> I hope everyone patting themselves on the back for their work & > school- optional humanitarian efforts will save a little back-patting > for our returning troops.
>From something I wrote the other day: When we consider the men and women of the American military, we must be grateful. These are people who have offered their very lives to our nation. It is our sacred duty to these soldiers and the constitution they are sworn to defend that we must be absolutely certain that any war we engage in is just, righteous, and absolutely necessary. Or from something I wrote somewhere else this morning regarding an editorial on KQ's website.: [We] do owe our armed forces a great debt and that should never be forgotten. I think the statement that I most agree with is "We should give our military honor, and acknowledgment, and not let their lives be in vain." This is not the sixties and I don't expect to see many hippies spitting on vets. I recognize the heroism of those who have been asked to serve, that's part of the reason I care so much that their lives are NOT spent in vain. Frankly, many of us have friends or loved ones over there or in other parts of the world and I don't really want them to be asked what they asked a Gulf War vet friend (now a local teacher) of mine's wife: "Does your husband's semen burn you?" Not unless it is absolutely necessary. > Thankfully, their lives are on the line so you can grab an overpriced > latte', ditch work and school, and head on down to the courthouse If I thought thats what their lives were on the line for, I might have a different opinion. However, Iraq has neither attacked the United States or expressed an interest in attacking the United States. Even our own intelligence has suggested that, if anything, this war makes it MORE likely that we will be hit by terrorist - Iraqi or otherwise. Frankly, I'm more concerned about Minneapolis being hit by terrorists now than I was on 9/12/2001. Incidently, my coffee yesterday was from a bike cart that hauled some refreshments down there and gave it away. Thanks to whoever that was! > to protest openly about military personnel doing THEIR jobs. I have no problem with military personnel doing their jobs, I have a problem with the job they've been asked to do. It is my opinion that the vast majority of people against this war would say something to similar effect. > I also wonder if any of the well-meaning teachers and parents > involved are adequately prepared to explain to children, likely far > too young to fully comprehend it, why they're not to blame even > though their parent(s) or sibling(s) or aunt(s) or uncle(s) fought for > their ability to protest, and died as a result. > I can only imagine the potential guilt and trust issues a kid like that > may end up with down the road. Sure, as long as you can explain to them (and me) why our current administration is not to blame even though our grandparents died to make sure an organization like the UN could be created in order to prevent another war and we now seem to be undermining their "relevance" for the 21st century. > I have little or no sympathy for students at the U who constantly > gripe about their exorbinant tuition, yet everytime > someone in this town squashes an insect, they leave class and go > marching... I don't recall very many instances of over 1000 students leaving campus in the late afternoon. Either not too many bugs get squashed around here or you're exagerating. My guess is that many of the students count the lives of our soldiers (not to mention Iraqi civilians) that may die to be worth more than what they're losing in tuition by missing their classes. > I hope everyone patting themselves on the back for their work & > school- optional humanitarian efforts will save a little back-patting > for our returning troops. >From something I wrote the other day: When we consider the men and women of the American military, we must be grateful. These are people who have offered their very lives to our nation. It is our sacred duty to these soldiers and the constitution they are sworn to defend that we must be absolutely certain that any war we engage in is just, righteous, and absolutely necessary. Or from something I wrote somewhere else this morning regarding an editorial on KQ's website.: [We] do owe our armed forces a great debt and that should never be forgotten. I think the statement that I most agree with is "We should give our military honor, and acknowledgment, and not let their lives be in vain." This is not the sixties and I don't expect to see many hippies spitting on vets. I recognize the heroism of those who have been asked to serve, that's part of the reason I care so much that their lives are NOT spent in vain. Frankly, many of us have friends or loved ones over there or in other parts of the world and I don't really want them to be asked what they asked a Gulf War vet friend (now a local teacher) of mine's wife: "Does your husband's semen burn you?" Not unless it is absolutely necessary. > Thankfully, their lives are on the line so you can grab an overpriced > latte', ditch work and school, and head on down to the courthouse If I thought thats what their lives were on the line for, I might have a different opinion. However, Iraq has neither attacked the United States or expressed an interest in attacking the United States. Even our own intelligence has suggested that, if anything, this war makes it MORE likely that we will be hit by terrorist - Iraqi or otherwise. Frankly, I'm more concerned about Minneapolis being hit by terrorists now than I was on 9/12/2001. Incidently, my coffee yesterday was from a bike cart that hauled some refreshments down there and gave it away. Thanks to whoever that was! > to protest openly about military personnel doing THEIR jobs. I have no problem with military personnel doing their jobs, I have a problem with the job they've been asked to do. It is my opinion that the vast majority of people against this war would say something to similar effect. > I also wonder if any of the well-meaning teachers and parents > involved are adequately prepared to explain to children, likely far > too young to fully comprehend it, why they're not to blame even > though their parent(s) or sibling(s) or aunt(s) or uncle(s) fought for > their ability to protest, and died as a result. > I can only imagine the potential guilt and trust issues a kid like that > may end up with down the road. Sure, as long as you can explain to them (and me) why our current administration is not to blame even though our grandparents died to make sure an organization like the UN could be created in order to prevent another war and we now seem to be undermining their "relevance" for the 21st century. (http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/transcripts/2003/mar/030313.freundlich.html) As long as you're at it, explain why my friends and their comrades are in harms way to attack a nation that offers us no threat. Were the lives of the marines that died today worth not waiting another month or two for the inspectors to finish their job? > I have little or no sympathy for students at the U who constantly > gripe about their exorbinant tuition, yet everytime > someone in this town squashes an insect, they leave class and go > marching... I don't recall very many instances of over 1000 students leaving campus in the late afternoon. Either not too many bugs get squashed around here or you're exagerating. My guess is that many of the students count the lives of our soldiers (not to mention Iraqi civilians) that may die to be worth more than what they're losing in tuition by missing their classes. I'd also tend to guess that many of them are the type of people who will make sure to make up the work that they missed. I know I got into work early Thursday morning to make sure I could get out in time. > Jill Harmon, daughter and wife of VFWs > Cleveland I'm not a pacifist, but I demand proof that something requires dying for - and even more proof that it demands killing for. - Jason Goray, decendent of casualties at Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill and damn proud of it (not to mention the numerous other vets over the past couple centuries). I know what my freedom cost - the blood of my ancestors. Sheridan, NE __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. 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