.Parents of fallen troops
Parents of U.S. troops who died in Iraq have quietly slipped in to the Middle East nation to offer support to its people and to American servicemen and women.
Coming on the heels of Sen. John Kerry's widely publicized comment suggesting military service is a refuge of the lazy and uneducated, the parents say they also want to rebut the Massachusetts Democrat.
"I am spitting mad at John Kerry for insulting our troops. Duck and run was his specialty in Vietnam," said Gold Star mother Debra Argel.
Organizer Move America Forward said, to its knowledge, no other such trip to Iraq by families of fallen troops had ever taken place.
Joe and Jan Johnson, whose son Justin died in Sadr City, also expressed anger at Kerry. The family's story is featured in the newly released book "American Mourning", which recounts how Joe Johnson, himself, joined the military to serve in Iraq.
"These were grown adults we are talking about, not kids who didn't know what they were doing," said the couple's statement. "Contrary to Kerry's belief, they made an 'educated' decision to join the military, most of them after 9/11, so they knew the possibilities of going to war were pretty good and they chose to serve anyway."
"American Mourning" – which contrasts the Johnsons with the family of Justin's war buddy, Casey Sheehan – tells how Kerry tried to recruit the Johnsons at their sons' funeral to speak out against President Bush and his Iraq policy.
The Gold Star parents want to see the newly liberated Iraq for which their children gave their lives, Move America Forward said, pointing out most of the country's provinces are without the violence shown daily by international media.
The family members will meet with U.S. troops and hope to meet with Iraqi citizens and their government leaders.
Move America Forward said it is providing updated accounts of the trip, with photographs, audio and video on its website.
The trip, planned for more than a year, is being financed by the contributions of thousands of Americans, the group said. No government money has been used.
Family members have issued the following statements to explain why they are in Iraq.
John Holley:
I want to see for myself what America has been able to accomplish to help the Iraqis help themselves. I will be asking the Iraqis what message do they want me to give for them to the people back in America. Finally, I came because I wanted to experience the same feelings that my son experienced when he was preparing to go to Iraq, sort of like walking in his shoes.
Debra Argel:
I want to carry a message of love, support and hope to our troops. I want them to know that despite the negative media and despite our loss, we are there for them with all of our hearts. I hope to take some pictures with some of the troops and send pictures and cards to their families when I get home. These cards will help their families know that someone cared to spend a little time with their soldier.
Mike Anderson:
This trip is something that I will gain additional closure from. Losing my only son, namesake, and first born, has been the toughest thing in my entire life. I continue to gain strength from Mike Jr. When they say Marines are a different breed, they are right – this kid was as tough as nails and a force to be reckoned with.
I want tell anybody that will listen, the good that we have done and are currently doing. We cannot find security by turning a blind eye or thinking that "if we leave them alone, they'll leave us alone." That's utterly ridiculous.
Joseph Williams::
I am proud of my son and his service to this nation. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that each of us may live in peace, blessed with freedom. America has carried the torch for freedom, fighting for individual liberties against communism, fascism, totalitarianism and now once more against terrorism. If we cut and run from Iraq, that will deal a devastating blow in the war against terrorism. Will any terrorist group ever fear us again, or will they know that they need only outlast us? We must stand by our heroic military men and women in Iraq and the mission they are serving there.
Jan Johnson:
"I'm anxious but excited ... after all, it is still a war zone over there. I want to go see for myself what is going on over there. I have heard from a lot of people, both ways, and I want to be able to say I personally have been there and saw it first hand.
Joe Johnson:
I want to be able to tell the troops that there are Americans who still believe we are doing the right thing by being there. We want them to know that there are people back here who are supporting and praying for them daily.
WorldNetDaily
Recommended by B Will Derd
Coming on the heels of Sen. John Kerry's widely publicized comment suggesting military service is a refuge of the lazy and uneducated, the parents say they also want to rebut the Massachusetts Democrat.
