Shame on Me. I talked my son out of joining the Army.

[mopaul]

during the first bush war, the so called gulf war, my oldest son got enlistment fever mixed with patriotic zeal. he told me he wanted to sign up and defend his country against saddam hussein, and kick some arab's asses. i had a little speech prepared.

first i told him that i was very proud of him. i'd never had the opportunity to serve in the military, and i've always admired those who signed up and did their duties. then i told him that the ultimate decision was his, he was a man now.

then i told him my opinions about bush and hussein, that they were both on the same team, that we'd supplied hussein with the gas he killed the Kurds with, and that bush is a big oil man and it was all about montrous profits, not freedom and democracy and protecting america.

then i told him that if he joined the army during bush's war, he'd be doing it for all the wrong reasons, and all for lies. then i told him i'd respect his decision, and that i loved him either way, and that i'd hate to see him go out that door, and it would grieve his mother and i very much.

he decided that his life would be better spent here, and he never did join the army. part of me feels ashamed, part of me feels glad.
he respects anyone who's been in the military, and so do i. i'm glad it all worked out the way it did, and not some awful scenario like so many parents are going through now.

[shadowknows69]

1. I don't think you should feel ashamed at all

You didn't bully him into not joining. You shared your honest feelings about the world with him and although your son respected and admired the military I think you made him realze that the military he was about to join was being used wrongly by corrupt leaders and therefore not worthy of his sacrifice. That's why recruiters are having a hard time right now. Feel proud your son has the brains to see past the propaganda of war.

[acmejack]

2. good for you Mopaul!

There was a time when I would have taken exception, NO more! I benefited from my stint, but I didn't get maimed or killed. I'm glad you saved your son from a terrible, potentially fatal, error.

[Shoeempress]

3. I applaud you calm rational response and am so glad he listened to your

sage advice. I don't have children, but am pretty certain if I were the same position, I'd get a hatchet and lop their toes off.

[Skidmore]

4. I had a similar discussion with my son a couple of years ago

and pointed out to him that he also should engage in a little soul searching to see if he could find it within himself to kill another human being upon command. I didn't raise a child to do such a thing. I have no problem with killing is self-defense, but killing on order is murder.

[Swamp Rat]

5. What an asshole!

Now your poor son must suffer good health and sweet dreams! x(

:patriot: ;)

[Imagevision]

18. kicked and recommend...!

[Callalily]

6. I hope you didn't lose

any sleep mopaul over your decision to talk to your son openly and honestly about misguided evil wars. If I'd ever hear someone thinking about enlisting, I too would do everything within my power to convince that person not to do it. There is absolutely no good reason on earth to lose one's life in this manner. There is absolutely no good reason on earth to even initiate a war.

[ComerPerro]

7. mopaul. You're going against your DU reputation

Because, from what I'm reading here, it sounds like you were reasoned, coherent and rational.

And that's not what you're about!

:hi: :toast: :P

Well done, BTW.

[Sperk]

8. ASHAMED!?!?!?! If my son even hinted about joining * and Dummy's

army, I'd hit him over the head and hold him prisoner in a cage in my basement until these mafia bosses were out of office. :evilgrin:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

9. Nothing to be ashamed of mopaul.

You told him your feelings, and you told him the truth. You treated him like and man and you promised to stand by his decision.

You were a good father. Your son is a lucky young man.

:pals:

[Igel]

10. You gave your explanations, treating him like an adult.

It sounds like he made his decision on his own.

Having made his decision, he should be respected for it. Had he decided the other way, he'd be entitled to the same respect.

[Eloriel]

11. Perhaps you could explain the "part of me feels ashamed" thing

because it doesn't make any sense to me. AFAIC:

* You told your son the truth

* You told him he should make his own decision.


What's to be ashamed of? Really.

[Hubert Flottz]

12. I did the same thing...

and it saved him from "Desert Storm"...All I did was tell him the truth, about what an eleven bravo did in the Army!

[leesa]

13. WooHoo! Now is not the time to join the gristmill.

[dansolo]

14. Why should you feel ashamed?

You were completely honest with your son. You didn't deceive him to make him change his mind. Your son made an informed decision. If your shame has to do with his decision to not serve his country in the armed services, well, there are other ways that he can serve.

[Generic Other]

15. My son went to the mall one day and came home enlisted in the Navy

I still think of the recruiters as pedophiles!

You did the right thing. I wish I had had that chance.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

16. a parent is supposed to protect his son from being sacrificed for $$$

you done good

[Imagevision]

17. I admire your son's decision to re-evaluate his rationale to join the war

Many kids joined after 9-11 as the right thing to do and after the attacks on New York and Washington I wouldn't have argued with any of them -- so much has been brought to light about the Iraq war, things like our government pretending to give our troops the best in equipment in which to defend themselves only to find out that till this day the armor issue still hasn't been resolved.

Thank you Mr. Rumsfeld, your a real stand-up guy!

[5thGenDemocrat]

19. My story, December 1973

Dad, a Korean War-era veteran who actually spent his overseas time (c 1951-52) in a very nice assignment in downtown Tokyo, told me that the US was just pulling out of one war in Vietnam and probably wouldn't get into another one for five years or so. If I was going to enlist, it was probably best to enlist just then, when my odds of completing my hitch and coming home intact were probably pretty good. Turned out he was right.
Of course, that was when the intelligent if paranoid Richard Nixon was president. Chimpy, in his cream dreams, would like nothing better than presenting "The GOP Monday Night War of the Week." It ain't his kids dying, after all -- that, in this day and age, would be your kid's job.
Anyhow, this vet doesn't have any problem at all with you and your son's decision. The service can be a rewarding experience for the right sort of person, but it sure as hell isn't for everyone. It wasn't, for the long haul, right for me (though my Aunt Anita, dad's sister, served 23 years and retired from the USAF).
John
Who has a nephew currently making a career out of the Air Force. Ryan has about 14 years to go. We've had at least one relative in every war (except Bush War I) since the revolution, and we'll probably have someone in every war for the next 200 years, too. But that's us.