You're Gonna Be a Soldier?

Fuck That

from JoeUser Forums
It has been a while since I have written on JU, and my pact with myself for writing again was to not post anything political, but this is only semi-political, so here it goes.

A friend of mine, a die hard Republican, has recently revealed to me that he is joining the Army. I am a Liberal, and don't agree with the war. After much deliberation and anger in my mind, I have come to grips with the idea of him fighting. It took a while, but I realize now that he is what this country needs. Many people sit around spouting Conservative ideas and looking down on me for stating my point. Many of the people taking the conservative side though, cringe at the idea of going to war themselves. My friend is a true believer in what he believes and I am damn proud of him to back up his words with action. Don't get me wrong, it hurts me to know that his life will be in danger, but it is people like him that we need fighting this war; True go-getters, and the people that believe in making a positive change. Never in my life would I think that I would back up someone deciding to fight, but if there is a correct time to do this, it is now. He is fighting for what He believes, and I find that courageous. So David, this one is for you. May my love be with you at all times, and never forget that I will be there, no matter what decisions you make.

politics
14,777 views 20 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
As one who has served, my hat's off to your friend. While I don't really consider myself a conservative, more of a slightly right leaning middle of the road type, I served as I believe it is the duty of all able bodied citizens to serve their nation in some capacity.

Discounting those who are unable to serve for physical reasons, I believe most conservatives have served, or are serving. Most of the conservative folks I know personally are former military.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I would never assert that anyone not unwilling to go, but just plain not able to go, as a bad thing. I support everyones opinion, and believe it is great that anyone can have an opinion. This article is plain personal, and I find it great that someone who believes in the war is actually going to fight in it. There was no harm meant to those who have limitations, and to those who have fought, I thank them from my heart. Any disrespect to you or anyone else, was not intended.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I should have added that my hat is also off to you for being able to put aside your political views to support your friend. That's true friendship.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I have to agree with LW. Just because I am not able to serve doesn't make my support for the war and our soldiers any less genuine.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
I have to agree with LW. Just because I am not able to serve doesn't make my support for the war and our soldiers any less genuine.


I agree completely, that was not the point I was making.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
I like the tone of this thread. Full of real emotions and obvious pride. While I don't agree with the illegal war and whatnot, I applaud your actions which are straight from the heart, so to speak. I sure hope your friend will be okay and safe. Maybe when he gets there things will have quieted down a lot. Godspeed.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thank you much Reiki. I too hope things have calmed down by the time he arrives. It took alot for me to support his decision, but I would never let politics ruin a personal relationship. Once again, thanks for the support.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Just wondering if you're tried talking him out of it at all. It sounds like you have a clear understanding of the risks involved for your friend.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reiki-
I haven't necessarily tried to talk him out of joining. The initial shock of him telling me that he was joining was responded by me as a fuck that type of attitude, but he knows the way that I feel about things and I understand the way that he feels about things, so talking him out of it would never work. Would I rather see him not go, of course, but everybody has a different path in life and this is what he has chosen, and that is why I support his decision 100%. I believe it wouldn't be my job to talk someone out of a decision of this caliber.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
too true.I truly hope he doesn't get hurt. Again, GodSpeed.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Good for you for supporting him and being a good friend. It's always scary to have someone you love serving in the military, but were it not for these brave folks who volunteer to go, it could be you or I walking the streets of Baghdad in full gear or scrambling eggs at the DFAC in Kabul.

Best wishes to you and your friend.

(BTW, I have the highest respect for those who support the war AND are willing to fight it. It's one thing to provide verbal support and quite another to back it up with action.)
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thanks Texas Wahine, I truly appreciate your support for my friend. Best wishes to you as well, and to whoever it is you love that is serving.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
SOR:
Thanks Texas Wahine, I truly appreciate your support for my friend.


I hope that he'll find satisfaction and success in his military career and remain safe. I hope that for all our Soldiers, but for your friend in particular.