"I am spitting mad at John Kerry for insulting our troops. Duck and run was his specialty in Vietnam," said Gold Star mother Debra Argel.
Organizer Move America Forward said, to its knowledge, no other such trip to Iraq by families of fallen troops had ever taken place.
Joe and Jan Johnson, whose son Justin died in Sadr City, also expressed anger at Kerry. The family's story is featured in the newly released book "American Mourning", which recounts how Joe Johnson, himself, joined the military to serve in Iraq.
"These were grown adults we are talking about, not kids who didn't know what they were doing," said the couple's statement. "Contrary to Kerry's belief, they made an 'educated' decision to join the military, most of them after 9/11, so they knew the possibilities of going to war were pretty good and they chose to serve anyway."
"American Mourning" – which contrasts the Johnsons with the family of Justin's war buddy, Casey Sheehan – tells how Kerry tried to recruit the Johnsons at their sons' funeral to speak out against President Bush and his Iraq policy.
The Gold Star parents want to see the newly liberated Iraq for which their children gave their lives, Move America Forward said, pointing out most of the country's provinces are without the violence shown daily by international media.
The family members will meet with U.S. troops and hope to meet with Iraqi citizens and their government leaders.
Move America Forward said it is providing updated accounts of the trip, with photographs, audio and video on its website.
The trip, planned for more than a year, is being financed by the contributions of thousands of Americans, the group said. No government money has been used.
Family members have issued the following statements to explain why they are in Iraq.
John Holley:
I want to see for myself what America has been able to accomplish to help the Iraqis help themselves. I will be asking the Iraqis what message do they want me to give for them to the people back in America. Finally, I came because I wanted to experience the same feelings that my son experienced when he was preparing to go to Iraq, sort of like walking in his shoes.
Debra Argel:
I want to carry a message of love, support and hope to our troops. I want them to know that despite the negative media and despite our loss, we are there for them with all of our hearts. I hope to take some pictures with some of the troops and send pictures and cards to their families when I get home. These cards will help their families know that someone cared to spend a little time with their soldier.
Mike Anderson:
This trip is something that I will gain additional closure from. Losing my only son, namesake, and first born, has been the toughest thing in my entire life. I continue to gain strength from Mike Jr. When they say Marines are a different breed, they are right – this kid was as tough as nails and a force to be reckoned with.
I want tell anybody that will listen, the good that we have done and are currently doing. We cannot find security by turning a blind eye or thinking that "if we leave them alone, they'll leave us alone." That's utterly ridiculous.
Joseph Williams::
I am proud of my son and his service to this nation. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that each of us may live in peace, blessed with freedom. America has carried the torch for freedom, fighting for individual liberties against communism, fascism, totalitarianism and now once more against terrorism. If we cut and run from Iraq, that will deal a devastating blow in the war against terrorism. Will any terrorist group ever fear us again, or will they know that they need only outlast us? We must stand by our heroic military men and women in Iraq and the mission they are serving there.
Jan Johnson:
"I'm anxious but excited ... after all, it is still a war zone over there. I want to go see for myself what is going on over there. I have heard from a lot of people, both ways, and I want to be able to say I personally have been there and saw it first hand.
Joe Johnson:
I want to be able to tell the troops that there are Americans who still believe we are doing the right thing by being there. We want them to know that there are people back here who are supporting and praying for them daily.
WorldNetDaily
Recommended by B Will Derd
posted by madtom at 6:10 PM
21 Comments:
Will,
No one has head the silly Kerry thing?
I thought going to Iraq was illegal?
Will the story starts out saying that they slipped quietly into Iraq, so how can you complain that it's not getting enough fanfare. Maybe they wanted it that way. Lets be for real, if they were to publicize their visit too much they would become kidnapping targets. Even in Kurdistan.
Well when that kid ran off to Iraq there was an investigation, I came away thinking that you needed permission to visit Iraq. Have the travel restrictions been lifted?
