A wingnut joins the army

[Elidor]

My wingnut boss, who loves Rush and O'Reilly, and whom I am fond of anyway-against my own will, as it were, found out recently that the son he has never had a good relationship with has joined the army for - get this -

Eight. Long. Years.

Basic training, then six weeks of training in his MOS, then straight to Iraq, where even mail-room clerks are being pulled into riding shotgun on convoys. He didn't try to talk him out of it because that would have made the kid want it more. So this poor dumb kid with a big mouth, who has never quite fit in anywhere and never got his bearings in life - a big wingnut himself, only not as intelligent as his father - he's been at loose ends for a couple of years now, and this is his answer to the problem of "what do I do with my life?"

His dad, my curious neocon friend, is the ultimate stoic, and rarely admits to pain, but he knows as well as I do what his boy is walking into here. He knows as well as I do that Dubya has NO INTENTION OF LEAVING IRAQ anytime in the foreseeable future. Kids that are ten years old today are going to graduate from high school before his son comes home from Iraq to stay. I used to think that I wished this scenario on him, but I was wrong. I don't wish it on anyone. I see in his eyes the confused pain of a man who has no idea what to do to save his son. He can only watch in mute horror as junior throws himself to the wolves. He never thought this war would affect him and his.

[libertypirate]

1. Damn I hope many people understand this...

[Selatius]

2. I feel sympathy for your boss

A father burying his only son home from war is something I would never wish on anyone.

[Richard Steele]

3. Maybe this will be his wake-up call...be gentle and help him along!

All politics aside, please tell him that THIS "Liberal" hopes his son comes home intact and unharmed.

[nicholieeee]

4. i feel his pain

my cousin joined the marines in january. he's now in infantry to school where he hopes to be the guy on the back of the humvee shooting at things. :(

[cynatnite]

5. Perspectives change when war hits this close to home

My daughter has a 17 yr old friend that wants to join the army when he graduates high school. He thinks the army is for him and there's no dissuading him. I've spoken to him at length about this as I'm sure his parents have.

Even knowing the dangers, he still wants to go. Maybe he's looking for the same thing as your boss' son. I don't know.

What I do know is, as much as it scares the hell out of us, and I'm sure your boss, ultimately it is their decision to make. Ultimately, we have to let our children go even when it's to war.

I feel for your boss and I hope that his son returns safely.

I will add that eight years is a long time for a first enlistment. My advice would have been to take the shortest one if they are that determined to enlist. At least that way, if they don't like it they don't have to wait so long to get out. Maybe telling your boss this and having him see if his son will consider a shorter hitch is an idea.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. 17 year olds don't really "know the risks". As far as they are concerned,

they're never gonna die, much less before they reach 20.

[Elidor]

8. It's too late for that, he's already at boot camp

[Swamp Rat]

6. Sad

[DisassemblingHisLies]

9. Sorry, but I'd rather the wingnuts' sons enlist

before either of my sons gets drafted. It's only right for those who rabidly support this administration be sent to fight the war.

I hate to see any young people fighting in this vanity war, but if I had to choose, it would be the wingnuts' children.

[PsN2Wind]

10. If he is a neo-con, as you say,

then I assume he,like Dubya, feels the war is "worth the sacrifice". If so, I have exactly zero sympathy for him. His dim son is a different matter, him I can feel sorry for.

[cynatnite]

12. No parent should outlive their own child

I believe that and the pain a parent feels when they do lose one or the possibility of losing one is something I don't wish on anyone. Political beliefs don't mean shit.

This guy's son may die.

[PsN2Wind]

13. I said nothing about wishing his sons death on him

But if he, like Dubya, believes the war "is worth the sacrifice" but only if it's someone elses child being sacrificed. Then zero sympathy.

[cynatnite]

14. 'only if it's someone else's child'...'nuf said n/t

[bling bling]

11. Hopefully his son will be o.k.

The odds are (at least as of today) that he will be o.k. And for people who truly believe in the war to sign up to enlist is a lot more respectable than the chicken-shit neocons who beat the war drums but find every excuse in the book to NOT actively participate by risking their own lives for the cause.

Hopefully his son will return having learned some valuable things about life and death and why war should always be the very last resort. And hopefully he will help spread the message far and wide instead of bottling it all up like so many others do so that future generations of soldiers won't EVER have to wear the American uniform under such dishonerable and scandelous leaders as these again.