Comments on: Do you think Prince Harry should have gone to war?

By: KyleM

KyleM — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:30:50 +0000

I agree that the names common throughout national politics leave me underwhelmed. I think we just have a difference of opinion on what the nature of the inherent duties of royalty in the UK versus the landed aristocracy of the U.S.

By: annegb

annegb — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:32:44 +0000

KyleM, have you introduced yourself? My brain is dying as we speak.

http://www.mormonmentality.org/2007/11/08/mcq-carlos-tiredmormon-sherpa-jota-queno-naismith-left-field-ben-there-tell-me-about-yourselves.htm

Could you take a minute so we can get to know you?

You know, of course your brother is awesome and the Rangers, wow. Princess Buttgold’s former boyfriend (well, one of the legion)was a Ranger in Iraq, maybe they knew each other. Cody Fish is his name. She dumped him and he felt really bad about it. But then she’s been dumped herself.

I digress. Where was I?

Oh yeah. I’m not talking about ordinary citizens who do heroic things like enlist when they clearly (like your brother) have other options, or even those young boys, like my friend’s son, who are eager to get over there and do battle.

I’m saying that the English royalty has more class than American royalty. Are any Kennedys in Iraq? Maybe they don’t advertise for their and their mates safety, but hell, I’m rather embarrassed by Prince Harry’s eagerness to serve his country when the Brahmins of America are more content to party the night away while their fathers are sending our sons to war.

By: KyleM

KyleM — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:51:59 +0000

I’m sorry, queno. I shouldn’t internalize comments intededed generally.

By: KyleM

KyleM — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:43:46 +0000

No one recommended to my brother that he serve. He has a law degree and is on the bar in multiple states. It’s not like he doesn’t have options.

By: queuno

queuno — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:16:49 +0000

So I guess this is the point where I get to be the jerk and say that while I admire and support America’s fighting men and women, there’s NO WAY I would ever advocate to my children that they join the military or marry into it.

(As long as the sacrifice is still a voluntary one, I would not recommend that they serve. But I’d still love and support them if they did, anyway.)

By: Eric Russell

Eric Russell — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:17:13 +0000

Dan, I didn’t say it was un-American to have a draft.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:06:42 +0000

Eric

You may be against it, but it isn’t “un-American” to have a draft.

By: Eric Russell

Eric Russell — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:36:53 +0000

Sorry annegb, forcing people to serve during a non-draft period against their will is simply un-American. If the children of elected officials don’t want to, they shouldn’t be forced to.

But good on Harry for his willingness.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:18:09 +0000

jjohnsen,

Except everyone doesnâ€™t share in the sacrifice during a draft. There will still be ways to get out of it, and those with money and connections will figure out how to take advantage of it.

Oh, you mean like Dick Cheney who suddenly got his wife pregnant just nine months before he was going to possibly be drafted…

By: jjohnsen

jjohnsen — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:04:26 +0000

That said, I 100% support a draft. Everyone should share in the sacrifice of war, and a draft would make policy-makers much more careful about decisions they make to deploy our military.

Except everyone doesn’t share in the sacrifice during a draft. There will still be ways to get out of it, and those with money and connections will figure out how to take advantage of it.