[Allheart]

Oh Rayne - if you are referring to my reference about "murders"... my reply to Fr. Chuck, I was not referring to you at all. But I think you know that.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone.

[Megg]

Well thanks for clearing that up. I wanted to make sure that EVERYONE know's where I stand. I will not be called something I am not.

[wiggitywackiraq]

The following are quotes from our friend rayne:
-I think if a person wants to join a war with no point then let them. But they probably aren't coming home. I don't support the war, so I also don't support the people in the war.

*ok, every single person I know here in iraq did not join the military for the war, as you so strongly argue. Don't say you didn't say that because you have said we are here for a pointless war, and you also said "But i also think that its there own fault in a way. For putting thereselves into that situation. In war there is no way to know if you will come out alive." Each individual had a point to their joining the service which fights the war. These range from school money, to getting away from their bad neighborhood, to wanting to be in the military as a childhood dream. They went in for ulterior reason, not every kid who died was a guy who joined for the war.

-I'm 21, I'm an adult and I pity no one.

*i am glad from your extensive life experience you have learned to be hateful (I didn't say hate as a noun, but hateful as an adjective) of everything. I mean you must have had a terrible 21 years of existence. I pray for you and your tribulations. God speed... did anyone else sense the sarcasm there? Hehehe

-In my opinon your all conformists. Make your land a product of you, don't be a product of it.

* by conformists do you mean like I do what everyone around me tells me to do or do you mean that I am a part of a leaderless army, and I am incapable of freethinking and initiative? I hope you answer this one, cause it's a trap!! Watch out.

-Whenever something bad happens I say ''told you so''.

*I just recovered from a gunshot wound to the shoulder and shrapnel to my face hands chest and returned to iraq. Say it... say it... you know you want to.

-I'm not going to kill inocent people... then you said... I NEVER said soldiers are murderers.-

*what do you think a murderer is? Someone who kills innocent people.

-I'm ashamed to be the same as you.

* well if you are ashamed of being financially stable, confident, loving, genuine, humorous ( I think), and obviously a soldier, a moral example, and a leader, then sorry it sucks for you... oh the conformity!!

-I'm terribly offened by people who call themselves human, christians, and Americans... then you said... I'm American, what...

*im glad you have finally offended yourself. I hope I offended you too.

-----------------------------
In summation I would like to put out there a few things...
-we do not fight for our own objectives, true, we fight for the governments. I'm sure some don't agree with that. I will tell you this I do fight for my battle buddy to my left and my battle buddy to my right, for I would expect the same from them.
-our country is strong, because we have people like rayne to be the moral minority. We have people like the unbrainwashed kind that are the moral majority. I like that word... BRAINWASHED. OK, I got off topic there for a minute.
-honor is not lost... maybe there needs to be a renewal class to the upper echelons, but there are at least 3,000 honorable men and women that have left the world, and that honor is a more refined honor (seeing as how being a soldier has been around for thousands of years) than being a brat in some city who probably is in college, and doesn't pay her own tuition because her daddy does. I am self-made. I am happy and I have people that love me. Your soon to be hubby is cheating on you... hahaha I don't mean that, because that would be dishonorable. How's it feel? Not too many people in this world are honorable, to include me. I'm rude but so are you, so you and I are alike in some ways, but remember to be a little more sympathetic to those who preserve your freedom, regardless of their reason (refer back to the why guys joined paragraph), otherwise you come off as ungrateful. I am grateful to hear you opinion.

BRAINWASHED BY THE MAN!!

Sorry, that just slipped out, silly typing fingers.

[wiggitywackiraq]

Don't worry about rayne... you rocks... thanks for the support, and I like your opinions... good answer.

[Allheart]

Hi Wiggity - Through most of your post the tears just were streaming down my face. Oh how could I forget the main reason the fight in all of you stays so strong and that is the deep love and connection all of you have for each other. It is something I will always be in such awe of. I remember when it was a friend of mine time to come home and he told me he was torn?? He said it just hurt him so much to leave his fellow soldiers behind. I was so blown away. How can you not respect that and just love that. Well, I do.
Also, I am so sorry you were injured. I hope it is all healed now. You just keep that head up of yours and be proud for what you give to us back home and to your fellow soldier next to you. Once again - thank you.