Best wishes to you as well, and to whoever it is you love that is serving.


My husband is in the Army. He signed up back when the US was only flirting with going to war in Iraq. It was difficult for me to go along with...he went to talk to a recruiter after his college classes on his day off from work. When he called to tell me what he'd done, I demanded to talk to the recruiter. The recruiter said all the right things and convinced me that the Army would provide a better life for our family (and that is true in many respects), so my husband joined.

Before he left for Basic Training, I cried every day, even at work. I was worried about being away from him during BT and I was scared that he would be sent to war.

He's been in for 2 years now and will become a SGT in September. He spent 11 months deployed in support of OEF. It was terrifying and heart breaking and it complicated our family, but he came home safely. There's no guarantee he won't go again...to Afghanistan or Iraq or even somewhere else.

*Sigh*

I'm proud of him. He's a medic, and he's done some amazing things, both while deployed and here at home. I suppose the pride at who he is and what he does helps ease the anxiety about where he will be and what could happen to him.

Like I said, it's always scary to have someone you love serving in the military.

PS - How's Leaping Lizard doing?
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
SameOldRat. I commend you for two reasons. I commend you for believing in yourself enough that you can stand up for your own ideals while supporting a friend while he stands up for his own.

To protest any war is just as Constitutional and patriotic as to fight in it. You and David are showing what both sides of the issue truly mean. Two people on opposite sides of an issue and remaining friends.

I hate the whole "chickenhawk" crap because (to me at least) all it is is a way for one side to try to shut the other side up. We are not a great country because we shut each other up, we are great because people like you and David are willing to be friends no matter how loud the rhetoric gets.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
I can't believe you remember my sister! it had been so long since I have been posting, I figured that nobody would even remember who I was. Leaping Lizard is doing absolutely wonderful. She has now finished college and graduated with her Masters in elementary education specialized in mathematics. I wish she would begin posting again, but we don't talk about our own virtual worlds, simply because it will always consume real life conversation, so she'll have to do that on her own terms.

I remember now that it was your husband who is serving. That is too bad that you were pretty much "tricked" into having him join, but it is good to hear that it has been mostly positive. I also have a friend Nick who is in the service and also joined before there was a threat of war. It is almost weird seeing him now because we grew up together as hippie kids, and oh how he has changed. I am glad to see that he has grown, but I sometimes miss the lil' toking hippie kid that he was. Either way, we all choose a path, and I support him as well. It was good to hear from you again. Take care.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
Parated-

the quote thing isn't working so: We are not a great country because we shut each other up, we are great because people like you and David are willing to be friends no matter how loud the rhetoric gets.

I commend you on this. I believe we live in the greatest country in the world, and to believe in something you have to question its ways. Questioning something is a very personal thing as well, and we all come to different conclusions. If I were to look down on someone for coming to a different conclusion than myself, what kind of person would I be. We accept eachother for who we are, not what we believe.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
SOR:
Leaping Lizard is doing absolutely wonderful. She has now finished college and graduated with her Masters in elementary education specialized in mathematics.


I'm glad to hear that...that's wonderful news! If you get a chance, send her a hello and congratulations from me (if she remembers me, hahaha).

That is too bad that you were pretty much "tricked" into having him join, but it is good to hear that it has been mostly positive.


Well, I wouldn't say tricked, necessarily, but the recruiter was good at his job and put some stars in our eyes.

There were a few things he did lie about ("in Army housing you will have a bedroom for you and your husband to share and one for each of your kids, plus one," "the Army will pay off your student loans," "we won't be going to war with Iraq...it's not going to heat up," he always referred to Adrian's career choice as Health Care Specialist, and we didn't discover until after he signed that he was a "combat medic," which is much grittier than the 91W job descriptions we'd seen), but some aggressive research and common sense on our part would have served us well and kept him honest.

I also have a friend Nick who is in the service and also joined before there was a threat of war. It is almost weird seeing him now because we grew up together as hippie kids, and oh how he has changed. I am glad to see that he has grown, but I sometimes miss the lil' toking hippie kid that he was.


