Well, my nephew goes to Iraq tomorrow

[Mari333]

an army ranger. My mom called me to tell me she found him in church, (and he never went to Mass before), before Mass, praying. Hes 19.He must be so scared. I am going to call my brother, because I know what he will be going through, just like I went thru with my stepson.
Will this ever end.....

[deadparrot]

1. My thoughts are with your nephew and family, Mari.

:)

[Gnostic]

2. He must have known

That he'd be sent there when he joined. He's only 19, which means he's only been enlisted for max 1 year? So he joined up right in the middle of this mess?

[CBGLuthier]

3. Try Compassion some time

Other than pointing out the obvious.

[Gnostic]

9. No

I have little compassion for people who deliberately place themselves in adverse situations, and I have even less compassion for people who are obviously pro-war and want to cash in on Dubya's adventures. Nobody put a gun to his head and said "you must be fed-guv cannon fodder or else". This falls along the same lines as cajoling us all into "supporting the troops" because if we all don't then we are traitorous, commie teeeerrorist loving pinkos. Yawn. Nope, no compassion on my end.

I do however find some small amount of compassion for the "insurgents", otherwise known over there as "patriots", who are facing what they percieve as the foreign infidel invader with what amounts to sticks and stones against the massive Amerikan War Machine.

Sorry, I am not trying to be a jerk,or show no regards for the fine women and men in our military. But don't expect me to be pro-war either. If a man voluntarily and willingly joins up to be a part of this expensive fraud, I have little sympathies for their plight.

[CBGLuthier]

10. Well for not trying to be a jerk

YOu are doing a hell of a great job.

The OP is concerned about her nephew and you have to post, essentially, a fuck him he got what he deserved reply?

You are thoroughly entitled to your opinion but you could use a few lessons in not being cruel to others.

[Gnostic]

13. Not being cruel

I'm just tired of the same old "support the troops" song and dance.

It's been well known for a long time now what a quagmire Iraq is. Why am I supposed to feel compassion for someone who still decides they want to go over there? I used to in the beginning, until I figured out I was being pro-war by doing so, and not even realizing it. You want to know who I feel compassion for? The 19 year old who decided to tough it out in the work force, who gets up and works 8 to 12 hour days to pay the bills on his small apartment and car, while he's eating peanut butter to get ahead and does'nt see a doctor for anything because he can't afford it....while his tax dollars are being pilfered to fund this farce of a war and so other 19 year olds can join the Army and get free medical, housing, training, and 3 squares a day.

OK, maybe i AM a jerk. If the shoe fits.

I feel for the family members of anyone sent over there. I lost my dad in Nam, so I know what it's like to lose someone to a farcical war. I don't expect sympathy however. And I would never blatantly ask for it. It was his choice, and he made it (he joined, not drafted). I understand the worries, fears and concerns they have. I don't mean to imply I don't. But I won't take it to the opposite side of the spectrum either, where I find myself actually being pro-war and falling into that "support our troops" trap. The man made his decision, for whatever reason, and the family has to live with it. Shall I sit here and say "oh dear, I hope he will be OK and kill LOTS and LOTS of those eeeevillll muslims"? He's voluntarily become a part of a criminal globalist military adventure, and while I hope he has a safe return, that's about all I hope for.

I'm just getting plain tired of being cajoled into almost becoming pro-war out of "sympathy", "compassion", or "support" for our troops. Fact is, they have it much better than alot of other kids who have to hold REAL jobs in the REAL world, and the enemy they face is under-armed, under-manned and the real enemy they face are the people who sent them over there!

[Mari333]

5. Yep. nothing I said to him or his family could change it.

Maybe the experience will enlighten him, but what a horrible way to learn.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Sometimes we all need to learn that way

hugs Mary, hugs

[Maat]

4. He and his family will be in our prayers.

He must have had his reasons for signing up in the first place. Young kids frequently do not listen to reason.

We need to bring all of them home; we need to protect and guide our young adults - and show them the way of peace.

Again, he and his family are in our non-judgmental, affirming, and positive prayers.

Take care!

[Mari333]

7. yeah..even my die hard republican mother says bring them all home

shes devastated, and as angry as I have been for the last few years..she said "You and your anti war friends were right" so thats something anyway.

[Maat]

11. It sure is.

And we WILL bring them home soon.

I have my signs ready.

I'll be at the peace rally in San Diego this Saturday. We are also going to a peace rally this Wednesday.

Again, hugs, please take care!

:grouphug:

[faithnotgreed]

6. thoughts and prayers for your family

and all families who are at the mercy of this cabal

[Cleita]

12. I wish we knew how to end this.

It seems that we the people have no voice anymore.

[calimary]

14. Aw man...

This thread was difficult even to open.

Gotta tell ya, though, that I'm working my hardest to help bring this awful regime down, and stop this war. Our troops need to be HERE!!! So does our money!!!!

EVERY little bit any of us can do to encourage instability within the enemy camp, to make it clear to them that they face a bigger opponent than they counted on - and GROWING, and to make clear exactly what I want done. The bad guys need to know we are onto them and we know what their lies are and won't let those lies stand unchallenged.

Conversely, EVERY little bit any of us can do to encourage strength, courage, and solidarity among OUR guys and gals is also crucially important. ANY way you can give your nearest Dem some calcium supplement for his/her backbone, we will be that much closer to bringing this war to an END and all our troops HOME. The polls already show things leaning our way, and that, I suspect, will accellerate in the days and months ahead.

We just need to keep working, and not to give up!!!!

[bigwillq]

15. My thoughts are with your nephew

and your entire family.
I wish him the best.
My cousin is leaving at the end of the month.