On the subject of Rayne - well, she is, and doesn't even know this, very special to me. I do just adore her and want more than anything for her to be happy. Rayne, I hope you don't mind me saying that. She is a very caring and bright girl and contributes and gives of herself to others needing help and support on this site. I am a bit surprised of her thoughts and feelings, but I still listen to them. They do sadden me and even shock me, as it is the first I have ever heard anyone say things along those lines, however, her voice counts as well, as she is an American and perhaps in her words maybe there is something to be learned.

Oh, I can imagine your reaction, the pain, the hurt the disbeleif in reading them, but just know from where I sit, from where I stand, and for those who sit and stand next to me, we salute you, we are proud of you, we pray for you every day and night for your safe return. When I say "we", it is people I actually do know.

Stay strong, Stay proud and give my best to all the fine men and women over there.

I hope all of you are home very soon.

[wiggitywackiraq]

Shy you are such a sweetheart

[Megg]

Well at least you have given me my right to speak freely Allheart. Much appriciated. Your currect when you say that I am caring, bright and helps others. From all my posts (although a few were heated) I've given great advice and I hoped helped a few people. For this perticular topic I feel strongly. I will appologize if I may have offended. However, I will not appologize for having my own thoughts. My main points, I disagree with war. I don't think we should aid in it even it we want to. I feel it only serves to keep it going. I don't hate anyone, except hate my father and mother for the pain they caused me. But because of that I have become a better person, wouldn't trade that in for the world. I am glad that some people want to make this country better, but personally I think war isn't the way to do it. I don't like Bush, I don't like our country and where its going. We were strong, but we have lost that within the last 50 years. I'm American, I'm not pround really, just hoping that one day we will be strong, united and honorable. That poverty and drugs and rape and killing will be gone and we can have a good country who cares for each other. Who would do nothing more then help one another. Something we do not have in the whole. It can change with one person, I fear that the one person to do good may be in Iraq or anywhere over seas. It's quite possible. I just hope that they can make it home safety to do a good work for our country. I'm sorry that I'm not proud of this country. But I'm proud of what it was. What it could be again.

I wrote a letter 2 years ago to a 26 year old man in the Army. I didn't know him at all, but I wrote to him like he was my brother. I told him what my dreams are, what my goal are and what I liked about being in a free country. I told him that even though I don't know him I am glad that he's trying to make this country safer. I explained that I don't agree with war, that I wish there was another solution. A few months later I got a long letter from his wife. She told me he died, but that MY letter made him happy and at peace with what he was doing. Seems he wasn't feeling war either. She was glad that I had wrote what I did and she siad that at his funeral they read it and she has hung it on her wall. Til the day I die I will remember what I did for that man.

[Allheart]

Sorry there Rayne - my hand clicked enter too soon. What I wanted to say was, it is not my place to give you that right, you get that right just by being an American and bless you for the gift you gave that 26 yr. old soldier. You will never forget it nor will those who love him.

[LuvMyMaltipoo]

FIRST OFF, I'm only speaking for myself in this post...

I just want to say that I fully support the soldiers in Iraq.

And I think Rosie O'Donell is ignorant.

That is all! ;)

[Fr_Chuck]

And personally people who are not proud of being an American, should pick one of those ntions you believe is great, and move there. Because to be honest America would be better off without those who don't want to be proud of it. And of course no one wants a war, but often when dealing with some other nations there is no other way. War has to be done at times.

They can go to Columbia or even mexico and find out what real poverty is, or Africa, our poor people are rich to them. We have food stamps in america there is no reason a single person should ever be hungry. There are shelters, every homeless person can sleep in a bed tonight in America if they wanted to, but they would have to be off drugs and drinking or maybe smoking, so they prefer to sleep in the street than follow simple rules

As for the drugs, that is one of the freedoms in Amerca, the freedom to be stupid, and ti is not the governemnts fault there are drugs, it is the people thierself, so the only person you can blame for using drugs is the drug user, I have pity for the harm they cause, but they bring it on thierself, no oen else to really blame.

[NeedKarma]

And personally people who are not proud of being an American, should pick one of those ntions you beleive is great, and move there.