Yeah no kidding the war has moved to Baghdad, and parts south west and east. Places like Sadr city, Ramadi and Basra...
And I posted the Kerry thing, I posted a link to Dadmanly's post which had tons of links to all the milbloggers that were on the story. But to tell you the truth I think they look silly. Big bad soldiers crying over Kerry using the war as a bogie man to scare kids into staying in school and getting a good education. I could easily spin it into another case of conservatives wanting to close schools and open churches. If they go too far, they will be walking right into a mind field.
And I don't think you want to bring up Kerry vs. Bush war record thing again. Kerry fought in Nam, has the medals to prove it. Bush fought in Texas, and managed to lose his pilot certification, something about not passing a physical, I heard a rumor it was the urine test part he knew he would fail.
OK, but here is the thing, why do you make the argument soldier=stupid. Where did Kerry say that?
Where did he say soldiers currently serving were stupid, or undereducated. What Kerry did was to remind kids that if they don't study hard they will have fewer opportunities open to them in the future. That's all he said, he could have said "flipping burgers" that's not an insult to people that work at burger joints, but you would not expect someone with a law degree to be flipping burgers, or stuck in Iraq. Someone with a law degree might join the military and serve in Iraq, but you would not expect them to be stuck there. their degree and rank would give them more options even in the military. I know you understand all this better than me. Your just doing now what you were accusing me of last month with Foley, putting a spin on events for political gain.
"as opposed to the courageous and iron willed blogger who curses the war they fight."
Ouch, low blow. I have made my positions on the war clear and up front from the beginning, and I offer opportunity for all opposing view points.
"made his bones defaming American soldiers"
Again not true. His statement were not a defamation of soldiers, they were an attack on policy. No one blames soldiers for poor policy. I don't and I do not believe Kerry did or does. Some people though want to make it look that way to detract attention from the real problems we face.
Calling Kerry a radical anything, let alone a left-winger, is what is silly. Kerry is about as radical as this guy. In fact, as far as I can tell, they are the same guy.
Yep, same guy.
Those comments were about policy, policies like the use free fire zones, and village clearing missions. I am not an expert, and I don't want to sound like I'm defending Kerry's positions, because I don't know them in enough detail to know if I agree, what I do know is that his testimony before congress were about what he experienced. and what the people that he had talked to experienced, and what he'd been told to do. As far as I know kerry carried out his orders, completed his missions, and then came home and tried to express his opinions.
Just like the people in this report, they promise to update us on hat they see and what they hear from the Iraqi people they encounter. What if some of them come back home with a different perspective from what they left the US. What if they don't like what they see, what if the Iraqi's they meet are friends of TT and paint a bleak and hopeless picture for the future of Iraq and the US mission there? Are you then going to abandon them, are you going to swiftboat them like they did to Shehan.
You know the other day there was a military historian guy that works at some war collage on TV talking about the detainee abuse issues. He said that to stay out of the political realm he had taken a look at only those cases of abuse that had been reported by the military. They had found that the 4id had the worst record. That a higher percentage of prisoners being brought in by the 4th were beaten up. As noted by the people that received the prisoners or as noted by Marines working along side the 4th. The guy did a sort of back of the envelop study and found that most of the reported incidents were coming from artillery units, that had been retrained and deployed as MP's. his complaint was that the Army had to date refused to commission a real study that might find a solution, that in fact they were refusing to Transform.
My question is do you think that guy was defaming the 4th id, artillery units, the Marines that made some of the incident part of the unit record, or the institution and it's refusal to change? Would you commission the study and make the necessary actions, or continue to fight the wrong war, using the wrong tactics, and the wrong assumptions.
Will... what is bullshit is you acting like there was no murder and rape going on in Vietnam when we all know there was. It's also bullshit that you are trying to perpetrate the fraud that troops in Iraq got screwed by Kerry. We all know who fucked 'em. It's the same guy who fucked the Iraqis and it's the same guy who's fucking all of us. But, we've got to hold on a couple more years and then he'll be history. Hopefully, the next guy won't be retarded too.
