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Schizo
Extreme Fanatic   Posts: 897 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 31/1/2003 at 05:29 PM |
Actually, Mono, I wasn't in the least offended by your tone. The word I
used was "sad", and that's exactly what I meant. Sad that so much logic
and research was overpowered by the use of insult. The point of debate is
to attack and defend concepts, not people. Whether AloneSoul enjoys
violent video games or not has absolutely nothing to do with the validity
of American aggression in the Middle East, or any comparison between Adolf
Hitler and the presidents of the United States or Iraq.
True, a fact-based argument is equally valid whether it was presented in a
pleasant, neutral, or hostile tone. However, if the arguer's aim is to
enlighten his opponent, his aim will be better accomplished by avoiding
personal hostility.
It is very true that my comment dealt with my opinions. To me, an opinion
is something you hold until you are sure of the facts. At that point, the
opinion becomes a belief, or with even more security, knowledge. These
categories, in my mind, correspond roughly with the hypothesis, theory,
and fact of the scientific method. My thoughts concerning America and Iraq
still are in the opinion/hypothesis category, as I have not had the time
nor the inclination to invest the proper research to raise the level of my
surety.
However, there were some things I stated which I will stand firmly
behind.
A. No matter how flawed they are, both Hussein and Bush are humans, and
not evil incarnate. And neither has really attained any level that might
be called Hitleresque.
B. As valuable as safety is, it should be the personal choice of the
individual how much freedom they wish to sacrifice to preserve themselves
from danger. No government or political leader has the right to deprive me
of my liberties "for my own good".
C. Some people need to be stopped. Sometimes violence is the only way to
stop them. This should, of course, be a last resort, come to reluctantly.
I am not saying that this is one of those times. In fact, I'm pretty sure
it isn't. I am only saying that I deeply believe that there are such
things as legitimate reasons to go to war.
Someone compared the War on Terror to the War on Drugs. I think that the
War on Terror is far less realistic than the one on drugs. Drugs, at
least, are a physical entity that can, theoretically, be controlled.
Terror, however, is an emotion. Unless (God forbid) the government ever
discovers the way to legislate emotions, terror will exist and people will
inflict it on others. I personally feel that we should take action against
known terrorists. But to attack a country because they just MIGHT,
SOMETIME commit an act of terrorism, only creates a new kind of terror
itself. The terror that sometime, somehow, I myself might be labelled a
potential terrorist.
It would be as if our legal system incarcerated people for having the
potential to be criminals, instead of for only performing criminal acts.
____________________
"You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and the
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest of
girls." - Dresden Dolls, "Girl Anachronism"
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Sticupus
Fanatic   Posts: 254 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 31/1/2003 at 05:35 PM |
Statements retracted; this is Tweektime.
http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&fi
le=viewthread&tid=339
Flowers and Happy things.
Everyone be happy.
I am a crazy asshole. ____________________
The OBOLISK is Divine.
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bettie_x
Extreme Fanatic  Posts: 1570 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 31/1/2003 at 08:35 PM |
Jeebus help me I clicked on this forum and after reading a few
paragraphs...I swear..
Every hair on my head split all at once.
As for "Man of the Year" I'd name the son of a bitch that too if I had
known at the time that he'd had an art critic murdered when he came into
power because the man, decades ago, had critisized his art.
As for army recruiters....hey it's a damned fine way to get free lunch.
Anywhere. And they're fun to talk to on the phone...especially when they
call for the umpteenth time and ask what I've been doing since college. I
let them know it ALL, bore them out of their skull, and then ask where my
free lunch is.
War: Come on guys, we all know it's a smoke screen because they fudged up
bringing the head of Osama's momma on a stick for the american public to
see, so we turn towards our favorite nasty neighbor and carefully distract
the average american teevee viewer. And we all know it's about oil, and
power. Duh. How many times does it need to be gone over?
Something a bit off topic, but not really, on this whole war deal.
Mono you brought up video games...I've noticed something since the
Terrorist attack.
All the war games...as realistic as possible. Ever get the creepy feeling
that they introduced those games as a way to train american young people
(at their own expense mind you, game systems and discs and all) for war
from the beginning? The Desert Storm game where you go after Saddam.
Halo. Medal of Honor. D-Dday. The Marine game or whatever it's
called...desert eagle somthing or other.
My boss's friend is in the military, and the interesting thing is that he's
seen "action" and says that Halo is the most realistic combat simulator
he's ever seen.
Bungee, the company that manufactured the software for it, actually sold
it's software to the Govt for USE IN TRAINING TROOPS. It uses an advanced
"real time" physics program, where EVERYTHING in real life is attributed to
the game...your ability to shoot and strike opponents depending on your
range and position, if you're a sniper, windfactor and terrain are
computed, etc. Depending where you are hit, you are slowed down, even
limping, or not being able to move, but still alive. A solid hit, and you
are DEAD.