If you believe that citizens should accept the pablum, roll over and take it in the butt then you are part of the problem. Wanting to effect change to make something better should be encouraged. Just stating that it's worse somewhere else is throwing a red herring into the discussion because you have no other argument.

[Auttajasi]

A lot of good posts to read before adding my own. It's great to have so many people that differ in opinion. This is what America is all about. There are many countries where it is criminal to disagree with those in charge. One of those countries WAS Iraq. I am glad that we don't have to fear that here.
Despite what some believe, War is sometime necessary. Where would our country be if there was no Civil War, or Revolutionary War?
A war needs at least 2 sides. Without two sides it is genocide.
This being said, I echo what I have posted before. I served with many people in the Marines with anti-Bush attitudes or that were very liberal in their views. This does not make them a bad person or a bad soldier (they were some of the best). For most that serve in the military, IT IS AN HONOR. We are not serving our govt. We are serving the American people. At this point, I probably disagree with Bush more than I agree with him. So what? I was still a good Marine. I still support my govt.
I am still proud of my voluntary service and no one will take that away from me. People like Rosie are in the public eye and therefore people listen to them. In reality, she is just one person that opposes the war. A straw poll of those that oppose the war and Bush, probably would show that 90%+ support the troops.

WwIraq--don't fret. At the end of the day, if everyone spits on me, tears at my uniform, and ridicules my family, I hold my head high and don't regret a single moment of my military service.

Be proud.

[Allheart]

Well, I am with Fr. Chuck all the way on this one. But first, let me explain. I want to be sure that it is clear that I am not referring to anything that Rayne has written. You see, Rayne, stated that she has "hope" that poverty... drugs... and I am so with her on that. Where there is hope, to me anyway, there is a love of something. Rayne, I am NOT trying to put words in your mouth, please don't think I am, but when you want better for something, it means you care about that something. So, if you want better for America, then you do indeed care for America. So, that is how I read what Rayne is saying. I more than apologize if I am wrong.

So, with all of that said, this has nothing to do with anything that Rayne has written. This is a general statement.

For those people, born in America, not proud to be an American and have no hope and wish no good for America, and want to bring America down, point out our areas of weakness, but offer nothing positive in return, then yes, there are airports all over this country, with planes leaving daily, please get on one and ensure it is one way. Bon Voyage!! See you. Now, I have to say, I have never in all my days met a single soul who falls into this category, however, if you are out there, please call for depature times.

I love my country because it is where I was born, it continues to give me so much and I feel I could never match giving back in return. I in no way want to infer that America is the greatest country, it is one of many, on this wonderful and beautiful planet. Oh this planet has its problems, of which, we all contribute to, myself included.

[Tuckerboy3]

I haven't decided whether I'm for ar against the war. I don't know enough about it but I definitly support the soldiers. I think that they are making a huge sacrafice by leaving their friends and family to go fight a war that half of their country is against. You have to be really brave to do what they do on a daily basis. I know i wouldn't be able to go through that. I can't even stand watching the news sometimes because it's so sad.

[phillysteakandcheese]

There are some damn nasty people in this world that will not hesitate to kill you for something they want. Those people range from the street punk all the way to the leaders of nations.

Be against the politics that brought on war, but never - ever - blame the soldiers that are serving to protect you. As long as there are those that are willing to kill you for what you got or just because you think differently, there will always be a need for defense and protection.

Soldiers don't get to choose which wars they will participate in, but you can choose to tell your political leaders that you don't agree with the war they've choose to commit those soldiers to.

[Allheart]

For most that serve in the military, IT IS AN HONOR. We are serving the American people.

Be proud.

And there you have it above. That is what our serviceman and women believe in their hearts. And if you doubt that, you just better think again.

I can not even begin to convey to you the depth of the love and pride the service men and
Women demonstrate on a daily basis, it just excudes from them.

Oh and Autta, spit on you? Tear at your uniform? They better just not. There is nothing American about that. Continue to hold your head high, you have ever reason to.

And on this Memorial Day - I share the below with you. Yes, it is moving and may bring tears, but we just can not forget. Okay, this will be the last from me. Sorry don't mean to clog the thread.

Thank you to all are brave men and women and their families.