Frickin' Republicans, though. All acting like, "Hey, we meant to do this shit. Remain calm. Nothing to see here. Go about your business." That's what I hate. Them thinking we're all stupid and don't know what's going on. That's what you call projecting.
What you're implying is that, if Kerry says that there were murders and rapes going on in Vietnam, that he is either a liar or a traitor.
Atrocities do occur in every war and we certainly know of some that have been committed in this one. Why do you act offended when someone mentions it? You want to hide the dirty secrets? Pretend they never happen?
I can't tell you why you and yours feel more accepting towards US attrocities that have occured in Iraq. You're certainly not more patriotic than I am even if patriotism were an excuse. It's certainly not because of your veteran status, because I am a veteran and I come from a long line of veterans who also frown on violations of human rights.
I've been through all the training, so I know that soldiers know before they misbehave that their actions are unacceptable and maybe that's why it bothers me. It was hammered into my head, so to violate standing orders such as that governing the treatment of POWs, it's like a traitorous act when it happens.
Just because atrocities occur in every war, doesn't mean that it's acceptable behavior. You really shouldn't be so willing to accept it and certainly should be trying to sweep it under a carpet.
You claim that soldiers have character to be over in Iraq, but the truth is that they have no choice. The ones that have character are the ones who, even though they are living in hell, still manage to conduct themselves in an honorable manner.
Will,
Your not really asking "me" for the definition of free fire zone right. I went and looked it up just in case I was spelling it wrong or something. You know what a free fire zone is and what a swiftboat is. I'm not going to go into how Kerry got medals, ask the DoD. I am sure that if they weren't legal the DoD would have taken them away some October a long time ago. Bush also promised he would explain how and when he lost that pilot license, I have not seen that either, and Cheney knows all about the advantages of a good education during war time.
I have no idea what you mean by "Sheehan and Kerry into martyrs,", so I cant really respond till you explain what that means. All they did was give their opinions, when did that become a crime?
For my next post, I am going to go try and find a Clay Shaw commercial I heard on the radio today. Where he mentions how well he worked with Clinton, and how he and Bob Gram wrote important legislation together, declaring he was an independent candidate willing to work across the isle. The word Bush, or republican does not appear once in the message. I have to find and post it.
And then I'm going to try and find out how he voted for impeachment.
That does say something about character to me. And they are among the biggest majority who conduct themselves as professionals.
I have no argument with that statement, what I would like to know is who said any different. We all know that the vast majority serving are doing so honorably. It's also looks from preliminary reports that when abuses have occurred, that they are the result of poor training and poor policy making. Like I was saying before about the 4th id, there is a problem with rear indirect fire units being redeployed to the from lines. The problems are being reported by their fellow front line units but command and is refusing to do anything about it. Do we blame the soldiers, well we know for a fact that the soldiers can and will pay the price for the failed policy, and Kerry has nothing to do with it.
You never said that you find acceptable, but you act like it's just some little thing. But, I don't want you thinking that I believe that you run around encouraging rape and murder and whatnot. I know you don't. You're a nice guy and stuff, I'm sure. What you're really worried about is how badly the continuous stream of scandals reflects on your party and you know how badly the party is going to suffer in the next two or three rounds of elections because of it.
That's why you keep drudging up 30 year old garbage. You've got nothing. You've got a botched joke. Woo.
I don't know about you, but I haven't heard of anyone spitting on soldiers on their return from Iraq. I think people in the nation have understood for along time that it was not proper conduct. Also, in light of other things going on during the sixties, such as the civil rights struggle and whatnot, tensions were pretty damn high.
In fact, the only people I've heard of disrepecting soldiers is the Westboro Baptist Church members who are pretty much in your corner of the whole political struggle, not the left's.
