Mr. Jack Baines, a Credible Young Republican [UPDATED]

Operation Yellow Elephant thanks Mr. Jack Baines, a non-veteran Young Republican, for addressing our topic. [see comment at 22 May, 2007 15:15] :

It looks like I am the only YR that has never been in the service on this blog. I still wanted to come here though. I'll be honest, I am just not military material. You wouldn't want me beside you with a gun in my hands, but that doesn't mean I can't support the war. That is like telling a Democrat they can't support abortion unless they have ever been pregnant. This is America! I can support whatever I want and still be a man. I don't see the author of the blog running to a military recruiter. Maybe he should be a man!

Mr. Baines-

Thank you for at least considering whether you might be military material, which is more than many [and probably most] YRs nationwide have done. You are helping the recruiters by not wasting their time on someone very unlikely to volunteer.

As far as OYE is concerned, everyone in America is always free to support, oppose, or not care about anything they want, including the war, but others' respect for one's own positions must be earned.

Frankly, we admire your forthrightness, honesty and candor, which is far more than what we've seen from other Republicans, e.g., Mitt Romney:

"I really don’t recall thinking about political positions when I was knocking at the door in France" as a [draft-deferred] missionary [for his Church], Romney said. "I was supportive of my country. I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there and in some ways it was frustrating not to feel like I was there as part of the troops that were fighting in Vietnam."

Mr. Baines, it took guts to Man Up! and say you're not military material. Even if at least some of us may not agree with you on specific political positions, you have certainly earned our respect. Thank you.

[In answer to your question, I registered on the Army Reserve recruiting website. They sent me a nice letter telling me I'm too old [42+] to serve, but that I could help by encouraging younger people to consider volunteering. Hence, Operation Yellow Elephant.]