As I go about my daily reading of various on-line news sources and blogs, I have been getting increasingly distressed at reading more and more people stating that "If you don't support the war, you are un-American." Or "If you are anti-Bush then you are un-American".
Wait a second ... let's really dissect this here and I am going already beg forgiveness if I cover a few barely related points here but as I said, I'm a bit distressed.
First off, I think that if you notice, quite a few of the ant-war camp are REALLY anti-Bush. They are complaining more about the man in charge as oppose to the war itself. I have even seen it stated that we don't want our troops to come home and be treated like another Vietnam. To be honest, anyone with half a brain or ounce of intellect will see that what our troops do, and who directs them and why, really has nothing to do with each other. I commend and honor each man and woman in all branches of service to the United States (this means CIA, FBI, and the other non-military yet important to the defense of the United States).
These men and women have given up their lives to go out there and do what they are told is best for the United States. The military does not go out and decide what wars they are going to fight and when, they are directed by the President and by congress. This is called "following orders". Our government is not run by the military. So anyone who has a problem with our troops is an ill-informed individual. Once again, I state: Thank you to the men and women of the United States forces who go out each day and put their life on the line in the hopes of doing what is in the best interest of the United States.
On the other hand, anyone who is saying that someone who is against the war is a peace-loving "hippie" and is being "un-American" is also a misinformed, reactionary, individual. This is not 1984 where we all need to submit to the whims of Big Brother. This IS a free country and people are allowed to speak their mind and are allowed to disagree. It's what this country was founded on: freedom. (Why is it when I type this I have this awful image of Mel Gibson screaming in my head? Not quite what I want to get my point across but okay.) People should be free to express their views and it's very ignorant to call names just because someone’s view doesn’t fit into yours.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
V, Welcome! Very thoughtful and well-written. I would only say thatit doesn't matter much to me which the rationale of the week from the Bush administration is as long as the action is the right thing to do, which I think it is. I view Bush as the instrument to get this done - that's all.
2 - san
Eric, man, that one is slow and right over the plate. Yes, I will... No, I won't. Oh, but it's such a fat pitch. Nah, better leave it alone.
Victoria, I can't say that I agree with you on all your points -- commending intelligence personnel as you do the guys and gals on the front line is a stretch -- but I think you are at least honest about the complexities behind antiwar sentiment.
3 - Brian Flemming
Eric,
All right, so san won't take this one, but I will:
"I would only say that it doesn't matter much to me which the rationale of the week from the Bush administration is as long as the action is the right thing to do, which I think it is."
It doesn't matter? The stated rationale for a war by its initiator doesn't matter?
Don't you think at some point, in a purported democracy, dishonesty with regard to launching an elective war reaches the point where it "matters"? I mean, is there a level of dishonesty you would categorize as too much, or is any amount okay?
Victoria,
Hi. I can help you out with this one:
And please don't tell me we are doing this because Saddam is a direct threat to my baseball and apple pie because if you truly believed this, why did you not mention this in your campaign? Why did you not say: "And one of the first things I am going to do as president is free the people of Iraq."
The pro-war answers to this question are (pick one or more):
1. 9-11 changed everything. It was on September 11, 2001, that the Iraqi people started suffering under a dictator. When GWB was running for President, they weren't really suffering that much. So because 9-11 happened, which directly caused the Iraqi people to need our help, we have to defy the world and depose Saddam via a military invasion.
2. Inspections weren't working. We had 12 years of inspections. The fact that the chart of effectiveness for those inspections was taking an approximately 1000% increase in the weeks before the invasion, and was about to take another gigantic leap, is irrelevant. Inspections weren't working. 12 years. So, because inspections weren't working, that directly caused a humanitarian crisis in Iraq, which means there was absolutely no other choice but to launch a military invasion to depose Saddam. Also, Hans Blix can't be trusted. I think he's a Communist.
3. Iraq and al Qaeda are in cahoots. IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11. There, now do you understand that Saddam Hussein ordered the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks? It actually became true the 24th time I screamed it at you. It wasn't true before that, but it is now. Because I repeated it a LOT. Do you understand? Good citizen. Keep watching TV. TV is good. I like Fox. Have you watched Fox? It's good. So, because IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11, therefore we must rescue the Iraqi people by invading Iraq and deposing Saddam. There's really no other way.
Oh, by the way,
IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11 IRAQ 9-11
Ah, yes. How true.
