masterfrederick

To the Flock:

Another election year is upon us, and once again the country galvanizes itself and divides into two schools of thought. Once again the issues are debated. Once again the mud flies. Once again, common folk on the street and in the workplace confront eachother and try to sway views. And once again, people are criticized over differences in beliefs.

The biggest one on my plate of late is the War in Iraq(tm). This is debated at my workplace, a sheet metal shop in the aerospace industry. The single biggest proponent of the War(tm) is a man who wears Marine Corps regalia every day-- T-shirts, Sweaters, Ballcaps, Pins, not one of his four different vehicles has less than three stickers or magnetic ribbons touting the alleged superiority of the Marines over all the other branches of the United States Military. This type of branch worship would be respectable, if not for one point: HE'S NEVER SERVED. His sons are all in the Corps, and he lives vicariously through them. He tried today to goad me into a debate on the War(tm). He did not like the result.

Now, before I go on, allow me to be CRYSTAL FUCKING CLEAR on one point: I am former Army. I come from a family (TWO, if you count my first stepfather) with a long history of military service. I do not in ANY way disparage anyone for serving. Regardless of your branch, you served the interests of this country. You should be thanked for your self-sacrifice, regardless of how you served, during War- or Peacetime. It is you, the Men and Women of the United States Armed Forces that have my respect. I do not owe any respect to a poseur living vicariously through his children because he was either unwilling or unable to serve.

The War(tm) on the other hand, I do not support. I did not think we had reason to be there before it began, I certainly didn't think it was justified after we found NO WMD there and changed tack and decided to Liberate(tm) Iraq, and changed tack again in order to capture Saddam Hussein and I don't think we should be there now. I feel this way for a few reasons, which will be explained shortly.

Now before you grab the Soapbox(tm) and balance it precariously on your High Horse(tm) and come at me with,"You should be happy you live in America, where people fought and died so that you could be free to say these things!!!" Allow me to tell you to shove it up your High-and-Mighty Ass(tm). I am well aware of the sacrifices our men and women have made, and am grateful for them, thankyouverymuch. It still doesn't mean I have to agree with you.

The debate ended thusly: "Tell you what, Vicarious Poseur-- I'll be more than happy to join your little flock of sheep when you can tell me how exactly the War(tm) is preserving our Freedom(tm). Or for that matter, how this War(tm) has made us more free at all...? Or when, exactly, Iraq was ever an actual threat to OUR Freedom(tm)? And while you're pondering the answers to those questions, I'll throw in a bonus question: Why is our Department of Defense(tm) ALWAYS on the OFFENSE? On someone else's behalf? Janis Joplin said it better than I ever could: FIGHTING for PEACE is like FUCKING for VIRGINITY."

He had no answers to my questions, and so far, NO ONE ELSE has had any, either.