The vast majority of US soldiers in Iraq did not stand up and say, "Take me!" They're there because they are under orders. I know that 99 out of a hundred or more US soldiers in Iraq are conducting themselves as they are supposed to be. It's those few who are that have fucked it up. Most of that probably happened both due to policies of abuse and lack of supervision. That's the whole reason they have lieutenants so that the enlisted men can be kept in line.
I'm not too impressed by your daughter returning to Iraq either. How much did she get? Forty grand? It's a hell of a thing gambling with your life. Anyway, I wish her luck for a safe return.
You did not like the wikipedia entry, hey that gives you something in common with our friend TT, he did not like their entry on Mosul either.
The violation of Geneva goes back to policy, and the difference between a war against an insurgency, and one against a regular army. If you have a battalion of regular troops in a valley and you designate a free fire zone, no violation, if you think there are ten insurgents in a town of hundreds of civilians and you declare it a free fire zone, you do have a violation.
No I was using it as an adjective, it means to use lies and sensationalized half truth to smear Sen. John F. Kerry (D)
As far as I know there has only been one reported incidence of some crazy yelling "adjectives" at returning soldiers, I don't think that would count as a riot.
And you do realize that there are people that join for other than purely patriotic reasons, right. I mean, I know people "stuck" in Iraq, I know people that did not take the bonus, and are now riding a bike down the street. Don't hold your nose at me, I live and work in a very working class city, one of the finest in the country, where I am proud to be a resident, and I would not move for all the money in the world. Just not all of us get to live in Ozz, nor want too.
"it was a direct response to yer buddy"
I was in bed and I got back up just to ask you Will, What "buddy" are you talking about?
You know, Will, I don't live in a bubble. I actually know a couple of soldiers who have returned from Iraq and they all think that people have been great to them. In the little town I used to live in in Washington state (that's too many "ins" in one sentence, I know, but not sure which to remove), all the businesses changed their signs with various messages welcoming back each returning soldier by name. They all are tripped out that they went from such a chaotic environment to return to one where, if you don't want to know, you might not know that our boys are at war somewhere. That goes back to the thing about the news being sanitized. I've known a number of returning troops who have been offered fairly handsome sums of dough to return. I know some who have returned and some who've turned the offer down. Most of the individuals who are in the shit, like the 13, 11 and 95 series don't seem too interested in going back. I don't think they are less honorable for that. I just see them as sane.
Your daughter is a medical specialist and that means that she is in a fairly secure environment. I commend her for her decision to return to that shithole and provide comfort to the troops that are getting busted up. Still, I know that the temptation for forty grand for some poverty-stricken individuals is too much and they almost can't pass it up. That's a good down-payment on a house or the possibility to go to college in an economy that isn't offering them much love. It's not saying, "take me". It's saying, "I can't compete in this economy, so I have no choice."
You say that you don't care about the party. Tell me you don't vote a Republican ticket and I might believe you. You care about the ideology. If you're disenchanted with the RP, imagine how us reasonable folks feel. Shoot, even the Army Times is taking potshots at the current administration now. Are you going to lump AT in with your left-wing biased media now?
When I say that you and WBC are in the same corner of the political arena, then I mean that you share the same ideology. They may be even further right-wing than you, but those are the people you've thrown your lot in with. I'm sure that their protests piss you off to no end, but if you back the RP, then you've obviously got something in common with them, ideologically anyway.
You say you can't find a reasonable alternative to the Republicans. I have a hard time finding one less reasonable than the Republicans. Have you even read the Libertarian Party platform? Take a look and tell me which parts you disagree with or find unreasonable.
Look more closely.
So, yes, you do share the same conservative ideology with the WBC. That you aren't as fanatical as they are only matters on the surface. You're still helping to push the nation towards totalitarian fascism.
I'm suggesting that you change your ideology to bring it into line with both the LP platform and the US Constitution.