4 - san
Brian, well said. I'm glad I waited for the next batter: I was only going to make some pithy comment and it would have fallen far short of your response.
5 - Perry Perdis
What really burns by butt to a crisp is what i read in the newspaper over the weekend.
While the media frenzy and the country's attention is focused in Iraq and the war,our esteemed senators and congress men/women are going to cut Veterans health benefits to the tune of over 10 BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!! Does this sound like our government "supporting our best and brightest" as the president puts it? Does the government really think that this is the way to keep america strong? Today,right now,there are army personnel living on WELFARE because the military of this country cant seem to afford a decent pay scale for the people that put up the most. We can certainly find billions of dollars to bail out the airline industry for no reason,oops wait,the Pres has buddies that have airline stocks. Another little tidbit i think you might enjoy is that pillar of governmental clarity Dick Cheney. Our wonderful Vice-President under Dubya. Mr. Cheney has a buddy that has a company the puts out oil well fires. Guess which company got the contract to put out the oil fires in Iraq? THAT'S RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS!!! If there is anyone out there that thinks this war is for humanitarian reasons,i suggest you stick your head back in the sand. Let's not forget that war is good for the economy,and the bottom line for the big boys portfolios. Defense contractors are mile immense amounts of money during this war,which means STOCKHOLDERS are making money during this war. Who are the stockholders? Certainly not me or 99.99999% of the general american population. Countries like FRANCE and GERMANY that do business with the IRAQI REGIME also have defense businesses that supply parts for AMERICAN weapons. The F-16 is a is a great example of this.
It is not made soley in the USA. Its made in almost 10 countries,with parts being made in more than that. Take a look at the freedom of information act,you can get tons of information if you go about it the right way.
Now,after my little tirade,let me tell you that i am not pro war and i'm not anti war. I believe that eventually Saddam Hussein would have done bigger and worse things than he has in the past.
I believe that this war is an excuse by Dubya and his cronies. I believe that Dubya is a coward, an inept politician and most likely the worst President to ever sit in the office. Even worse than Jimmy Carter,and that's saying something.
6 - Perry Perdis
What really burns by butt to a crisp is what i read in the newspaper over the weekend.
While the media frenzy and the country's attention is focused in Iraq and the war,our esteemed senators and congress men/women are going to cut Veterans health benefits to the tune of over 10 BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!! Does this sound like our government "supporting our best and brightest" as the president puts it? Does the government really think that this is the way to keep america strong? Today,right now,there are army personnel living on WELFARE because the military of this country cant seem to afford a decent pay scale for the people that put up the most. We can certainly find billions of dollars to bail out the airline industry for no reason,oops wait,the Pres has buddies that have airline stocks. Another little tidbit i think you might enjoy is that pillar of governmental clarity Dick Cheney. Our wonderful Vice-President under Dubya. Mr. Cheney has a buddy that has a company the puts out oil well fires. Guess which company got the contract to put out the oil fires in Iraq? THAT'S RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS!!! If there is anyone out there that thinks this war is for humanitarian reasons,i suggest you stick your head back in the sand. Let's not forget that war is good for the economy,and the bottom line for the big boys portfolios. Defense contractors are mile immense amounts of money during this war,which means STOCKHOLDERS are making money during this war. Who are the stockholders? Certainly not me or 99.99999% of the general american population. Countries like FRANCE and GERMANY that do business with the IRAQI REGIME also have defense businesses that supply parts for AMERICAN weapons. The F-16 is a is a great example of this.
It is not made soley in the USA. Its made in almost 10 countries,with parts being made in more than that. Take a look at the freedom of information act,you can get tons of information if you go about it the right way.
Now,after my little tirade,let me tell you that i am not pro war and i'm not anti war. I believe that eventually Saddam Hussein would have done bigger and worse things than he has in the past.
I believe that this war is an excuse by Dubya and his cronies. I believe that Dubya is a coward, an inept politician and most likely the worst President to ever sit in the office. Even worse than Jimmy Carter,and that's saying something.
7 - Perry Perdis
What really burns by butt to a crisp is what i read in the newspaper over the weekend.
