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If those are the excuses one is going to give to not answer the call if the country calls, then for one's own sake, don't say them around those who did answer or even worse, their surviving kin.
As far as leaders being dodgers, well, maybe so, but that still does not give one a defense to ignore a call especially when there are others who will answer.
If one wants to say they won't kill, fine, but they better be out there in the field as a medic or the like.
Now, that I would certainly do - though realistically, I don't have the official qualifications to work as a medic, and they won't have time to train people when they just need to hurry up and gather as much cannon fodder as possible, so I'd probably end up having a gun shoved into my hands and then be shoved out onto the battlefield.
Now, that I would certainly do - though realistically, I don't have the official qualifications to work as a medic, and they won't have time to train people when they just need to hurry up and gather as much cannon fodder as possible, so I'd probably end up having a gun shoved into my hands and then be shoved out onto the battlefield.
It's not a situation I want to risk.
Then get yourself trained so if the situation does come up, you at least have those qualifications in your wallet to weigh on your side, to reduce your risk, if not to show your commitment to be against killing.
I am not against killing in the call of the country, but I do have at least 3 units on being a medic in first aid, CPR, and AED. Those are required as part of one my professions with required refresher training every so often. How hard is it to learn how to be a basic EMT (which I hope to be able to do some day) ? I am currently training to be part of CERT ( https://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams )
The actual motivation for one or the other may be for another reason but overall, it is in a belief to be ready to serve the State if called.
So there's the rub. Does one say they won't kill but instead they have something else to bring to the party or do they have another reason for when the call goes out to stay "Forget You!" and contribute nothing?
Now, that I would certainly do - though realistically, I don't have the official qualifications to work as a medic, and they won't have time to train people when they just need to hurry up and gather as much cannon fodder as possible, so I'd probably end up having a gun shoved into my hands and then be shoved out onto the battlefield.
Perhaps so but never the less, when the country calls the population to arms, one answers that call.
That is the way I was raised; had I denied that call for whatever reason, I would have been banished from the family. Further, as a member of a privlidged class, that was the expectation of how we would respond and more than that, we were all required to take the first 2 years of ROTC if Dad was going to pay for our college. We didn't have to make a career of it but we needed to have the basics under our belts.
One of the things I think I am seeing is that people have this notion that they are going to live forever.
Finally, there is a matter that is in a similar vein but not quite. When I was 12, my family was on diplomatic passports over seas. One of the things that was taught to us was that if kidnapped, "The country will not be sacrificed for your ransom."
Enjoy life as much as one can as it comes along but face it, as the saying goes, none of us are getting out of this alive.
Why? Is the only answer "because?"
Sorry, just because someone in the White House says we should go to war - doesn't make it the right, logical, or a moral decision. If there are no good reasons, I think that people who "automatically" sign up and say yes sir without giving it critical thought are doing this country damage.
Because your family has instilled a knee jerk reaction to the presidents whistle call is a shame. There are some times when this country should NOT go to war and if the leaders won't lead in the right direction, it is up to the people to lead them.
Sorry, just because someone in the White House says we should go to war - doesn't make it the right, logical, or a moral decision. If there are no good reasons, I think that people who "automatically" sign up and say yes sir without giving it critical thought are doing this country damage.
Because your family has instilled a knee jerk reaction to the presidents whistle call is a shame. There are some times when this country should NOT go to war and if the leaders won't lead in the right direction, it is up to the people to lead them.
There are always two sides of the coin.
I got out of the Navy before Desert Shield but when Abu Ghraib rolled around, the Captain I had done police work under asked me what I would have done. Had I stayed in it was plausible that I might have found myself in that position.
I know the Rules of War and that is one does not torture prisoners, regardless of how the government defines them. I know that it will eventually be found out in this modern information world of ours and I know when it does, it will be the people on site left holding the bag.
So I would not have done it, I would have either refused those orders or followed them incompetently. If I was lucky, I would have been relieved and tossed out of the Navy, right at the mark to turn my back on close to 20 years of service and retirement.
So, please, don't put words in my mouth.
The catch to the other side of your presentation is who is saying that one is not leading in the right direction?
Long story short is if the situation is covered by the means of the US government be it a declaration of war, Congress granting the President permission to proceed as he says, covered under the treaties that the US has authenticated such as UN peace keeping, and so forth, then one is out on a very long branch to say that such are wrong and the country ought to go their direction.
I got out of the Navy before Desert Shield but when Abu Ghraib rolled around, the Captain I had done police work under asked me what I would have done. Had I stayed in it was plausible that I might have found myself in that position.
I know the Rules of War and that is one does not torture prisoners, regardless of how the government defines them. I know that it will eventually be found out in this modern information world of ours and I know when it does, it will be the people on site left holding the bag.
So I would not have done it, I would have either refused those orders or followed them incompetently. If I was lucky, I would have been relieved and tossed out of the Navy, right at the mark to turn my back on close to 20 years of service and retirement.
So, please, don't put words in my mouth.
The catch to the other side of your presentation is who is saying that one is not leading in the right direction?
Long story short is if the situation is covered by the means of the US government be it a declaration of war, Congress granting the President permission to proceed as he says, covered under the treaties that the US has authenticated such as UN peace keeping, and so forth, then one is out on a very long branch to say that such are wrong and the country ought to go their direction.
But you just said a couple posts ago that if you were called you would go. No hesitation seems to be found in that post. "Perhaps so but never the less, when the country calls the population to arms, one answers that call."
The powers that be have shown themselves to be easily bought off. As long as they don't have to go, the whole bunch of them are likely to "approve" going to war.
But you just said a couple posts ago that if you were called you would go. No hesitation seems to be found in that post.
Exactly for when the order is to go then whatever else path has been exhausted. Be it the court injunction, be it Congress, be it whatever.
If I get that letter in the mail, the odds are excellent that it is a legal order. Scrapping the bottom of the barrel, of course, but never the less..............
As far as I can recall, the US has fought no war which was illegal. Unwise, perhaps, but not illegal. Illegal actions have occurred in war and 'hostilities', yes, but overall, the fighting was legal or, at the very least for the participants concerned, legal at the time (when one is debating it 100 years after the fact, it really doesn't make much of a difference to those who fought it).
Exactly for when the order is to go then whatever else path has been exhausted. Be it the court injunction, be it Congress, be it whatever.
If I get that letter in the mail, the odds are excellent that it is a legal order. Scrapping the bottom of the barrel, of course, but never the less..............
As far as I can recall, the US has fought no war which was illegal. Unwise, perhaps, but not illegal. Illegal actions have occurred in war and 'hostilities', yes, but overall, the fighting was legal or, at the very least for the participants concerned, legal at the time (when one is debating it 100 years after the fact, it really doesn't make much of a difference to those who fought it).
So as long as it is "legal" you go. You have no concerns about whether or not it was moral?
I am not trying to put words in your mouth - truly I am not, I am trying to understand the words coming out of your mouth.
And I am not sure how that wiki page defines what is moral. Legal sure, that's easy.
From you response I have to assume that you are saying if someone in authority says so, you go. That's fine if that is how you feel. I just don't understand getting the meaning of moral from a piece of paper. Twelve good men and true - or even the King - are not in control of my moral conscience.
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