tonksy said:
So I suppose you are never flippant? You never joke? Or is it because it goes against your sensibilities? If you think I was seriously condoning shooting that woman then you have a screw loose.
I have no extra freedoms than anyone else. I just take offense at you presuming that I do not care about our freedoms when I put MY life on the line for them.
I said you were joking about killing her...you just want her to shut up. I also realize that you said
"I suppose she does have the right to be as irritating as she wants to be".
You know she has the freedom to do what she is doing. You put your life on the line to protect these freedoms and I sincerely thank you. It just seems like you could have a bit more pride in your achievement.
This thread has several people joking about killing her, fantasizing about burying her in feces, and (not jokingly?) charging her with conspiracy or as a traitor. So far HomeLAN is the only one defending our freedoms now.
tonksy said:
As for your brother, I commend him AND I bet that he understands that he could be killed, that he could be asked to sacrifice his life for our freedoms.
Honestly he doesn't
really understand. He'll say he knows he could die or need to kill another person but you can tell he's thought about it as deep as when he dies or kills people playing Call of Duty. Looks like he's going to have to take a bullet in the leg or lose a friend before he truly grasps the idea.
tonksy said:
Ask him if he wants your mother to belittle that sacrifice by carrying on as if she were the only one to lose a son or daughter. Ask him if he wants your mother to use his death as leverage for a political career.
I will ask him...might have a chance later today. I know my brother well and I'm pretty sure how he would react. If he died in Iraq but I could talk to his ghost and pointed out my mom on TV protesting about him and the war I'm almost sure I'm almost sure I'd get something like..."Cool, Iraq sucked hard. Wish they would have sent me to New Orleans or Afghanistan. Look at that stupid shirt she's wearing".
Mrs. Sheehan isn't carrying on as if she was the only one to lose a son or daughter and I don't know why you would think her intentions are really to get a political career. The message front and center on her groups website says...
"We as families of soldiers who have died as a result of war are organizing to be a positive force in our world to bring our country’s sons and daughters home from Iraq, to minimize the “human cost” of this war, and to prevent other families from the pain we are feeling as the result of our losses".
So it's for all families of soldiers who have died with the intention of helping other families involved in the war. Sounds reasonable.
Even if you don't agree with her (I don't about a few things) you should still be able to empathize. She thinks the war in Iraq is immoral, that Bush misled the country, and Iraq was no threat. There's no shortage of reasons someone might think that. Therefore she feels her sons death was not only unnecessary, it was a travesty.
While you were in the navy if Clinton sent you to attack Australia to take over all the best surfing spots and you and thousands of other people died in the war would your parents be outraged? Maybe even speak up about it?
Professur said:
Question, Flav. Why does your brother want to be in the military?
He is just generally into military, weapons, and self defense type of stuff...always has been. Basic training was fun he tells me. He was on the wrestling team, in Boy Scouts, got a black belt in Tae Kwon Do when he was 11-12, and plays almost nothing but military video games. There's a good chance he'll make a career out of it.
He has a few odd ideas about it that maybe are naive, fantasy, or I don't know how to describe them. For instance he tells me sometime in the future if he goes to dinner with some people and someone asks what he does for a living he wants to be able to say "I'm sorry that's classified" and that maybe he can end up guarding Area 51 at some point.
If he goes to Iraq and gets killed or maimed it certainly will be an outrage. He deserves better than that.