It's amazing how much military service can change a person. I know exactly what you mean. In some ways the discipline and aggressive get-it-done attitude is helpful and refreshing, but then again, I could do without some of the Adrian's new super clean house issues, hahaha.

Either way, we all choose a path, and I support him as well.


That seems to be a pretty rare attitude, but it's something I truly respect.

It was good to hear from you again. Take care.


Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Somebody has to pay for the soldiers. That would be the hardworking civilians back home, whose taxes fund the entire government, and whose daily devotion to their jobs is the source of all the wealth this country produces.

It seems to me that this is reason enough, by itself, for some who support the war to stay home and work, while others go to fight.

Another way to look at it is this: Many soldiers support the war. I don't have to be one of them to agree with them, just as you don't have to be a soldier to agree with soldiers who oppose the war.

Also, if we agreed that only soldiers are qualified to judge war, then we'd have give up our civilian oversight of the military. The Joint Chiefs would no longer answer to the President and Congress, but only to themselves. History has taught us that removing civilian control of the military is a Bad Thing.

And since this is a representative government, the civilians who oversee the military are appointed by us citizens--most of whom are also civilians.

So by the very design of our system of government, we civilians--not just the soldiers!--are properly supposed to pass judgement on military matters, and make the final decisions about war and peace. (Obviously, the soldiers also get a say in the matter, just no more of a say than the rest of us.)

Anyway, there are tons of soldiers of all ranks who support the war. Are the liberals among us, who believe that most (all?) soldiers are bloodthirsty brainwashed bumblefucks, really arguing that we should let them call the shots?

I mean, sure, Kerry opposed the war and had more combat experience than Bush. But it would be trivial to find a General or Admiral with ten times Kerry's rank and experience, who supports the war. If experience is the benchmark, then clearly Kerry was completely wrong about the war, for he's been contradicted by soldiers with more experience than he will ever have.
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
stutefish:
Somebody has to pay for the soldiers. That would be the hardworking civilians back home, whose taxes fund the entire government, and whose daily devotion to their jobs is the source of all the wealth this country produces.

It seems to me that this is reason enough, by itself, for some who support the war to stay home and work, while others go to fight.


The problem is that we have far too many civilians at home "paying for the Soldiers" and not enough enlisting. I certainly don't see this as a good excuse for not signing up.

So by the very design of our system of government, we civilians--not just the soldiers!--are properly supposed to pass judgment on military matters, and make the final decisions about war and peace. (Obviously, the soldiers also get a say in the matter, just no more of a say than the rest of us.)


We are in a war that requires virtually no sacrifice on the part of the civilians back at home.

The Soldiers have so much at stake in these military decisions and actually understand the ins and outs of what is required of them because of experience, and yet loud mouths at home who've never served (or have served briefly in garrison) love to demonstrate their patriotism by proclaiming their support for the war (complete with ill-informed opinions about all things war and military-related).

Civilians at home don't feel this war. It doesn't intrude on their everyday lives. The Soldiers live the reality of the policy decisions made.

It's easy to voice support for something when I don't have to back it up with action (and no, going to work and being a good citizen just like I always have doesn't count). That's what I detest.

I can say that I support community efforts to find a missing child all day long, but unless I'm willing to get off my ass and help out with the rescue efforts in some way, my opinion means exactly jack and shit. I'm still entitled to my opinion of course, and I can talk it up all day long, but at the end of the day, all I did was make myself feel better. I certainly didn't help save a child.

Anyway, there are tons of soldiers of all ranks who support the war. Are the liberals among us, who believe that most (all?) soldiers are bloodthirsty brainwashed bumblefucks, really arguing that we should let them call the shots?


You are quite deluded if you actually believe that liberals view Soldiers this way. There are many liberal Soldiers serving in our military, and it's pretty crass to assume that all the liberals at home have such disdain for our military.