You seem to think that libertarians are a bunch of weed-heads, but the most common single type of self-described libertarian I've met are those that teach history or political science or work in the field of law. All but a couple were degreed professions such as scientists, engineers, architects, doctors and so on. I think the reason for that is because it takes someone who can deconstruct a complex systems to find out how simple politics really is. Most people have given up on trying to understand politics because it's been needlessly complicated by professional politicians who rely on people giving up their freedom so the politician can get paid.
I'm not necessarily talking about the Libertarian Party per se, just small "l" libertarians. It just so happens that the LP has the platform closest to the actual libertarian ideology at this point in time.
Not to say there aren't weed-heads that vote Libertarian, but it's a free country. Oh, wait.
How do I know anything about what's going on with her? Because I know how we do things in the military. It's called Army doctrine. She's virtually confined to a compound somewhere with tall concrete walls around it and never ventures into an area where a VBED might take her legs off. Any time she does leave, she probably goes by air or extremely well armed and armored convoy. That's doesn't mean she isn't a hero, but it's also not the same thing as those sent on movement-to-contact missions every night. The reason it's like that is because combat arms soldiers are much more easily replaced than medics.
BTW - If I seem scatter-brained, sorry. I'm monitoring elections tomorrow and I got up at 3am today so I wouldn't be scatter-brained tomorrow.
Doesn't matter. I read them anyway. I think he came to the realization that I was closer to my mark than he thought.
Buddy, I'm not denigrating what your daughter is doing. She's real STRAC troop, I'm sure. But the situation I'm talking about is something different.
Anyway, it's late and I have an early morning. You two can wrestle a while.
Your post are going thru.
I wish you could find a way to tell her story in a way that didn't give away her identity, and of course put her in any danger. You should fictionalize it a little and post it anonymously. I think it's an important story, one that should be told, one that needs to be told.
Many people still believe that there is something called a "rear" in this war. I think they confuse this war with the classic idea of combat. You know that I have posted similar stories many time that highlight those facts. But there is noting like first hand accounts to get the message through.
Hey Will, you got the blog a link mention at the Move America Forward web site by recommending the article.
So you see it was a double edged blade. You brought the story to our public, but worst of all you brought this blog to the attention of the readers of MAF...They will never be the same again.
Will, you should read your own article more closely. It was an article about the disparity of treatment of women compared to men. It spoke of the couple that've made it past that, but the situation is still virtually the same as it always has been and always will be.
Yes, Iraq isn't safe for anyone anymore thanks to Bush. Still it's not the same for females as it is for males. The article you posted says it all. Women won't be combat arms soldiers. Those that do get attached are just tokens. The reason they won't is because when a man dies, it's par for the course as far as most people are concerned. When something happens to a female in a war, it effects the nation's psyche in a much stronger way. Remember the Jessica Lynch story? You remember the names of any guys that were with captured with her? It hurts the war effort and won't ever be done on a grand scale.
If you don't believe me, look up the casualty demographics. You'll see that the numbers support what I'm telling you.
When I mention that people accept $40000 to return to Iraq, I'm not talking about greed. I'm talking about necessity. People are hurting in today's economy.
Have I ever mentioned anything about "scoring points"? No. That is you projecting your intent on me. I'm not the one who thinks this is a game. You are the one who treats a serious matter as entertainment, not me.
Anyway, lunch is over. I need to get back out and keep the Republicans from trying to steal another election.
Sorry to take so long to get back to you. Been busy for a few days.
First, no, calling me Cheech doesn't bother me. Anyone who has been through infantry basic doesn't get bothered by what people say anymore. If you can come up with better insults than the professional antagonists known as drill sergeants, I'll be impressed. Besides, we all know that Republicans are a bunch of coke snorting, meth smoking and dick sucking closet queens, so all you do is come across as hypocritical when you say that stuff.
I can't take too seriously someone who twists their logic enough to lay blame against Iraq for al Qaida's actions. With your logic, we'd have to blame the US, Britain, France and Italy for Germany's actions during WWII simply because we all signed the Versaille Treaty. What you're doing is a little post hoc rationalization of Bush's illconceived invasion of another nation.
