Are you willing to kill for your country?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country." Bertrand Russell

When I was in Marine boot camp, the enemy of the day was Cuba. Some Captain gave us adolscents trying to be men a lecture about how we should be eager to kill Cubans because Fidel was a dirty Commie with a beard.

Even at 17 years old, I thought it was a pretty flimsy reason to kill people I didn't know and had no grudge against.

[leftofthedial]

1. No, but I might slap someone

for some hip hop

[mopinko]

2. from my front porch, yes

on someone else's soil? no way.

[babylonsister]

3. I guess if conditions were right, I'd have to

be willing. But no way in this day and age and I agree with you-to kill people I don't know and have no grudge against? If protecting the US for the right reasons, that might be a different story.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. That was just the start...

the enemy must be dehumanized, and they keep it up when there's a real, shootin' enemy.

Personally, no, I will not kill for my country, or for any other reason.

[mermaid]

5. THIS Country??

Not just NO....but FUCK NO!!!


If George W. Bush or any of his cronies were on fire I wouldn't PISS on them to put out the flames!!

Maybe if America became, once again, a land I could be proud of...a land that stood up for MY RIGHTS and MY EQUALITY in the eyes of the law...maybe THEN....but certainly not UNTIL!!

Why the fuck should I give my life for a country that refuses me equal treatment?

ON EDIT: Fixed Typo - it should have ALWAYS read ...I WOULDN'T piss on them to put out the flames!!!

[jeff30997]

10. If George W. Bush or any of his cronies were on fire...

I would not piss on them to put out the flames.Let them burn.

[Jamastiene]

31. Oh I love it.

You sound like you feel the same way I do about them.

[queeg]

6. yes

and I would kill to keep my freedom too. I would also kill for YOU to keep YOUR freedom.

[mermaid]

19. What Freedom??

Oh...you mean the stuff Bushco is taking away from us...

[Pastiche423]

29. Would you please

state specifically, what freedoms of mine you would kill for?

[Starlight]

38. You're planning a coup d'etat?

For little ol' me?

:shrug:

[queeg]

42. We live in a tenuous peace.

It has not been long since the leaders of nations were always just the person who killed the last leader. And no matter how bad it is here now consider how bad it is other places and how bad it could become here.

I fully expect there to be another civil war in this country, it may happen in my lifetime (I am 40) it may happen in my daughters lifetime (she is 8) but come it will. And the questions it is fought over will undoubtedly be the same as the last time. Removing the question of slavery, the main issue of the first civil war was one of where the powers of the federal government could intrude upon what was thought to be inviolable rights retained by the various states.

Even in the name of our nation we find not just a name but The "United States." When the federal government has reached a specific point, and where that point is is subject to the unknown here, people will find that their state rights and local rights and individual rights have been trumped, and at that point there may be a war within this country. What is different now is that the two sides are more intermingled that they were 145 years ago when there were easier to understand demarcation lines as in there is the south, and there is the north. It is easy to say Blue state here and red state there, I live in Austin, Texas, a Red state if there ever was one, but my local community voted 75 percent for Kerry. How does that reconcile with blindly calling where I live a "Red state"?

We may see some of the exact arguments argued in the house and senate that were argued before the first civil war, if say Puerto Rico votes for statehood. Should it be a blue state or a red state, and if it is seen as overwhelmingly blue then the republicans may vote to block it.

The question should not be "are you willing to kill," but rather what will you put up with before you are willing to kill. Would you be willing to see a loved one jailed for life for a minor infraction or see them jailed or killed by the state or tortured for political reasons? Would you blindly turn away if your neighbors were taken away in the night and never seen again. Would you raise your voice in protest of the government if you knew that you would be blackballed, perhaps jailed, tortured or expelled by that government.

At what point would you be willing to kill. I know for a fact that many of the people here on this board saying that they would never kill, would in fact kill, and kill willingly for a cause. I don't think it is hypocritical of anyone to say that they couldn't or wouldn't, but deep in your heart you know that you could and would. Just being on this board indicates that you posess a bit of passion, it is really a matter of the point were those underlying passions will be exposed.

