I used to be someone who was totally anti-war, then I watched my big brother stoically board a plane to a war zone. It’s a small moment that changed my life forever because I didn’t know if I would ever see him again alive. It heightened and altered my emotions about the entire situation.

“If you spent /any/ time at all reading through the Real Word Discussions form here, you'd realize just how wrong this is.”

Perhaps that’s why I don’t go to that board.

“So, before you start going around making requests, perhaps you should think about what your asking. Because here, you're asking people for forfeit there 1st amendment rights, to at least a degree.”

I politely asked for sensitivity. I even stated that I respect other people’s rights to opinions. Why are you demanding that I forfeit my first amendment rights? Besides, it’s my blog and it’s my brother who is going to Iraq again. Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked ten miles in their shoes.

"This is perhaps one of the last places you’d find someone who was anti-Iraqi war!"

If you spent /any/ time at all reading through the Real Word Discussions form here, you'd realize just how wrong this is.


To your request, if people aren't intelligent enough, or too emotional, to see that there is a difference between talking about the war and the people fighting it, then perhaps they shouldn't participate in such discussions. The Real Word Discussions Forum was sectioned off for this reason so it's rather easy to avoid. If you're talking about IRL, then why is it "my" responsibility to censor "myself" because of what someone else might think/feel that may or may not be within ear-shot?

So, before you start going around making requests, perhaps you should think about what your asking. Because here, you're asking people for forfeit there 1st amendment rights, to at least a degree.


"The main reason I posted this is because the last time he went to Iraq, people were literally *screaming* at me about why we shouldn't go to Iraq!"

And?

"It made the entire situation worse."

Did it? Or did your reaction to it? Being baited into a screaming match by someone else's immature behaviour hardly alleviates your part of the responsibility.

Perhaps next time you should just walk away. At any rate, that's just one persons opinion.

Hey, I understand what you mean. I do hope and pray that your brother is safe. I pray every night for our men and women, both overseas and here at home who work to keep us all safe, and for their families. My dad was Army when I was growing up, and it's not always easy. Love to you and your family, and God Bless your brother for helping defend us!
BadKarma

The main reason I posted this is because the last time he went to Iraq, people were literally *screaming* at me about why we shouldn't go to Iraq! It made the entire situation worse.

LOL! It's okay.

Gah - I'm so sorry! Two good friends of mine are seeing husbands off to Iraq soon, guess you can see where my mind is!

Husband? Uh, no, he's my brother!

My prayers are with you and your husband, and his safe return.

One blessing (in my humble opinion) about the controversy over this war is that by and large, those who disagree with it are quite cognizant of the fact that it is the current government administration the anger should be directed at, not the soldiers in the field.

When people critcize the war, they typically are not speaking ill of those who are fighting it, in fact most people hold our troops in high regard and think of them with respect and love. And regardless of whether we are right or wrong to be in Iraq, the people in uniform whom we love deserve that.