that pissant in the ten gallon hat, but you're saying that most of the troops believe in our mission in the middle east? You're such a kidder, MDixon6569, you and that kookoo sillywilly brain. And how you think I was calling these brave souls "baby killers," is a mystery to me. All wars are bad in that there's never been a war that didn't kill babies by the truckload. Every soldier is trained about collateral damage. Napalmed babies are part of the job, but loving it is not! These child soldiers of ours are being used for some really evil shit, but they're innocent angels to me. Why? Because at 62 years of age, I finally get it just how stupid a young person can be, how stupid I was, until, you know, just now. Whatever they think of themselves, whatever myths they're believing, oh so very few will still be believing the same decades hence. Things change. Not one soldier has refused my money, none of them took offense in any way that would indicate they felt insulted by me. I'm an American, and I get to have an opinion, and if my government is wrong I get to protest it, but these kids are pawns in a big game, and I simply cannot fault them for not having clarity about their roles, and as patronizing as I am coming off here, they were all young innocent children only few years earlier in their lives. I think they all knew where I was coming from. They knew I could see their integrity and honored it -- even if sometimes that integrity had them killing babies. The other day, a police officer killed his partner in a friendly fire incident -- a shoot out with a bad guy. That's war. The good folks get killed too, but no one will make that poor cop feel any worse, right? Stress makes for mistakes. I know that we see the psychology of our troops in such films as Three Kings, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now, Catch 22, and on and on. Yes, there are folks who LIKE to kill babies, who are proud of their hatred of slopes, wops, and krauts. Oh, there's plenty of wrongness. But when I see a kid with the bloom of youth still unfaded and headed to Iraq, THAT'S THE FIRST BABY I WANT TO SAVE! Sorry, MDixon6569, I think you've misinterpreted me to some degree. But, yeah, ego galore here. Edg --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > In a message dated 4/29/07 10:57:52 A.M. Central Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Whenever I've see a soldier in uniform eating at a restaurant, I do > this ego thang. Here's what I do: I say, "I'm totally against the > Iraq war, but I'm 100% for you. Any military person in Iraq has > someone aiming a gun at them all the time, and to just show up there > is bravery beyond anything I've ever done in my life. And may I buy > your dinner, cuz you're giving me and my country such deeply honorable > service?" > > They all say, No," sheepishly usually, saying, "I've got money," but I > say, "Look, this is for me, not you. I really need this symbol of > support for our troops." They smile and are a bit uncomfortable, but > I lay down the money on the table and say, "If you can't use the > money, I'm sure you know someone who can. Pass it forward." And I > turn and leave. > > Oh, shame on me, but it feels good and I can't stop it. These poor > kids who get themselves into the military for all the wrong reasons > just break my heart when they slog through their commitments. They've > got something I know not of. > > Edg > > > > This is so much bullshit. If you appreciate them, then you appreciate what > they are doing. They don't want your money so you can clear your conscience. > When you qualify your *appreciation* by telling them that you don't believe > in what they are doing, you may as well be calling them baby killers and > spitting on them. They want you to believe in them and their mission > unconditionally. No wonder they didn't want your money to pay for their dinner! > > > > ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. >
