Kids Say the Darndest Things: Wartime Edition

A Young Republican explains why she doesn't plan to enlist in the military:

"Frankly, I want to be a politician. I'd like to survive to see that."

Comments

[Scatalogicus]

As Kerry pointed out, one need not go into combat to earn merit supporting the fight. As long as sufficient Yers can be negotiated into the front lines, choosing other roles seems acceptable, although not as honorable as being in combat.

Under conscription my reaction would be different.

And the kid who wants to be a pol...at least she's not aspiring to be a lawyer.

[joesux]

...or a planner.

[Gary Gunnels]

Scatalogicus,

She'll become a lawyer first, then a politician.

[D Anghelone]

They sure don't made Caesars like they used to. "Stanford and Honor!" likely won't do much to rally the troops.

[Andrew]

"Frankly, I want to be a politician. I'd like to survive to see that."

The Young Republican should get some tips from Kerry-the-Live-Hero on how to do BOTH.

[Ruthless]

When did Kerry discover three purple hearts could score him a "Get outta Nam Free"?
I'm thinking before he gave himself one for a tiny fragment from the M-79? he fired in panic?

The lesson being, future politicians must undergo a minimum of insanity before embarking on major insanity.

[Douglas Fletcher]

She's toast already. Thirty years from now someone's going to look her up in the Wayback Machine and there it is.

[Shem]

How lovely to see that my Millenial compatriots are every bit as self-serving when push comes to shove as their boomer parents. It really gives one hope for the future.

[Sarnath]

Such candor is unbecoming of a politician.

[Phil]

"Gave himself one." Yep. Just went right to the Purple Heart Storage Locker and pulled one out.

[Roger Sweeny]

When I was in danger of being drafted and sent to Vietnam, I felt exactly the same way--except that I was planning to become (yes, joesux) a city planner. Later, I thought better of it (the city planning, that is).

[dhex]

she's merely following in the mold of her idols. they wanted to live to see the future too! 🙂

i give her points for raw honesty though. i think we could use a bit more raw honesty these days.

[eponymous]

bet we couldn't find any of the young dems protesting the republicans in NYC this week saying anything odd, immature or embarassing

or, at least, i bet reason wouldn't

[Mark S.]

Anyone who wants to become a politican shouldn't have to die in military...

...they should be dragged out and shot on the spot.

[Mark S.]

edit: ... die in the military.

[joesuxsux]

....or an anonymous message board troll.

[TWC]

---"Gave himself one." Yep. Just went right to the Purple Heart Storage Locker and pulled one out.---

Back in the old days when Trudeau (Doonesbury) was writing decent satire he gave BD a Purple Heart for cutting his finger (thumb) on a beer can pop top (dating myself again) in 'Nam. Dragged it out for weeks, in fact.

It was pretty funny, even for those of us who, unlike the lefties of the day, realized how it denigrated those in combat (got dam baby killers were all faking anyway and everybody knew it).

It was okay though because BD wasn't one of their own. Now that the tables have turned and the Repubs are passing out Purple Heart Band Aids at their convention the gag just isn't funny anymore.

Times do change, don't they?

[Bill]

Come on folks! After viewing both conventions and most political trends, how can any of you not think that most Americans are like 10-year-olds when it comes to politics? Give me, give me, give me... You did it; I didn't... I love Kerry! I love Bush! Blah, blah, blah...
Age has little to do with maturity. I've know 60-year-olds that were incredibly immature and 12-year-olds that had good sense. Knowledge, experience, and an open mind are what matters, not the number of years spent outside of the womb.

[Meshuganer]

I am getting tired a bit tired of all this thinking how military service earns one the necessary stripes to be worthy to run for public office. I guess we have to wait for all the WW II/Korea vets to die and another 20-30 years for all the Vietname era vets to die before this issue is put to rest. Unless of course compulsory draft is resumed and "did you serve in the military?" becomes the leading qualifier to run for president.
What do guys like me do if they want to run for office. (shit, that is the last thing I aspire to....too much public scrutiny). I was too young for Vietnam..in fact I was the first group of 18 year olds that didn't have to register (born 1958). No big desire to join the "peacetime" military either. So I feel all this lunacy really won't or shouldn't apply to folks my age. I really don't want to diss anyone's patriotism....but this is one of the clown faces of patriotism.

[Dennis Hastert]

Maybe here is one young brownshirt who'll volunteer. He's pretty tough. Of course, we just don't know for sure.
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2004_09_01_patriotboy_archive.html#109451325217047800

[joe]

"I am getting tired a bit tired of all this thinking how military service earns one the necessary stripes to be worthy to run for public office."

What are you talking about? Who has said such a thing?

[Geophile]

Joe, the overwhelmingly obvious intimation behind Jesse's post was that if republicans want to start wars, all republicans of military age must volunteer for service or lose the moral high ground. I'll forgive him for repeating this red meat absurbdity due to the fact that the girl's comments were worth a chuckle or two.

[joe]

TWC, I've been thinking along those lines as well. When this election is over, a whole lot of patriotic militarist right wingers are going to have one hell of a hangover. People whose entire political identity was built upon resisting Vietnam protestors and defedning the honor of our military are going to look back at what they've been saying about a highly decorated veteran who carries shrapnel in his leg and hang their heads.

[Jesse Walker]

Joe, the overwhelmingly obvious intimation behind Jesse's post was that if republicans want to start wars, all republicans of military age must volunteer for service or lose the moral high ground. I'll forgive him for repeating this red meat absurbdity due to the fact that the girl's comments were worth a chuckle or two.

Glad you chuckled. As for the "red meat absurdity," you're the one who repeated it, not me.