While the media frenzy and the country's attention is focused in Iraq and the war,our esteemed senators and congress men/women are going to cut Veterans health benefits to the tune of over 10 BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!! Does this sound like our government "supporting our best and brightest" as the president puts it? Does the government really think that this is the way to keep america strong? Today,right now,there are army personnel living on WELFARE because the military of this country cant seem to afford a decent pay scale for the people that put up the most. We can certainly find billions of dollars to bail out the airline industry for no reason,oops wait,the Pres has buddies that have airline stocks. Another little tidbit i think you might enjoy is that pillar of governmental clarity Dick Cheney. Our wonderful Vice-President under Dubya. Mr. Cheney has a buddy that has a company the puts out oil well fires. Guess which company got the contract to put out the oil fires in Iraq? THAT'S RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS!!! If there is anyone out there that thinks this war is for humanitarian reasons,i suggest you stick your head back in the sand. Let's not forget that war is good for the economy,and the bottom line for the big boys portfolios. Defense contractors are mile immense amounts of money during this war,which means STOCKHOLDERS are making money during this war. Who are the stockholders? Certainly not me or 99.99999% of the general american population. Countries like FRANCE and GERMANY that do business with the IRAQI REGIME also have defense businesses that supply parts for AMERICAN weapons. The F-16 is a is a great example of this.
It is not made soley in the USA. Its made in almost 10 countries,with parts being made in more than that. Take a look at the freedom of information act,you can get tons of information if you go about it the right way.
Now,after my little tirade,let me tell you that i am not pro war and i'm not anti war. I believe that eventually Saddam Hussein would have done bigger and worse things than he has in the past.
I believe that this war is an excuse by Dubya and his cronies. I believe that Dubya is a coward, an inept politician and most likely the worst President to ever sit in the office. Even worse than Jimmy Carter,and that's saying something.
8 - Perry Perdis
What really burns by butt to a crisp is what i read in the newspaper over the weekend.
While the media frenzy and the country's attention is focused in Iraq and the war,our esteemed senators and congress men/women are going to cut Veterans health benefits to the tune of over 10 BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!! Does this sound like our government "supporting our best and brightest" as the president puts it? Does the government really think that this is the way to keep america strong? Today,right now,there are army personnel living on WELFARE because the military of this country cant seem to afford a decent pay scale for the people that put up the most. We can certainly find billions of dollars to bail out the airline industry for no reason,oops wait,the Pres has buddies that have airline stocks. Another little tidbit i think you might enjoy is that pillar of governmental clarity Dick Cheney. Our wonderful Vice-President under Dubya. Mr. Cheney has a buddy that has a company the puts out oil well fires. Guess which company got the contract to put out the oil fires in Iraq? THAT'S RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS!!! If there is anyone out there that thinks this war is for humanitarian reasons,i suggest you stick your head back in the sand. Let's not forget that war is good for the economy,and the bottom line for the big boys portfolios. Defense contractors are making immense amounts of money during this war,which means STOCKHOLDERS are making money during this war. Who are the stockholders? Certainly not me or 99.99999% of the general american population. Countries like FRANCE and GERMANY that do business with the IRAQI REGIME also have defense businesses that supply parts for AMERICAN weapons. The F-16 is a is a great example of this.
It is not made soley in the USA. Its made in almost 10 countries,with parts being made in more than that. Take a look at the freedom of information act,you can get tons of information if you go about it the right way.
Now,after my little tirade,let me tell you that i am not pro war and i'm not anti war. I believe that eventually Saddam Hussein would have done bigger and worse things than he has in the past.
I believe that this war is an excuse by Dubya and his cronies. I believe that Dubya is a coward, an inept politician and most likely the worst President to ever sit in the office. Even worse than Jimmy Carter,and that's saying something.
9 - Brian Flemming
Well said, Perry. And often. (Blogcritics comments sometimes have a LOOOOONG lag time while posting, but they always post with one click in my experience. I usually just open up another browser while I wait.)
The veteran's health benefits cuts, coming on the heels of one gift after another to the wealthy, and while the government is creating new war veterans and corpses, really makes me wonder...how far is too far? How much before people actually notice?
This country already treats its veterans shamefully. To cut benefits to them while giving the wealthiest 2% a break on the estate tax? Well, I guess those heirs of giant estates deserve not to pay taxes on their windfalls. Atter all, they earned them. Oh, wait. I guess they didn't.
But what the heck did our veterans do that was so great that they deserve health benefits, anyway?
10 - Rob
"But what the heck did our veterans do that was so great that they deserve health benefits, anyway?"
I guess you wouldn't know.
11 - Rob
I have got to learn to read entire comments before I post responses, please forget I said anything.
12 - Perry Perdis
Sorry about the multiple posts. I kept getting a "server disconnect error"