Soldiers Are Bad
“(I saw) what happens to regular soldiers, the hate, the racism, the total disrespect for humanity that develops,” [Mexican-born combat medic Agustin Aguayo] said, noting that as a medic he had not killed or hurt anyone.
I find this interesting considering the good Soldier hails from California - the home of “disrespect for humanity” (my apologies to the rest of you from California). The fact is that the military is most racially diverse organization in the country. We have more minorities employed and in leadership positions than any other organization. Our Equal Opportunity is robust and consistent. Those that ARE racist or hateful are immediately dealt with.
Aguayo said it was a shame that so few veterans “speak out” when they return. Speak out about what? Has it occurred to him that maybe there really isn’t anything to speak out about? And assuming these acts of “racism and hate” are justified, what did he do about it? He has as much access to the EO system as any other Soldier. Did he report any of these indignant individuals that is slandering at his high school speeches? I doubt it.
He lambasted the way military recruiters go to schools and promise students positive experiences.
I don’t see anything inaccurate about recruiters promising positive experiences. I’ve had many of them. 90% of my time in the military has been a positive experience. I’ve had some bad experiences, some of which I brought on myself. The military is what each of us make of it. This Soldier only had one assignment in the military and was anti-war to begin with. He joined a PROFESSION OF ARMS for goodness sakes.
“They don’t hear what it is like to kill someone, to see a friend die, to hurt another human, to be in an occupied country, shooting someone at close range. It’s really unfair.”
Let’s be honest here. The percentage of Soldiers that actually need to “kill someone” is super low. By this guy’s logic, we should also outlaw driving because people just know what could happen to people who are horribly mangled in a car accident. Seeing a friend die is terrible. Next to losing a family member, I can’t think of anything worse in the world. Besides, I thought that for the past 15 years or so, we’ve all been so desensitized to violence that it shouldn’t matter anyway? What happened to that train of thought? Or does it not conform to the anti-war agenda and therefore not worthy of mention?
What is really unfair is that there are still Soldiers out there with this “occupation” mentality. Are we occupying Japan? We’re still there after more than 50 years of “invading” their country. Are we occupying Germany? Korea? No. This crap about being in an “occupied country” is just that…crap. It’s a great term that the anti-war, anti-military crowd in this country loves to cling to.
chet the vet
December 20th, 2007 at 12:13 pmYou know I agree. The military is eactly that. The military. IT means that there will be guns, killing, hate, and many other terrible thing involved with it. that is just the unfortunate nature of the beast. regardless of what a recruiter says, if you are not expecting that you are simply niave. Does that make everything that goes on in the millitary right or ok? absolutely not. But it is what it is. so if you don’t want to be a part of it don’t join. There is a real price that is paid for freedom. sometimes too high of a price. But that is how life is on this imperfect world we live in.
devildgo6771
December 21st, 2007 at 6:52 pmRecently, we watched in horror as, more than one mother was tried for killing her own children. Does that mean all mothers will kill their children? Heck no! Several men have killed their “children” and their wives to begin a new relationship. Does this mean all fathers and husbands will kill their wives and children for a new “hottie?” No! Just this past month near where I live a son killed his elderly mother and then himself! Yet all kids don’t kill their parents when things get tough, they feel desperate over a difficult parent, or countless other reasons why a child murders a parent! Have we become a society where the glass is “always” half empty? I don’t think so. Matter of fact, I know that is not the case.
What is true is that the extreme left socialist movement is darn good at fueling fires. It suits their purpose of undermining everything that we as a nation believe in or hold sacred. The media is basically in line with their views because the media higher ups “obey” the policies of their extreme left owners. The worst thing that has happened in this country is the “rape of the 1st Amendment” by the media.”
When the media was made up of independent newspapers, radio stations, and magazines we got a broad range of coverage. But, we at least got the “whole” picture! Granted, personal bias wasn’t always on the editorial page; but, the reader or listener had a variety of media sources both locally and nationally! All were independent.
I think we need to consider whether or not the huge media conglomerates need to be broken down into smaller independent groupings. There is a monopoly in our media sources. The media is practicing their own version of “media censorship!”
But this isn’t enough for the left. So, using their censored media, they look for those soldiers who feel as this guy does, ones with other agendas, and they create a media feeding frenzy and blitz the American public and the court of world opinion with their ideology and defeatist attitude and values. The problem is, many Americans have listened to these media traitors for so long they are beginning to believe the propaganda the media publishes.
In America, the media is not state controlled and filling our heads with socialist values. The independent and powerful media conglomerates are doing that ugly and destructive deed! It is paradoxical that in Socialist and Communist nations with state controlled media, there are those who risk their lives to get out accurate news to all the people and establish a free, unbiased, and independent news source. Yet in America, a Democracy, with the protection of the 1st Amendment, the media has voluntarily abdicated its free and unbiased rights for the values of Socialism and Communisn the rest of the world struggles to escape.
Jim D
December 26th, 2007 at 8:51 amYou don’t have to be a Socialist or a Communist to want to take over America. You could be just one of the millions of illegal aliens crossing our borders waving your flag and working for the big corporations that funded our politicians’ elections. Now they-the politicians- don’t feel obligated to stop the influx. Either this is America-for-citizens or it is not. What are our leaders going to do? Our Commander-in-Chief needs to take a stand for our borders just like he appears to want to protect us from terrorism. If they will not, then we will need to take our own stand. We need to stop accomodating them. I love how things are going in the Middle East thanks to Pres. Bush and our troops, but his attitude toward illegals is shocking. Bringing one into the military is certainly just an opportunity for this kind of thing.
CJ
December 26th, 2007 at 12:27 pmWell said, Devildog!!
Anna Laphsa
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:57 pmI used to think all military people were the same: extreme right-wing, overly patriotic, war mongerers. Until I met and fell in love with a Marine. Then I learned the military is an extremely diverse institution with people of all walks of life. Therefore I dislike it when anyone equates being antiwar or critical of the military as “left-wing”. That is a disservice to all left-wing Soldiers and Marines, my boyfriend included. He is going on his second deployment soon, and has always performed all that is asked of him with pride and commitment. He (like many other Americans, from the left and right) think the US was wrong to invade Iraq although he is unsure of what the best next step is. I agree that a military is just that- a military. But that doesn’t mean those members who serve and are critical of some aspects of it, or of the particular wars they are asked to fight, are to be shamed and silenced.
CJ
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:32 pmAnna, you have a point. However, I wasn’t just focusing on his anti-war stance. I was focusing on all his comments which were all misplaced. Soldiers have a right not to agree with the war, but they also have a duty to obey the orders of those appointed them.