[buddysmellgood]

43. All politics is local, as is killing.

[MADem]

7. To preserve, protect and defend my family, my fellow citizens

...and the Constitution of the United States, sure. It's not a nice thing to do, it's not anything that anyone sane looks FORWARD to doing, but if it needs to be done, it needs to be done.

What is happening in Iraq right now is not "necessary." I feel for those kids who are put in such a hideous position. They join out of patriotism, and they are used as pawns by evil policy cretins for greedy, foolish ends.

I always felt that civilian control of the military prevented crazy generals and flag officers, like in the Dr. Strangelove film, from running rampant. Now I'm starting to think that it's the damn CIVILIANS we need to beware of. Course, with no 'advise and consent' from the Senate (they've substituted the YES, FEARLESS LEADER rubber stamp), their is no advice, and the Chimp feels he doesn't need anyone's consent but his own.

[fairfaxvadem]

15. I pretty much agree with you on this.

I can conceive of a few situations where I would be obliged to do this. Invasion from without or within (God forbid our military turned on us), and if some nutcase was ever to get way out of hand, as we saw in WWII, and the like.

But situations such as those are the exception and not the rule.

[leyton]

8. To protect it, probably.

For oil, no.

[dobegrrrl]

9. My country perhaps,

It would depend on the situation -- It would depend on the gov't -- the current regime -- NFW.

[HEyHEY]

11. Ain't no Iraqi ever called me a "privileged white male"

CHILL, that was a joke

[Swamp Rat]

12. Under NO circumstance would I be "willing" to kill.

yuk :(

[leanin_green]

13. No, I guess that's why I became a Corpsman.

I'd rather patch em up than shoot em up. Wouldn't be a cop either because I doubted I could draw down on anyone. Not a good partner to have. Now, kill to save innocents or self? Another matter.

[MADem]

22. Well, bless ya, child

All the risk is there, even if you aren't on the business end of a weapon.

We all wish our leaders would make better decisions on why, or when, we go to war.

[leanin_green]

27. Yeah, I remember the gunny asking me. . .

when we were getting ready to go on a WESPAC about what would be my weapon of choice. I told him that if I had to have something besides my 45 that I'd want a pistol grip sawed off 12-gauge with double ott buckshot. He was a Nam Vet and knew exactly why, too. He said, "Doc, I'm glad your with my unit." He knew that if I was ever in a predicament while tending a wounded marine I didn't want to have to worry about aiming or looking at what I was shooting at, just take out the patch of jungle that I heard the noise from. I didn't want to bother with the details of killing. Problem was, when we found ourselves off the Coast of Korea in '77 waiting for orders, he came up to me a gave me the shotgun with a hip holster. Things got spooky for awhile. But Carter talked us out of it after acknowledging it was our mistake that our helo strayed over the DMZ.

Anyway, thanks for the blessing.

[Fescue4u]

14. Id rather kill for my country

Than die for it.

Of course we are all familiar with Pattons famous quote.

[Iggytop]

16. Are you willing to kill for your country?

Short answer : Yes

[journalist3072]

17. That's a hard question to answer....

Normally, I would be inclined to say yes. If I TRULY felt my was under threat of attack, then yes.

The problem is, we cannot trust the information that the current regime gives us. So based on the current times we live in, I am going to say NO. I'm not willing to die for something is most likely a lie, based on the Bushies' record so far.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

18. If I had to. If that person was a threat to my country,

I would, in battle, in self-defense. I'm no pacifist.

[seabeyond]

20. they would have to be on my front porch

threatening me and my family

[H2O Man]

21. "Confusion

No connections
Come 'ere
I love you
Peace on earth
Will you die for me?
Eat me
This way
The end"
-- James Douglas Morrison

I would suggest that the real question of the day is under what circumstance would you kill another person? Would it be to protect your family? Or would it be because another human being "ordered" you to kill?

If the president said "kill an Iraqi for Freedom"?
If president Nixon said kill a Vietnamese for democracy?
If Hitler said kill a Jew for humanity?
If Manson said stab a pregnant woman for peace on earth?
If your governor said kill those in the next state?
If your high school gym teacher wore a uniform, would that give him/her the moral authority?
Would you decide for yourself?
Or let another decide for you?

