In the ‘wussy’ category
I thought “On Iraq, hold your ground and give parades a rest” (Opinion, Joel Stein, Jan. 27)
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stein24jan24,0,4137172.column?coll=la-news-comment-opinions was great. It took a lot of guts to write an opinion that would be seen as unpatriotic.
I fall under the “wussy” category. I even took it one step further than bumper stickers and bracelets and enlisted in the Army Reserve.
I agree that blaming the president is an easy cop-out.
While it’s scary that such an idiot can lead the most powerful nation in the world, it’s even scarier that the American people continue to follow a person who has misled us time and time again.We have been duped into believing that if we wave a flag and show support for our troops, we are patriotic. We are told that now is not the time to question the government, since doing so may break the fragile morale of America’s fighting force. I do not agree. How can we expect to make a change if we aren’t willing to ask hard questions?
With tough questions come tough answers, which is one thing I found missing from the column. I didn’t see any suggestions for change. We’ve hit a point where no matter where you stand on the issue, there is no clear-cut solution to get out of Iraq.
I also agree with knowingly being a tool for the American agenda. Unfortunately, recruiters target young, impressionable, adventure-seeking teenagers for a reason. You don’t see too many recruiting posters saying “Go to the desert, kill people and fight for a cowboy.”
For now, I’ll have to stay a wussy. Even worse, I don’t have any solutions to offer either, although I hope Stein’s piece can show people it’s OK and important to question everything.
Spc. Michael Sanders
Al Taji, Iraq
Timeless quotations?
I would like to present some famous quotations. I believe they are complete and correct as stated and believe that they are as appropriate today as they were when they were made.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and a disservice, but it is morally treasonable to the American public.” — Teddy Roosevelt, 1918
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” — Ben Franklin
“Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Hermann Göring, April 18, 1946Ken Yeager
Grosshansdorf, Germany
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=35202
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