I don't, because it's not.

Sure, if you're a sociopath. There might be "more important things" in the world than the death of one dog, but that doesn't make this any less odious and worthy of disdain. Personally, I find that I can care about more than one issue at a time, and just because this bothers me doesn't mean I care any less about any larger-scale problems in the world. Anyone who possesses such a callous disregard for another living being is no one I respect.

yes, that's quite true. in the case of the soldiers, however, much of that sickness can likely be attributed to external factors drawn from a list that includes the following: shooting people, being shot at, watching friends get blown up, almost getting blown up oneself, spouse/family issues brought on by being gone for a year or more, and too many MREs.

"support the troops" means more than just saying "i support the troops". it doesn't mean you should approve of their actions when they laugh at an exploding dog (for instance), but it does mean that your response should be a little more deeper and thoughtful than "OMG U SOLDIERS R SICK FUCKS WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU". show some compassion for guys who are in such a terrible place that an exploding dog seems funny by comparison.

I wasn't talking about the soldiers.

er, yes, you were. the soldiers found the exploding dog funny. you said finding that sort of thing funny is the sign of a 'fucking sick mind'. if you meant for there to be some sort of exception, you probably should have said as much, man.

Finding an exploding dog funny makes you a sick fuck. I don't give a rats ass what your situation is. Fuck them and anyone else who thinks that's funny or in any way excusable.

Requoted for clarity

but at least you've got a magnetic yellow ribbon on your car, right? that's how a real american supports the troops! good job buddy!

coyotemike, i would like to discuss the point you're trying to make, because based on past discussions with you i feel fairly certain it will be an intelligent and interesting one. but either i'm stupid or you're being overly obscure, because i don't know what point you're trying to make. at this point, i'm really not ruling out either possibility.

WOOSH

You do realize when you write something like this that it implies that you, as the writer, would be doing the same thing, i.e. laughing at a dog being blown up because you think it is funny.

That is what I was directing my comment towards.

Is this supposed to be towards me?

I know right? I watch dogs getting blown up all the time, it's fucking LOL worthy shit right there. Seeing gobs of ketchupy goo everywhere, maybe the occasional eyeball or tooth, charred bones. HI-LARIOUS!

+A billion bonus points to those soldiers for fucking off on the job, too. It's not like they're over there trying to prevent unnecessary death or destruction in Iraq, right?

damn, instaposted to hell and back.

no, the magnetic ribbon line was directed at Shiny Metal Ass.

yes, i did chuckle a bit at the dog video. yes, that says some things about certain portions of my mental anatomy. that's part of the reason i take such a dim view of the attitude people are showing towards these soldiers. i feel it's unfair to expect fighting soldiers to have the sensibilities enjoyed by people who work in offices, when it's obvious that the soldiers being derided don't work in offices. it's obvious to me, at least, that these soldiers can't afford to maintain such sensitive mindsets, because doing so would degrade their preparedness.

how funny you find that sort of thing frequently depends on how often you're exposed to it, and under what circumstances. sometimes, being able to laugh is the difference between being able to do your job and simply cracking under the strain. in such circumstances, you laugh at what's available to be laughed at. sometimes, that bothers people. well, war is pretty bothersome.

these soldiers' job is to go around shooting people, getting shot at, and trying to not get blown up. that sort of occupation is prone to making minds behave in ways that would not be considered healthy in polite society. but they're not operating in polite society, so cut them some fucking slack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLIzyAM5qrQ

I'll cut them some fucking slack in the sense that I don't raise an eyebrow when they can't refrain from swearing constantly. I'll cut them some fucking slack when they use the wrong fork because they've been eating MREs for months. I'll cut them some fucking slack when they develop a drinking problem. I will NEVER cut them some fucking slack for doing something unnecessary and cruel. What if it had been a baby that they blew up? That would be fucking hilarious, because it was a total stranger that got blown up, not one of their buddies. Seriously...I'm fully aware that a high-stress environment can mess with your mind, but the kind of people that blow up dogs for fun shouldn't be allowed in our military.
The fact that they have to deal with life and death on a daily basis would lead one to believe that they would have more respect for life in all it's various forms. There is a difference between being desensitized to death and violence and getting joy out of it.

Don't ask a question you don't want to hear the answer to...disgusting...does this mean Bush makes the AF roundup, in, well, a roundabout way..again?
And the gulf coast is still a mess...this much later...