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It is not meant offensive so if others take it for an offensive slur that is their responsibility and not mine.
Thanks for the explanation....and it could certainly apply to a HUGE number of other "slurs"....made in harmless 'jest' by people, who are then surprised by the offense they cause in others. (Many an elderly white Southerner will SWEAR that the "N" word is a harmless term of endearment)....WE would all do well to remember that...
To ONCE AGAIN make myself clear, ANY nation, particularly a huge nation like ours, HAS to have a military---there's just no other option. This does NOT mean that the military should be dispatched around the world to make "neighbors" get along with each other---or to 'teach people democracy', or to be sent out into the streets in full uniform (as it was in Haiti some years ago) to pick up festering piles of garbage as the 'locals' watched in idle curiosity from their doorways. THAT is not what the "military" is designed for....
Yes, I would respond positive to most young people who inquire about military service.
I have benefited in many ways including educationally and occupationally. My profession of 32 yrs. was made possible by military service. I highly recommend the restoration of the draft.
What I observe in various parts of the US is that our society at large would be far better if our youth participated in the various aspects of the military. In many it appears service would fill a void created by various social ills.
While not enamored by our last decade of commander-in-chiefs we need to provide a strong military and our youths are required. Hopefully their missions will be ethical and truly in the best interests of our country.
Yes, I would respond positive to most young people who inquire about military service.
I have benefited in many ways including educationally and occupationally. My profession of 32 yrs. was made possible by military service. I highly recommend the restoration of the draft.
What I observe in various parts of the US is that our society at large would be far better if our youth participated in the various aspects of the military. In many it appears service would fill a void created by various social ills.
While not enamored by our last decade of commander-in-chiefs we need to provide a strong military and our youths are required. Hopefully their missions will be ethical and truly in the best interests of our country.
I definitely agree. While the military is NOT, nor should it be looked at as, a tool of "societal development" there's no doubt that the existence (and the USE) of the DRAFT, in former years, DID have the effect of turning at least SOME aimless boys into adult men, whether it was intended that way or not.
And it's ALSO true that the end of the draft also furher eroded away the 'dividing line' between being a teenager and an adult (in some cases, that 'line' is now at about the 35-year-old mark, if it hasn't disappeared altogether).
Virtually ALL the world's societies, historically, have required some 'ceremony' in passing from childhood to adulthood, PARTICULARLY for males. THe draft once served such a purpose (either you got drafted, OR you were forced to take another 'responsible' life path in order to AVOID it). Now, in present-day American society, there's no more clear 'transition', and we have a LOT of 35-year old 'teenagers'....
The thing is that when the German soldiers did not obey their orders blindly they would never have attacked Holland. The Dutch army was never a threat to the Nazis. And if the Germans never blindly obeyed authority figures there would have been no Endlosung to the German problem.
So if they had never obeyed blindly they could not claim that they did not know of the fact that the Jewish people were being massacred by the Nazis.
There will always be someone willing to attack. When it happens, as it did in WWII, you should be thankful that there are people willing to follow the order to come help.
The police probably don't want to get into every scenario they encounter either, but you would love to see them follow that order if you were being attacked wouldn't you?
The police probably don't want to get into every scenario they encounter either, but you would love to see them follow that order if you were being attacked wouldn't you?
I am not saying that we should forbid the military, all I'm saying is that we should not follow orders blindly.
Even when I was drafted in the army no one could force me to shoot someone. When I kill someone it will be my responsibility thus my decision.
If a superior officer orders me to kill someone and I agree with him I have no problem with following that order, but I don not carry out a direct order simply because the one who ordered me happens to be a superior officer.
Originally Posted by RggrI am not saying that we should forbid the military, all I'm saying is that we should not follow orders blindly.
Even when I was drafted in the army no one could force me to shoot someone. When I kill someone it will be my responsibility thus my decision.
If a superior officer orders me to kill someone and I agree with him I have no problem with following that order, but I don not carry out a direct order simply because the one who ordered me happens to be a superior officer.
You just described a classic case of the breakdown in the COM.
Frankly - if a Superior Officer orders you to open fire, and you don't, you are subject to being court martialed. And, unless you can show that the order was unlawful, you would be convicted and sentenced to hard labor and dishonorable discharge.
Frankly - if a Superior Officer orders you to open fire, and you don't, you are subject to being court martialed. And, unless you can show that the order was unlawful, you would be convicted and sentenced to hard labor and dishonorable discharge.
I have no problem with this. Like Muhammad Ali I do not run away from the consequences of my decisions.
Well, as someone located in Holland your should be thanking your lucky stars U.S. military members blindly obey orders. Because of those blindly obeying orders your countrymen were not speaking German after WWI. Thanks to the stand of those blindly following orders in the Battle of the Ardennes, your countrymen were not speaking German after WWII. Because those brave American soldiers did not ask "Gee, why should we hold the line" your country is free. Thanks to those who blindly follow orders, NATO forces kept your country from becoming Communist during the cold war.
So, on behalf of all American veterans, I say your welcome, because I know what you really wanted to say was "Thanks America for constantly sending in your forces and saving western Europe's arse over and over again".
Please, first of all you do not speak for ALL of anything. Putting words in people’s mouths is arrogant and dismissive. How do you think the Iraqi’s feel about the US forces right now?
NATO forces are comprised of all European nations; The Dutch sent people to Iraq in support of the US debacle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lionking
Well part of signing on the dotted line is surrendering many civil rights that civilians enjoy like free speech.A hiarchy is needed in a military in order for it to function properly.
Not quite true. Even AFN commercials tell people that they have freedom of speech within certain parameters.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lionking
America does not have the authority to spread Democracy,it is not our manifest destiny to do so.Just look at the Balkans again,we interfere trying to do the right thing but muck it up even more,same about the middle east.
The fact is Democracy doesn't work for everybody,and it should be them to decide for themselves if it does.But what we are doing is helping a few and pissing off alot.
I do think its a honorable thing to do,but when a person joins and is then sent to Iraq,Kosovo,Africa,Saudia Arabia and so on no amount of medling in their affairs are going to have a positive outcome in the end.
I absolutely agree.
Again, I would not recommend the military to anyone.
Someone mentioned using the draft again. Cheney managed 7 deferments; how many of the current administration served? The wealthy always managed to get out of the draft.
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It is not meant offensive so if others take it for an offensive slur that is their responsibility and not mine.
Military Service