I don't want the games taken off the market, I say if people wanna play
them then go for it, but think about it....what a GENIOUS idea if the govt
is behind it. Train literally MILLIONS of potential soldiers, from every
generation, FOR FREE. Prepare them for the brutalities of conflict, their
concentration and skills honed from years of game play.
Got me thinkin, yes it did.
____________________
Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
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Monolycus
Fanatic  Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 31/1/2003 at 09:27 PM |
Court: It is precisely the reason that you stated that the particular
footage was shown to Americans. Many nations use that formation, but if we
want to paint one as insidious, we will show that to our people in the
news. News agencies do that. (PROJECT MOCKINGBIRD, see also PSY-OPS)
I also agree that there seems to be a conspiracy not to use the word
"depression" when discussing the economy, but that has probably less to do
with explicit governmental prohibition than a tacit arrangement by
stockholders and investement firms to avoid causing more "panic" on Wall
Street.
Schizo: It would have been an ad hominem fallacy if the proposition had
been "You play video games, therefore you have no insight". The
proposition was actually "You are trivializing the lives of others and
treating them as lightly as though they had no real existence." The
comment was a response to "Christ, this is the internet, not real life",
which implied that nobody who speaks on the internet is real. I used video
games as a parallel to unreal characters that one can brutalize with
impunity, but that point, like the difference between opinion and
proposition, seems to have been overlooked. And speaking of trivializing
people through video games...
Bettie: Of course. Although playing video games does not give one the
real life experience of physical combat, it has been found to be a perfect
way to trick people's brains into objectifying their opponents, giving them
little or no compunction to cause harm and suffering. It was first noticed
in WWII that bomber crews who never saw the enemy had no problem killing
them from a distance (unlike ground troops who occasionally "froze" when
asked to slaughter their fellows or developed emotional problems later on),
so one branch of the MK series of experiments (MK NAOMI) was developed to
modify that instinct. The result is violence as entertainment. That was
really why I made the comment in the first place, but good catch.
Ironboots: I'm really not on about whether anyone is pro or anti the war
here. That is only one of a few discussions that has resulted in people
playing King of Dumbass Mountain with no regard for getting at any kind of
objective truth. Human beings have intellectual tools to discover which
ideas are valid and which are invalid; we do not have to resort to sitting
in the treetops flinging feces at one another. I was under the assumption
that when someone brought something up, they were looking for genuine
critical debate and not just trying to get attention. More and more often,
I am discovering that is not the case. I am adopting a policy where I will
stop responding to a person after the third instance of them proving
themselves to be disengenious.
~M.
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Schizo
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 897 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 05:08 AM |
I've noticed that a particular topic has been recurring in this discussion.
That is the fact that the U.S. put Japanese Americans in concentration
camps during WWII, thus creating a parallel to the Nazi incarceration of
Jews.
Let me preface my remark by stating that I believe whole-heartedly that it
was very wrong for America to discriminate against its citizens of Japanese
descent, and rob them of their homes. As I have stated earlier, I believe
that national freedom should not be sacrificed to the god of national
security.
However, the Japanese concentration camps of America and the Jewish
concentration camps of Nazi Germany were vastly different. Unless I am
grossly ignorant, the Americans never spilt up Japanese families. Japanese
Americans were never tortured, never slaughtered, and we most certainly did
not make shoes out of their hides.
If Bush decides to round up Middle-Eastern Americans, and place them in
concentration camps, or, in fact, officially discriminate against them in
any way, I will oppose it with all my heart. However, in all reality, as
abhorrant as that would be, it would not even begin to compare with the
degree of discrimination officiated by Adolf Hitler.
As discriminatory as America and its leaders may be, we have not resorted
to government-endorsed genocide since people got paid to shoot Indians. If
I am incorrect, please let me know, but I think that the slaughter of the
Native Americans ceased long before George W. Bush became president. ____________________
"You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and the
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest
of
girls." - Dresden Dolls, "Girl Anachronism"
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Sticupus
Fanatic Posts: 254 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 08:25 AM |
Statements retracted; this is Tweektime.
http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&fi
le=viewthread&tid=339
Flowers and Happy things.
Everyone be happy.
I am a crazy asshole. ____________________
The OBOLISK is Divine.
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AloneSoul
Fanatic  Posts: 522 Registered: 6/7/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 11:36 AM |
hm, I seriously doubt that in this country today Bush will round up Middle
Eastern People and place them in camps. Our government/ public will not
allow it. We had human rights activists making sure Taliban(?) solders in
are treated “fairly” in prison. *I forgot what the place is called* We
simply would not allow concentration camps to be reopened in our country
with our current government/ level of public interaction.