The article you posted does not back your position. The article is very clearly as I stated it to be. You read into it what you like to make yourself feel better, but it doesn't change what the article actually says.
Even by your daughter's own assessment, the reporter is a lying bitch, so why should anyone take anything she says seriously? There is a disparity between men and women in the service. I don't know if it's fair or right. I personally don't like seeing women being shot at, but maybe that's my problem. I believe that protecting the fairer sex is hardwired into the male brain. However, I recognize that might be my issue and I'm willing to accept female judgement on the topic until it can be proved otherwise.
I also know that females aren't kept in the rear. It's hard to keep people in the rear when there is no front. Yes, they are mixed in, but we both know that there are certain things they don't do.
There are indeed more dangerous military occupations available to females. However, the dirtiest work is still left for the males. That's not denigration. It's just a fact.
When I say that soldiers don't have a choice, I am referring to the rule and not the exceptions. Even if an individual volunteered for a unit they knew was deploying, after that placement is made, it cannot be changed. Outside of extraordinary circumstances, the military will not allow you, as a civilian contractor position will, the option to leave when you feel like it. If that option doesn't exist, your presence is not voluntary anymore.
I have not been changing the arguments. You have. Your daughter was not the subject of this discussion. You have used her as an example. I have rejected her as an example because I know that her case is not representative of the majority of soldiers in Iraq.
With regards to bonuses, refer to these charts:
Guard and Reserve bonuses
Active component bonuses
I don't care what your daughter can do if she got out. She's the exception. Do you think those 11Bs with their GEDs are going to do well in today's economy? They aren't. You must not do any job SEEKING if you think differently.
The economy is not great. The nation is moving deeper into debt which drives off foreign investment. The economy was much more robust before Bush. The statistics for our economy have been tweaked to look better than they are. Jobless rates look low because people are retiring early and people have left the unemployment roles as they seek retraining or have exhausted benefits. The median wage has dropped, so many people are making considerably less than they were before Bush took office.
Most combat arms vets have been trained to do squat in the civilian world, so they are generally only qualified for menial labor jobs. With a GED and no personal fortune, they are not even considered by most educational institutions. They don't have daddies that will buy them a development placement at Yale like Bush does.
Compared to females, males are about fifty times more likely to die in the military, but then it falls to about ten times more likely adjusted for the disparity of enlistments. That's a big difference from the national average which is pretty evenly divided.
Yes, people are suffering the risk of death by joining the military. No, that doesn't impress me. If it wasn't for that, everyone would want to be in the military. It can be a pretty fun job except for the dying part. It's a risk everyone takes when they sign on. Your daughter took the risk when she enlisted. I respect her willingness to take the risk, but I'm not impressed beyond that.
It's odd, don't you think, that in a time when at least 60% of the nation disapproves of the war in Iraq, the military is still making it's recruiting mission. Odd, at least, until you investigate as to why. This article might give you some insight as to why. There are some that consider it to be one of these. The only reson I don't is because I believe that people are responsible for their choices whatever those may be.
Do we live in a "tyranical dictatorship"? I guess that depends on what you're comparing it to. If you compare it to what the US Constitution imposed as a limited consititutional republic, yeah, you could make that determination.
My opinion is that the federal government should be limited to it's constitutionally imposed constraints. It's gone beyond to being pervasive through our lives now. It regulates our vices, our personal relationships with each other and much of our lives. It monitors our finances and movements. It acts as our banker and retirement planners. It intrudes on our civil liberties and human rights. It's moving to consolidate more power and to strip states and individuals of their sovereign rights. It taxes and spends at will and has made serfs of us all. It deceives and manipulates. What do you think?
So, tyrannical... that's depends on your viewpoint. It's certainly authoritarian.
No, I don't think you have a chip filtering the truth from you. I just think you don't care. You're comfortable and don't need to think about self-governing, so it seems easier and therefore preferable to you. Your prejudices are served under the current system, so why should you care?
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