YouTube - Tribute To Our Military

[Nicole G]

Well My name is Greg and I was just setting my girlfriend on here... I totally agree. Naïve!

[Skell]

I share the same thoughts as the majority. I hate the war but would never blame the troops. It brings a tear to my each time our evening news shows some arriving home to their families as well as the tears when it show many more leaving them.

I do however have a question to those who say they are serving in this war to protect us. They are serving in the military controlled by our governments and they are in Iraq under government order. So once again I do not blame the troops. I applaud their courage. I doubt that I would ever have as much to go to a war that I don't believe in. But my question is how in this war do you consider them to be protecting us. The war in Iraq has never been about protecting the US (and Allies). They claim it to be about ousting a horrible dictator and delivering democracy to a much maligned country. Protection does not and has never come into it in my opinion with respect to the war in Iraq. Afghanistan OK, but Iraq, no!

War is only justifiable in my opinion as a means of defense / protection (e.g. WWI WWII).

So my reason for support of the troops is out of love and respect for human life only, and the genuine wish they come home safely to live a peaceful and happy life. In this instance my support can not be based on the fact that they are serving to protect me.

Are my views wrong. If someone can explain to me why I may be wrong I would be more than happy to change my opinion.

[Megg]

Jesushelper I thank you for your comment on not only my post, but one several other's as well. I'll say that I'm offened truly by the comments from hvacservicetech_07 first off you don't know me. You don't know who I am or what I like or what hell I've servived in my life. Sure I'm thick-skined, but only to protect myself and other's around me. I'm a good person and I come here to share my thought and to share my feelings. I bare my soul to you people day after day. Most of you have come to know me and have given me helpful advice. Other's judge me and mock me for things I say. Get over it. I am going to continue to say what I want. They easiest thing to do would be to stop coming to this site and not bother being hurt by you. BUT what about that kid who wants to kill herself and I can help put an end to those harmful thoughts? I'd rather be crying all day and sad all my life then to allow myself to deny good people comments that may or may not help them. I will take my chances. I'm not a coward or a hateful person. I am scared sometimes. I see my family and I see hate and hurt and guit. I see my country and see death and war. So forgive me for losing faith, strength and trust. I'm a women if you hadn't noticed, and I am a women in every sense of the word. (not saying all women are like me, but referring to the old classifiaction)


ANYWAY It's nice to know that my points and feelings are shared and that I am not the only ''brainwashed'' person in America. I'm glad that you shared your feelings. It made me realize that I'm not always wrong and that its OK to voice an opinion. I was sitting here picking at my words and doubting myself because of some of the hurtful comments I've been given by a few whom didn't even bother to post a reply to this topic. Which shows me their lack of concern for what they speak. If you've got something to say say it. Anyway, thank you for your words as small as they are, they made my day a bit brighter. It's nice to know that someone is on your side. If we were all alone, what would happen to us? We'd go nuts, lol. A lot of people seem to disagree with some of my thoughts, however I'm sure there's someone out there, perhaps better with words then me who shares my veiws and can voice them better then me. Maybe then someone as small as me or them will be heard amougst the swarm of bee's.

If I can't change the world in real life, I will do it on the internet. I'm trying, and well that's good enough for me and anyone I can help.

[Allheart]

Okay I'm back. Only because I see some comments being geared towards the troops. I respect that fact that you should be able to post just like me. But enough is enough.

Say what you want about our/my country, about my/our President - All of which, okay, I don't like it and not a little, but oh well, I have learned to accpet and embrace all different view points.

But to dare, to dare put this at the foot of my military sorry way over the line. Excuse me, most of these are kids 18 and 19. They joined the military for a variety of reasons and then the crap hit the fan and like HONERABLE men and women they answered the call.
How dare anyone dare to say one negative word about our troops while they sit their butts down in a nice cozy home, and our kids are over there risking their lives, losing their lives, and limbs. How dare anyone spread such negativty when they need our love and support.

Do you EVER EVER EVER hear any military family on the news complaining ever? No. And they are the ones giving up the most. So when you are willing to sacrfice as much as they are, then you may have a leg to stand on, but not until then.

Okay I'm done. P'd off to the 10th degree, but done ranting.