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mrdreamjeansI usually do my grocery shopping late at night after I finish a show. I like the quiet; the empty parking lot, as it's much easier to park my truck and I like not having to wait in line. I often chat with the young guy who works nights. He is finishing school after a stint in the Marines.
Lately, we've been bantering back and forth, but the tone of our conversation has changed in the past week. We've gotten a bit testy as our talks have turned to politics. Recently, he gave me a lecture on driving such a big vehicle (a four-door long-bed Dodge). He told me driving was a privilege. (I had been complaining about prices in general here...gas, milk, bread... in comparison to Texas prices.) In Seattle or a metropolitan area with good transportation that may be true; but in rural areas, driving is a necessity. I bought my truck in my little town 75 miles from Houston. It made sense at the time. Since, I'm going back - It still does:)
Tonight, he greeted me by saying, "So - Do you think we should get rid of ole Rumsey (Donald Rumsfeld)?" I replied, "Absolutely! He was a poor choice in the first place." The debate began...
As a former Marine, he defended the military's mission in Viet Nam. (Whoops - I mean Iraq:) He said our soldiers do their duty and go to war knowing they could lose their lives. I replied that I had no problem with our soldiers' sense of duty; I support them (after all most of them are only doing as they are told), but that the documented abuses were unacceptable.... continuing evidence that our administration was not prepared for what came after our declaration of war and quick military victory. We had no plan for post-war Iraq. The conversation disintegrated from there....
He believes America's mission is clear - "finish the job"; I'm not sure that is possible. I think we will lose many more young Americans to a lost cause and that we will see the return of the draft and a long drawn out conflict reminiscent of Viet Nam. I remember the draft. My draft number was two! My nephews are 20, 17, 17 and my niece is 19. I want them to have long and happy lives, not be called to fight a war created to divert our attention from the lack of success in finding Osama Bin Laden.
Most Americans forget that our founding fathers couldn't agree on much of anything, but did believe in challenging the status quo. I found this quotation in a survey for Colonial Williamsburg. The statement pretty much sums up how I feel about being a Patriot.
"Patriotism means that Americans should continue to challenge their leaders and speak out about the important issues facing the country. It is not patriotic to let our elected officials make decisions that we disagree with while we remain silent, even while America's security is threatened."
Maybe the next time I go to the store, I'll take a copy of this statement and leave it for the grocery clerk:) Let him study and understand that there all kinds of patriots. I'm a proud American too, one who is not blinded to poor policy for political gain and one who is not immune to the reality of war in Iraq. Be patriotic in this election year! Create change through the power of your vote!
Lately, we've been bantering back and forth, but the tone of our conversation has changed in the past week. We've gotten a bit testy as our talks have turned to politics. Recently, he gave me a lecture on driving such a big vehicle (a four-door long-bed Dodge). He told me driving was a privilege. (I had been complaining about prices in general here...gas, milk, bread... in comparison to Texas prices.) In Seattle or a metropolitan area with good transportation that may be true; but in rural areas, driving is a necessity. I bought my truck in my little town 75 miles from Houston. It made sense at the time. Since, I'm going back - It still does:)
Tonight, he greeted me by saying, "So - Do you think we should get rid of ole Rumsey (Donald Rumsfeld)?" I replied, "Absolutely! He was a poor choice in the first place." The debate began...
As a former Marine, he defended the military's mission in Viet Nam. (Whoops - I mean Iraq:) He said our soldiers do their duty and go to war knowing they could lose their lives. I replied that I had no problem with our soldiers' sense of duty; I support them (after all most of them are only doing as they are told), but that the documented abuses were unacceptable.... continuing evidence that our administration was not prepared for what came after our declaration of war and quick military victory. We had no plan for post-war Iraq. The conversation disintegrated from there....
He believes America's mission is clear - "finish the job"; I'm not sure that is possible. I think we will lose many more young Americans to a lost cause and that we will see the return of the draft and a long drawn out conflict reminiscent of Viet Nam. I remember the draft. My draft number was two! My nephews are 20, 17, 17 and my niece is 19. I want them to have long and happy lives, not be called to fight a war created to divert our attention from the lack of success in finding Osama Bin Laden.
Most Americans forget that our founding fathers couldn't agree on much of anything, but did believe in challenging the status quo. I found this quotation in a survey for Colonial Williamsburg. The statement pretty much sums up how I feel about being a Patriot.
"Patriotism means that Americans should continue to challenge their leaders and speak out about the important issues facing the country. It is not patriotic to let our elected officials make decisions that we disagree with while we remain silent, even while America's security is threatened."
Maybe the next time I go to the store, I'll take a copy of this statement and leave it for the grocery clerk:) Let him study and understand that there all kinds of patriots. I'm a proud American too, one who is not blinded to poor policy for political gain and one who is not immune to the reality of war in Iraq. Be patriotic in this election year! Create change through the power of your vote!
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Good post
Date: 2004-05-12 12:16 pm (UTC)I've never understood all the suburbanites/city dwellers that buy these big 4 wheel drive vehicles and never take them off road and yet complain about the astrinomical price of gas. And they are most likely to be a single occupent vehicle in rush hour as well. I drive more tha I'd like, but since I live on Capitol Hill and work in Bellevue, it makes sense at this time. But that said, I drive a 16 Y.O. Honda Accord that gets decent mileage and never seems to break down. :-)
All in all, I do see a polarization going on to be for, or against this war, or, for or against B,B,B,B-ush for that matter. I detest the man and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment.