The human mind can only take so much. The threshold for some is shallower than others. Does this make them less courageous or patriotic? Let's throw some grenades and cap off a few rounds in your direction and see how long it takes before you shit your pants, cry for mommy, and turn into an unpatriotic coward according to your definition. Nowhere in the original post did I see even one mention of Bush. I find it quite interesting that you find it necessary to jump so quickly to this administration's defense. Harboring a complex of guilt isn't psychologically sound either. At least the troops have a valid excuse. People that can't tell the difference between cowardice and valor or patriotism and dissension need not run their mouths. Don't make it sound like the people serving in Iraq actually have your support or sympathy.
You have it backwards. A low threshold does not make people less patriotic. Being less patriotic lowers the threshold. Most of the people who volunteer for service are not shameful of their country. Journalists, on the other hand, are shameful of their country. The volunteers are not bound by guilt for being associated with a strong Western society. Journalists, however, are bound by their guilt. Therefore, since the men and women in combat are free from the dogma of shame and guilt, they possess a healthy sense of patriotism and national pride. Journalists do not. The volunteers understand the importance of the mission with respect to Americaâs long term geopolitical interests. Journalists donât get it. People who serve are not self-loathing. Journalists are smothered by it. Iâm singling out the journalists because they are the ones who present the world to us. Of course there are journalists who understand whatâs going on, but they are not high up in the ranks to decide what gets to go on the AP wire. Itâs almost subconscious for the âsystem of Journalismâ to use the Freedom of Information Act to extract any negative information they can find, no matter how unremarkable it is, and leave the positive stuff behind, no matter how important it is. Having said that, no one is saying war is easy and even the most healthy-minded patriots will crack. It has always been this way, no matter how a war is justified by our arm-chair elites and the School of Journalism. But they hate Iraq and Bush so much they find information on the predictable fallout of war and repeat it over and over and over again. Itâs like advertising, and the people who present us the news about the world advertise against Iraq and for the Democrats. The irony of this is that Democrats will inherit Iraq if they win. And if they disassociate themselves from it, they will fail the mission. Thatâs why the Democrats keep losing and why they will lose again this year. Harboring a complex of guilt isnât psychologically sound, but who is harboring the guilt here? Certainly not the troops. Iâm not necessarily defending the administration, especially since theyâre history in a few years. Iâm simply defending the Iraq mission, the mental strength of our armed forces, and the blatant prejudice of a Media Mob stuck on stupid. By the way, âSupport Our Troops: Bring Them Home,â is the farthest thing from any support and sympathy I know of.
You are? Oh, I see. Well, I just reviewed the thread and I can't see your defense of the Iraq mission anywhere. So do us a favour. Why don't you go ahead and make your defense of the Iraq mission right here, in this thread? On what grounds do you defend the mission in Iraq?
I'd like to see Bush send his children to war. OH WAIT!, they're too good for it. Let the poor and the middle class American's die, so they can continue on with their spoiled lives.
No sir, you are the one that has it backwards, sideways, upside-down, and inside-out. You can not possibly claim to be an educated individual and ignore the lessons that history has taught the human race about patriotism. Some of the most horrific of atrocities have been committed in the name of patriotism. Some of the most vicious leaders that this planet has ever seen have hid behind patriotism to insight acts that would have never been committed by otherwise reasonable men. "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." - Samuel Johnson - No sir, you are a weak-minded fool if you equate patriotism with unquestionable support of a war simply because our troops are involved in it. You have a low threshold for sensibility for insinuating that patriotism is synonymous with political affiliation. I assure you there is plenty of shame and guilt in the most patriotic combat veterans that have served in the most justified conflicts. You clearly have no concept of the price that is paid for combat service if you think that any amount of patriotism and national pride can erase or outweigh the scars of shame and guilt. No doubt, you make it very clear that you have an ax to grind with journalists. You, like so many others, seem to forget that journalists and journalism in this country is governed by capitalistic practices. Fear, loathing, and outrage sells. If you don't like it, then don't pay for it. However, don't attempt to lead the rest of us to believe that you have a monopoly on the truth by whining about where everyone else is getting their information. There is no irony. The FACT is our children will inherit the legacy of Iraq regardless of who takes office and what political slant will be in majority control. Those that want to shoot first and think later need to turn the gun on themselves and rid the rest of us of their stupidity. The fact that you would even claim to associate yourself with ANY party affiliation at this point tells the rest of us that you have learned nothing despite their mistakes that you say you are aware of. It is your chosen political party that has held majority control of this government for over 8 years and has accomplished close to nothing; especially for the given reasons why the majority of you Republicans voted them into power to begin with. If one were to look up do-nothing, frivolous, and lazy one would find a mug shot of nearly every politician in power now; the majority of whom would belong to your precious GOP. Who's the fool now? Which administration exactly is it that you think initiated Iraq Episode II? The you don't know a whole hell of a lot. It's quite obvious you have never served in combat, closely associated with anyone that has, or even attempted to understand military combat issues. Noone recognizes a losing proposition better than a combat veteran. Every veteran knows that to withdraw does not mean defeat or surrender. It means rest, regroup, refit, reenergize, rearm, reevaluate, and reorganize before you redeploy. If this mess in Iraq is truly about a global war on terrorism this wouldn't be a problem now would it?