Claymore wrote:

Peg, while I concede that my comment about the dildo was a bit over the top, I will quietly try and refute almost every thing else you had to say.
--good luck.


The military is FAR better educated than most of the folks that critcize them, with a graduate degree required for most promotions above Major, and at least a BS in many of the senior enlisted ranks.
--again, I was not generalizing about ALL military personnel; I was referring to the idiots in the Marines discussion forum at military.com...A sick little community. In just a few minutes of reading, I found people suggesting that one man poison a co-worker because, apparently he didn't vote; another man was being goaded toshoot a group of anti-war protestors who pissed him off; and another offered some lovely misogynistic comments about women. Can't imagine what I'd find if I had the stomach to read for more than five minutes...



They are FAR more pychologically stable than their civilian equivelents by almost any given statistically significant testing, with numerous tests adminstered to the senior staff due to top secret intelligence and technological requirements. You don't want a nutcase with his finger on the button.
--hmm, what about that guy that went a little psycho a couple weeks ago in Iraq? What happened there? What abotut he guy wearing the helmet that says "Kill 'em all?" I don't call indicative of that emotional stability.


Yes, some young nineteen years old kids can think they are being fired on and return fire into the hotel or a 21 year old pilot drop a bomb on some friendlies, but those are by FAR the exception. And since the service's select at every level of promotion, you must get promoted within a certain period of time, or you are separated from the service. The dummies and wackoids don't last.
--I hope you're right about that.

As Mr. Clintons "Don't Ask Don't Tell" critics will note, there are more homosexuals being put out of the service now than were done prior to it's inception.
--then I guess the policy isn't working, is it? Nice to see homophobia is still going strong in the armed forces...



Since I was treated at a VA hospital, only the most clueless would want to ask if I wanted to "strap it on one more time", having served as a Marine Officer in Vietnam in 69 and was called up to serve in Israel during the Gulf War, and having been a police officer in the meantime. I really need no cum stain (not you, Peg) to question whether I would go, as many people on this website should have noted by now that I have never advocated anything I have never done in person, and many times at that.
--I personally don't care if you want to serve or not. Don;t do it on my account, certainly. I think this war is unjust and is doing more to destabilize the world and harm the United States's economic and political position in the world than anything since, say, Hiroshima.

And I was was actually stunned to think that you or any of the others would advocate that someone would have to meet some intellectual or moral test to critcize anyone.
--I didn't suggest that. Anyone can say anything they want. But when they make threats of violence against those who hold anti-war views, it seems they should be held to some sort of standard. I find such threats cowardly, and thus was forced to make the observation that such cowards do not seem to be currently serving their country in the present crisis, yet feel justified in threatening those who consider the war effort to be wrong-headed.


"I was NOT generalizing about all military personnel, but specifically the ones who are at this point in time NOT serving but find it necessary to criticize and threaten anti-war protestors..."


   I fought for the rights of free speech, I am NOT serving now, and damn it, I plan to critcize the living hell of those idiots. (And frankly the only "threats" those folks face is a logic bomb...)
--what do you want, applause? I am a writer and a teacher by trade, and therefore *I* also fight for free speech...every day. I just don't need a gun to do it.


But your pop-psych-homo-diatribe was well off the mark, once you actually delve into it, and I suspect that you could never find any scientific study to back up what is obviously your opinion.
--not true...

I am certain that there are numerous young potential gays who enter the military, and a high percentage of those are separated from service. There may be some who continue on and serve their country in excellent ways, but very, very few end up with a gun in a foxhole, and survive.
--what are you saying? Gay people don't make good soldiers? That makes you homophobic too, doesn't it?


Have a better weekend, Don