Fun Stuff > CHATTER
Berkeley and the Marines
usmcnavgeek:
--- Quote from: JazzyJoe on 18 Feb 2008, 20:02 ---Sorry usmcnavgeek, but I have run into too many USMC grunts that were unbearably dumb or annoying to respect the current generation of grunts. However a few ex-marines I have talked to were really cool.
--- End quote ---
Hey, I know I'm the exception to the rule, it's cool. :)
supersheep:
--- Quote from: JazzyJoe on 18 Feb 2008, 19:15 ---On protesting the military/recruiters:
Protesters are people that can't find anything better to do.
--- End quote ---
You say it like it's a bad thing that people think it is more important to protest something wrong than sit at home and watch TV...
--- Quote from: JazzyJoe on 18 Feb 2008, 19:15 ---The military is a useful tool for our generation. It's a way out of poverty for many people and a way to pay for school for others.
--- End quote ---
There are better ways of dealing with poverty or inability to afford college education than an economic draft.
--- Quote from: usmcnavgeek on 18 Feb 2008, 19:44 ---If you are a country, you need a military, lest other countries go 'hey I like your stuff' and roll on in.
--- End quote ---
There are plenty of countries that have a military and end up getting rolled in on anyways. Also, if a military is for defence against enemies who want to take your stuff, why does the US need such a big one? Democratic Peace Theory implies that Canada will never attack, and Mexico probably not, so who do you have to fear? Apart from the Aleutians and Hawaii, no part of US soil has been touched by a war since the nineteenth century.
a pack of wolves:
--- Quote from: usmcnavgeek on 18 Feb 2008, 19:44 ---Militaries are a necessity in our world. If you are a country, you need a military, lest other countries go 'hey I like your stuff' and roll on in. This is an unfortunate fact of our global society. If you find the concept of a military distasteful, then, well, sorry, but this is the world we live in, and protesting a recruitment office is not going to fix it. I will admit to not being a proponent of the Iraq war. I don't like to see my friends get killed for what I feel is no good reason. I, unfortunately, do not get to decide where and when the military gets sent. But I can vote for people who do have that power, and I can make sure those I vote for know my opinions by communicating with them. You could make a case for this protesting being communication, but it's not a useful form of it (as can be seen by Congress' reply)
--- End quote ---
Personally, I have no faith in governments ever listening to me, which is why I don't vote. I see why you think protesting doesn't change anything but I think it has more chance of doing so than voting does. Congress' reply is to stamp down which is the usual reaction of the body in a position of authority that's being protested against. As for a military being necessary for a country you have a point, but I'm not much of a fan of countries as a system of organising the world. I'm very much in favour of the free movement of people with disregard to borders. Then again, my viewpoint is very much a marginal one since I have little interest in reform, only change. Besides there's a big difference from just a military and the US military as it currently exists.
--- Quote ---I think Congress is well aware of the growing public distaste of the Iraq war. You'd have to be an idiot not to be, by now (but I suppose some of them...). Still, I stand by my opinion.
--- End quote ---
Iraq isn't the only reason to be against the actions of the US military. There's Afghanistan, the use of cluster bombs, Guantanamo Bay...
--- Quote from: JazzyJoe ---People say its a right to be able to protest the military... a cornerstone for EVERY successful country? Then they can fend for themselves.
--- End quote ---
I'd love to, but there isn't a world handy without governments and their armed forces. If you find one let me know, I'll be off like a shot. Until then, the right to protest is one of the few bits of a truly democratic society that exist around the world so yes, I'd say it is a cornerstone of any decent society.
onewheelwizzard:
--- Quote from: a pack of wolves on 19 Feb 2008, 05:39 ---Personally, I have no faith in governments ever listening to me, which is why I don't vote.
--- End quote ---
I fully understand this sentiment, trust me, but ... self-fulfilling prophecy much?
a pack of wolves:
Not really, I think they'd be less inclined to listen if I did vote for them. That way I'd be saying that I approved of the party I voted for, which I don't, so why should they ever pay any attention to me? They already have the only thing they will ever be interested in me for which is my assistance in gaining or retaining power, so any complaints I might have would be irrelevant to them. I live in the UK and I can't see the system of parliamentary democracy we have here ever creating any useful change so I decided a long time ago to give up, since meaningful alteration can only come from instituting a new system of running the society rather than reform of the present one.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version