Choosing your battles.
For the record, I don't care about the record. Not Kerry's. Not Clinton's. Not Bush's. If you were born of intelligence or privilege and had the opportunity to avoid getting killed in Vietnam, I think you would be stupid not to. Besides, I want a leader who is going to be less inclined to send my brother off to battle. I think a guy who knows how to avoid a fight may well be a better candidate for that job.
How bout we focus on their record on education. And the environment. And corporate corruption. Those are the records I want to talk about.
Comments
Was it you who was talking about how it would be different if leaders lead us into battle (a la Braveheart?)
If Bush and Cheney lead the infantry, then it is something worth dying over.
Have you seen "the last Samurai?" Some great stuff in there about how war and battle can be honorable.
But we have crossed over so far into "war is hell" that the concept of death (or killing) with honor is hard to fathom. For me, at least (and certainly the power elite)
Posted by: Halcyon | February 19, 2004 09:29 AM
Thank you so much for saying that. I am glad that there is at least one other person out there who thinks this way.
Posted by: Shawn | February 19, 2004 10:19 AM
The interesting thing is that those who HAVE fought in combat--and I do mean in combat, rather than just in the military--are actually LESS inclined to send the boys off to war because they know exactly what kind of hell war is and think it should be the absolute last resort.
Posted by: April | February 19, 2004 01:25 PM
i wouldn't follow dubya into a baby oil battle of the playboy bunnies.
ok, MAYBE i would.
Posted by: the mighty jimbo | February 19, 2004 02:26 PM
Hmm. Dubya's never been in combat, so he might go for a baby oil battle. On the other hand, Halliburton and Cheney don't make baby oil, so there's no incentive for him to go.
Posted by: April | February 19, 2004 02:40 PM
I don't think it's that crucial of an issue, either.
But ... I also can't stand for people to get away with blatant, flaming hypocrisy, and after the way Clinton was roasted for taking a student deferrment (of which Cheney took several, then he maxed out so he knocked up his wife) I think it's good for Bush and other administration officials to be held to the flames. And very few, if any, of the war hawks in this administration served in the military, much less saw anything resembling combat.
Posted by: sid | February 19, 2004 03:47 PM
I agree with you Jimbo. I would have tried to get out of dying too, no matter what my country wanted me to do at the time. I also believe that people can change drastically from the person they were when they were 20 and the person they are today.
In short, I don't care that Bush skipped on his service to the country. This is a non issue for me.
However, this is a huge issue to the men and women that DID risk themselves for this country in Vietnam.
This is an issue that may break the president's bid for re-election.
Because of that, I hope this issue stays alive and burns in the minds of those people who care about this issue.
Then, maybe then, we can get rid of this guy that is running our nation into the gutter.
Posted by: Ed | February 20, 2004 03:08 PM
aaaahhhhh...and my candidate finally announced that he's running as an independent this election...
Posted by: br | February 22, 2004 09:54 PM
GRRRRR...a certain candidate is what caused this administration in the first place. i'm desperate for a third party, but not nearly as desperate as i am for an end to this administration.
Posted by: the mighty jimbo | February 27, 2004 08:45 AM