Oh, Christ, aren't I the popular subject. Let's see...

Forum Lurker, Kat, Carol,, et al: Yeah, you're right. There are serious consequences for refusing to fight. But it is still a choice, made by the soldier. Let's pretend for a moment that I am a soldier. I'm informed that tomorrow, I'll be sent to Iraq, an illegal war that I strongly oppose, to say the least. In my mind, I have two choices:

1. Follow the orders of my superiors, fullfilling the promise I made to my country.

or...

2. Tell my superiors that I refuse to fight, and accept my punishment.

I would choose #2. I would rather spend the rest of my fucking life in prison than become a goon, a monster, in a military hit-squad. I would rather die than kill innocents. At least I would die with my fucking humanity intact, and at least those who survived me would be able to say that I wasn't a murderer. If you think this makes me "disingenuous," "brainless," or whatever, fine. You're entitled to your opinions. I disagree.

And despite having been raised in an extremely patriotic family, I just don't understand this bizarre compulsion to mindlessy, unquestioningly, "support the troops?" Support the troops, WHY? If "the troops" are doing bad things in our names, why support that? I support our troops in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and I support our troops in Kosova. I would support our troops in a real, legal war against a real threat. This is not that war, and these war criminals do not deserve our support.

Troll: I'm not trying to "shock" anyone. I'm expressing how I feel, in the language that comes naturally to me. As a fellow asshole, I'd think you would understand.

And Norton1... whatever. Your lightly veiled threats of physical violence and rambling, incoherent posts are only making me pity you. You seem to be either insane, senile, or both, and you need some professional help.

And if you really want to stalk me, you little creep, knock yourself out. Both my name (Will Anderson) and place of residence (Minnesota) are public knowledge, and can be found in many of my posts over the years, along with other juicy bits of personal information. My picture is available here, and will surely help you to track me down, like a dog, as they say. I have a shaved head these days, but otherwise I look the same. In fact, if you really want to hunt me down and prove to me what a violent badass you are, find that cookie, PM me, and I'll tell you EXACTLY where you can find me.

---Lepus Rex

PS Kat: I didn't go anywhere for a few months... I've posted regularly here, at least several times a month, since May, 2000. And I've always been an asshole. :)