Dialogue with Anonymous
I find it interesting how Operation Yellow Elephant operates under the auspices of a one way moral obligation to act on beliefs. If you support peace in the world, why not join one of the countless organizations such as the peace corps that will train you and deploy to you to countries all over the world where you help teach people how to read and write, fish, or grow crops? You should act on your beliefs and enlist in the peace corps. But you won't because you, like those that you deride on your blog, are not willing to stand up and act on that which you believe.
This blog has taken no position on the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere. However we got there has already happened, and our national leaders must deal with these facts in order to lead our nation forward.
All this blog is trying to do is to encourage President Bush's strongest supporters eligible to serve, the College and Young Republicans [if healthy and heterosexual], to Support Our President by volunteering for military service.
More broadly, we urge those eligible to serve [also 41 or under] publicly supporting the war to consider serving; their readers and audiences deserve full disclosure of the results of these deliberations.
Those not personally eligible to serve publicly supporting the war have an obligation to encourage their own relatives and friends, their circles of influence, to consider serving. They might also wish to consider encouraging their audiences to do so, but full disclosure of relevant personal circumstances is essential for their credibility.
Given ongoing military recruiting challenges and the need for the best qualified patriotic Americans to answer our nation's call, only widespread personal consideration of military service will enhance the credibility of the current Administration.
Here's the real irony:
"I think the amazing thing is we're getting 80,000 patriotic Americans a year to join an Army at war," said Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, a spokesman for the Army general staff department responsible for personnel issues.
If our great nation is truly at war, our Army should be able to recruit far more than 80,000 healthy under-41 heterosexuals each year.
posted by OYE @ 6/14/2007 05:40:00 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
I was watching a documentary on PBS last night about the 1917-1919 influenza pandemic, which was in large part spread by movements of troops during WWI. It was reported that the U.S. was sending 250,000 troops a month to Europe, a large number of whom died of the flu rather than battle injuries.
250,000. A. Month. And all we can manage is 80K a year?
Keep up the good work, OYE.
A response from Anonymous:
You back yourself into a corner with the argument that those who support the war should be obligated to fight. You're leaving no room to support the war intellectually without an obligation to actually go to Iraq. By that same logic someone who supports peace is obligated to also act on their beliefs and join an organization that advocates peace. There in-lies the major flaw in the existence of your blog. Many people support many causes on an intellectual level without actually taking action to further that cause. I adamantly support government funded cancer research, does that mean that I need to participate in that research, either as a Doctor or research subject? Or can I simply intellectually support that cause? You're attacks on these young Republicans, demanding they join the military if they support the war, are just as ridiculous as the aforementioned example. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can move on to blogging about more productive topics that educate people about how this war came about and how we can end it.
Of course its a fallacy...it's a way to stifle debate. The Left claims to support free speech but they sure as hell don't practise it.
I support the war in Iraq. I support the troops in their mission.
Guess what. You can do bugger all to stop me saying what I want.
Who's stopping you from speaking?
You don't support the troops and their mission...they need replacements, they need a rest, they and their families are paying a horrendous price with no end in sight. It’s easy for ignorant young ideologues to brush these things off…but the world is a little more complicated when you GROW UP.
I wouldn't have the contempt for the YR if they weren't so vehement in denouncing anyone against the war… otherwise know as people FOR THE TROOPS.
People in the military are DYING, going BROKE, getting DIVORCED, are GRIEVIOUSLY INJURED for the rest of their lives…and you and your ilk want that to continue and get worse and you don’t even have the courtesy to serve yourself to give them a little relief.
I don't personally care if you don't want to be a soldier...but I get a little steamed knowing that you and your ilk will call (and have called) people against the war the most vile names… traitors, and scum etc.
You’re a bum, you’re a sham, and you should be ashamed of your pathetic, self-serving stance.
~Foo Fighter~
Maybe the reason the majority of Young Republicans don't enlist is because they are gay?!
Come on boys, "Be a Man" and come out of the closet!
If not Mr. Anonymous, surely he'd be able to find some like minded YRs to enlist. Why are Republicans refusing to enlist in the military when they preach the war on terror is so dire? Look how that Yellow Elphant trunk wiggles trying to evade his basic Responsibility and Duty to Country and God! The hypocrisy is they want to be the 'leaders' who decide to send other people to war, keep them there, and feel they've done their duty with a raffle and jingoistic 'intellectual' support--you're nothing but a bunch of pimply pom-pom patriots. You can't stomach the reality, the horrific truth, and pain of combat. These YRs are too good for the trenches and sand. They're too busy kissing corporate and political ass to deal with the nasty war making that possible. Their sweat and blood is too elite to give for America. Maybe you should just sacrificially tell the troops, "Look, if you're a Republican, you can come home now. You're too valuable to die for America."
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