Just my opinion of the question young people should be considering.

[Swamp Rat]

41. "If your high school gym teacher wore a uniform..."

This one really cuts through, like an oboe solo...

[H2O Man]

47. Your photos

express what I was trying to say .... Thank you!

What is "free will" when we are unwilling to be free enough to think and decide for ourselves what we are going to do in the ultimate of circumstances? To allow human beings such as Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld decide for you when you may kill? Or when you may die? At what age do you outgrow the need for a great gym teacher to decide for you?

[Stirk]

23. If another country invaded this one, then yes.

Short of that... absolutely not. There's no way I'd kill for some corporate leach's stock portfolio.

[tx_dem41]

26. What about a situation like...

in Europe in WWII? Maybe you don't consider that as "for your country"?

[Stirk]

30. Well, our old allies were being invaded. I can imagine stretching the

definition a bit there. But that was a pretty extreme case.

Just about every conflict we've been involved in since then has been imperialistic.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. I Would Have Killed A Confederate To Free My Black Brothers

and preserve the union....


I would have killed a Nazi to end WW2....

[Jamastiene]

32. Those are things worth killing for

The current state of corruption in our government, no way, unless it was to free our country from the grasp of the evil henchmen, the Repugs and the terrorist, or are they 2 different groups of people at all really?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

45. I Wouldn't Have Liked It Though....

There are always certain things worth fighting for...

[Lisabtrucking]

25. For my country, NOT Bush. n/t

[Longhorn]

28. My son is a 20-year-old Marine.

He's made it clear he's willing to kill to protect his fellow Marines but he completely disagrees with why his fellow Marines are in harm's way to begin with.

[Disturbed]

34. Wars are a horrible activity...

so why have billions been so eager to join in them? Is war made to seem glamorous and exciting?

[countbad]

33. NAZIS!!!!

I would pay for the right to shoot nazis!!!!!

[diamond14]

35. my cousin REFUSED TO KILL....drafted and he was KILLED in Vietnam

my cousin REFUSED TO KILL...so they made him a MEDIC, and he was KILLED saving other's lives in Vietnam....19 years old, Silver Star (for Valor on the Battlefield), Purple Heart, KILLED....


He refused to kill others....he saved TWO soldiers' lives just before he was shot dead....an only son...his Father died from GRIEF shortly afterwards....his Mom ended up raising his three sisters all by herself....

He will be forever young...and he stood up for his principles as OUR country abandoned him in the DRAFT, and another great STUPID WAR for the war-profiteers greed.....


YOU YOUNG MEN WILL BE DRAFTED FOR BUSH WARS REAL SOON....what will YOU do??

[Disturbed]

37. "Killings some people is fun."

I believe that killing other people seems to have been and still is a popular activity for billions of people in the history of the world. Is it a natural thing for humans to do this?

[mitchum]

36. I am more than willing to kill fascists...

wherever they may be

[ComerPerro]

39. Yes, I certainly would

That doesn't mean that I would go to Iraq and murder innocent people just so Cheney can get rich, though.

It would have to be a proper cause.

But if you are asking, would I kill someone only because the country wanted me to: No.

[Withywindle]

40. Only if we were actually invaded, on our actual land!

Possibly a WWII type situation. Otherwise, no.


Now, self-defense or defense of someone I love, definitely.



I figure an actual aggressor has forfeited my compassion; the life of the non-aggressor (say, me or my loved one) takes precedence.


I cannot tell you how much I hate the fact that my country has become the aggressor I cannot sympathize with.

[buddysmellgood]

44. Define country.

[Blue-Jay]

46. Yes. If we were being occupied by a foreign power.

Especially if that foreign power invaded for bogus reasons. You'd better believe that I'd bust a few caps in some asses.

[liberalitch]

48. Are they coming to norfolk va right now?

One if by land, two if by sea.....

[DistressedAmerican]

49. Depends If I Was Fighting An Army Of Red Staters!

[quaker bill]

50. No

But then I am a Quaker and we just don't kill on any account.

[RetroLounge]

51. Wolverines!

RL