I have been seeing a lot of posts on the forums putting the war down and putting the soldiers down for going to Iraq. Spooner you are one of the people I'm talking about. I just want to say that I'm a member of the national guard and my unit is going to Iraq December the 13th. Theres a few people from my unit who are dying to go to Iraq. They want to blow stuff up and kill people. The rest of the people seem like they are eager to go as well. My unit has a lot of rednecks who are pro Bush, i'm from eastern Kentucky so you probably get the picture. But there are a select few like me who don't want to go, we don't support the war and we think that it's a waste of time. I joined the military when i was 17 i'm 20 now almost 21. I was a completly different person then than I am now. When I was 17 I was living at home I had an abusive step dad and we were very poor. I was naive then and saw the military as way to get out of the house and a way to pay for college. Well after being in for a couple of years I changed I knew that if it came down to it I could'nt go to war or shoot someone. I hated the army and I now no longer support war. I finally wisened up and figured out that I could get a part time job and get financial aid to pay for college. I just wish I had thought of it when i was younger. So over a year ago I went and talked to my unit commander and told him everything. I told him that I was a dumb kid when I signed up and didn't know what I was getting into. I told him that I would not shoot anyone and i told him that I wouldn't go to war if a war broke out. I also told him I wasn't army material I told him I wasn't into all the things the other soldiers enjoyed doing I also don't fit in with any of the people in the unit. I don't share any of their interests. I just told him i wanted out. He told me that I signed the contract and I was going to stay in the army until my contract expired. I begged and pleaded with him but he told me that was the end of it. So over the last year or so i've been trying to get kicked out. I don't show up for drill and other such things. Nothing seems to work. As I was still trying to think of ways to get out I get a call right out of the blue from my army unit. Thy told me 2 or 3 months ago that our unit just got activated. We got activated for an unjust war. Now i don't know what to do. I know I signed the contract but can't someone change their mind over time? The army is the only proffesion where it seems like you can't get out of it no matter what. I don't want to go for moral reasons alone. So yeah I see plenty of people on here put soldiers down for going to Iraq but it seems like no one will give any advice on over what soldier should do. Should I go to Iraq, should I just refuse to go and go to jail, should I run to Canada, or should I try somthing else?
There are countries that offer amnesty to soldiers...and if somehow, you got the Canadian government on your side, you might be able to hide out there under their law that keeps them from sending back prisoners to countries that have the death penalty. If I were a lawyer, I would try that.. But I don't know...how bout running off? I say fly to Europe...I think that the Netherlands/Amsterdam and I know a few other countries offer amnesty to soldiers that run off from the army.
At a Campus Greens meeting last night an ex -military soldier talked about his experiences and how he feels we needs to try to bring these troops home. A lawyer also called to talk to us about what to do if the man contacts us and wants to "talk" or if we ever get arrested. www.nlg.org is a website she offered.
Not here man to put you down, But you are aready in the military you sign your own death away, When you put your name on the dotted line , This not a joke! This is the only way i see you run no more family contact that would really suck, So you need to act like you are fucking crazy, Show up to your post wearing a dress, Don't lol it work during the Viet- Nam ,Paint your toes,fingers & lips , Fake a good old epileptic seizure, Stick a dark chocolate candy bar up your ass and start digging your ass and licking your fingers,When ask whay are doing just say hey it is shit,Try to offer some to them, It work for a good famiy member of my when he was drafted for the Viet Nam, DUDE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FIGHT IN KING GEORGE WAR do what ever it takes .....
either go to canada, or go to jail man... if you go to iraq it will not only make you a killer, but a killer for someone else's property. Right now you're making the same decision every nazi had to make man, think about it and take your pick.
so far the estimate for iraqi civiliancasualties is between 14000 and 16000 bodies. You'd be going with the bad guys, an army that tortures prisoners, kills the wounded, and steals.
Sweetie, my heart goes out to you. And yes, people DO change over time. I have a friend that got out by putting on a mental act. They decided he wasn't mentally stable enough to continue in the military. He was quarantined, and laughed at...they treated him so bad, but he finally did get out. Now he actually does have mental issues due to the way they treated him. I wish you the best, and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Go to Iraq, you signed up for it, even though you now realise the mistake, thousands of other people think the same exact thing, but they still go to do their duty in Iraq. I'd say different i this was a draft, but you did sign up.
I don't think it's anyone's "duty" to kill people. Plus, if the army wants people who won't change their mind/morals, than they should stop going to high schools to sign up kids who have no idea what they're getting into. They wave that college money in front of kids who think they have no other way to pay for college, and don't know about finacial aid. Plus, all of that extra bonus money they give you to just sign up. Sounds like a pretty good deal to a small town, poor kid. It's not like any of them thought there would be a war while they were in the army, especially one like Iraq (aka Vietnam). The army should be banned from high schools.
That's the problem though, people join and think "oh there's not gonna be a war, I'll be sent to some base in Germany or Japan" but people need to realise when they join, you have 1 purpose when you join the army, to kill and be killed. It's not pretty, but that's what in reality you sign up for.
Another thing is that the National Guard are the first people to go overseas, at least in this war, anyway. Now, if I were to join the NATIONAL Guard I'd do it protect MY country at home and not overseas. If you've ever seen the National Guard commercials it shows soliders fighting fires and helping their community... not in Iraq killing innocent people. If we're sending them all oversea when they're supposed to protect the homefront, than we really need to change the name... not to mention the commercials.
Thanks for all the kind words guys. So far there's only been one negative response. I know I signed the dotted line but that seems like it was lifetimes ago. In any other proffession you can change your mind too bad the military doesn't work that way. I see where your coming from spooner now. Sorry I put you down. Father Free i liked your advice best. I may have to try that. I've been known to do crazy things before. If anyone else has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Come up north man We just built a monument to vietnam draft dodgers in Vancouver! lol A fuckin monument man! You'll be treated like a hero for not going to war!
Do whatever it takes, hon, to get away from this war. No one can make you kill another person, and that's the truth. When it comes down to it, all of your actions are your own... and if you don't want to take action against another human soul, then they can't make you. What are they going to do, duct-tape a gun to your hand and pull the trigger for you? Keep us posted, ok? I hope you find a way out. Remember: WAR IS NOT HEALTHY FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER LIVING THINGS!
No matter what you do, be prepared to have to leave your home and your family and just about everything else that you know and love. Are you married or anything like that?
