The New York Times squashes free speech | Main | When you have some time ..
March 18, 2004
It's going to be an ugly campaign
I have been in John Kerry's home state of Massachusetts this week. I have been appalled at the hate and disgust displayed towards President Bush by the people I have been working with.
Mind you, I have not once brought up politics to these folks. I've just been doing my computer geek thing. The people here have been asking me what I think. I tried for a couple of days to just let them know that I didn't think that discussing politics is appropriate while I'm working on their systems, but they kept on about it all.
Yesterday, the guy I've been training really got into it with me. He said, knowing that I'm married to a military retiree, "Don't you think we should get out of Iraq? Don't you know that Bush lied to us to get us there? The UN should take over there. War is bad." Then he tells me, "I lost 2 uncles in World War II" (this was before he was born). "I don't want to lose anymore relatives."
He went on to say, "Americans are being killed there, our soldiers should not by dying". I looked at him and said, "They are soldiers. There job is to do what they are doing. Unfortunately, sometimes they die. We have lost very few soldiers in Iraq. Nothing like the numbers lost in Vietnam. Nothing like the numbers lost in Korea or World War II."
Then the guy says, "One dead American soldier is too many."
Okay - then I find out this guy is a Democrat who campaigns for whoever is running, and he apparently believes everything piped down to his level. There is no arguing with people like this. He doesn't understand why I won't vote for Kerry. He really thinks it would be better if the UN was in charge of the world, and that there is nothing wrong with them making the USA do whatever the UN thinks is best.
And now I have to go back and work with him again today!
Posted by Beth at March 18, 2004 6:33 AM
Comments
I am a retired US Army veteran. I spent 30 years in the Army. A soldiers job it to defend his country and the constitution and obey the lawful orders of his superiors. I will not argue the right or wrongs of the war in Iraq, but soldiers hate not completing a job that was assigned to them by the people of the United States. Pulling out of Iraq before the job is done is an insult to those who have died and to those who been wounded, to those familys that endured the seperations and will continue to endure the pain of being a military family. Kerry has long talked about his Vietnam veteran experiance and his many medals that he received in an amazing short time. He does not talk about his return and his slander of the military or why he only had to serve one fourth of a normal tour. He does not talk about his treatment of veterans before his campaign for president. I am not thrilled with Bush, but Kerry is a stupid Jimmy Carter.
Posted by: James Old Guy at March 18, 2004 8:26 AM
Ditto what James sez.
Posted by: John of Argghhh! at March 18, 2004 10:27 AM