Will some Middle Eastern People be unfairly placed in jail or unfairly
judged by a small level of the public? Yes. That’s unavoidable.
- Games: (NOTE: I’m not familiar with MK NAOMI) It's not really a
recruitment tool, it's advertising and marketing at work. Now, we have the
chance to kill terrorists, virtually of course. Marketing sees this and
they're willing to cash in on it.
Halo isn’t really that realistic, you’re in a armored suit, fighting a
alien species in a planet shaped like a ring. It takes about 20 shots to
kill you and your health will regenerate until your shields finally
dissipate. It’s not a realistic game unless you’re talking in terms of
graphics or the features such as physics...(damn, I gotta get a X-Box. Heh.
My bro has one.)
As for the features you speak of, the rag doll physical systems have been
in games since Blood (released after the duke3d craze rose up) and bullet
physics (wind, gravity, distance effecting your shot etc) have been in
games for a few years now (three or four years ago rainbow six had those
features and that game’s A LOT more realistic than halo...you die in one or
two shots and have to plan out your attacks with a map of the area you’re
going into).
HOWEVER: The Army has released a free game online called America's Army,
you can only download it online or get it a recruiting station. They spent
a million or so developing it, people call it a recruiting tool, the Army
says it's not. - Many say it's fun though. - I do believe that it is a
recruitment tool, if you ever played it, you’ll notice it doesn’t show the
bloody carnage in war. The game gives you a taste of the exciting part of
war, the rest, including guard deity/ night watches over your squad when
behind enemy lines and all that jazz aren’t in there.
The U.S. Military also has been using games to train their soldiers (Since
Doom actually). They’ve been using flight simulators to train their piolets
too.
People really say that games train everyday people to kill but that’s not
the case. There is a world of difference from firing a virtual gun and a
real one (as m mentioned before, coping with different weights, recoils
etc. I’m no firearms expert though, that’s Comedian’s/ Mort’s department).
Do games give people a taste for real blood? Na. Does it desensitize them
to violence; yes, and the desensitize them to the effects of violence on
another person? No. Want to know why? Because, if it was true that games
cause people to become more physically violent and or become future
fighting machines then, well all hell would brake lose. Literally, in this
country alone we have over millions of gamers. Same with Europe and Asia.
And games have been around since the late 70's, FPS’s (first person
shooters) since the mid/early 90's.
PC Gamer has covered this issue VIGOROUSLY. Believe me.
Most people know exactly what they are buying. They can tell fantasy from
reality, they aren’t going become war hungry citizens and join the army.
*thinks of the simpon’s episode with the party posse/ subliminal message in
the song* heh, good idea though.
____________________
 but at least you know, just how much pain there is in living
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Sticupus
Fanatic Posts: 254 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 12:37 PM |
Statements retracted; this is Tweektime.
http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&fi
le=viewthread&tid=339
Flowers and Happy things.
Everyone be happy.
I am a crazy asshole. ____________________
The OBOLISK is Divine.
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bettie_x
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 1570 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 04:57 PM |
Dammit I"m gonna have to ask him which game it was that his friend was
talking about.
I totally agree that people should educate themselves on the products they
are buying, and the almost always do, and then should be allowed to make
their own decisions.
Hell I adore GTAIII but I don't go crazy when I'm in my car 
I am merely pointing out the fact that the govt bought the Bungee software
(for the game who's name I can NOT remember) and uses it in virtual reality
training for troops.
Plus the software was designed a few years ago, and it's progressed since
then.
My only other point is that I find it SERIOUSLY interesting how the govt
has used the game system industry as a crafty propaganda tool. Yeah, there
were war games around before any of this happened, but man I couldn't even
count them all on fingers and toes since the terrorist attack happened.
NOTHING will ever come close to being in actual combat...but it's close
enough for them to raise an eyebrow and think "hmmmm...this might work".
As for women in the military:
I don't believe in the national draft. I don't believe in mandatory gender
biased enlistment. It is highly unlikely that the draft will ever be used
again, and even if it WAS reinstituted, MOST of the american population
will never so much as set foot on a training ground. I also think that if
there WERE a draft, that women should be included in it...I always have.
If ya want equal treatment, ya deserve equal responsibility.
And stic, not all us "girls" wanna dyke it up (I mean hell it's
lose/lose...if you're "pretty" you're stupid, and if you're brainy you're
ugly, and if you are brainy but not ugly then you're a figment of the
imagination.), nor do most girls think of war in terms of taking our "dick"
away. A lot of "ladies" are concerned about "war". Women have fought to
be equal in the military YEARS ago (just as minorities, and homosexuals
have, remember kids don't ask don't tell), and to a large extent have
succeeded (tho there are still all male military universitites and women
are generally not allowed in combat since last time I heard..or at least
it's still a big deal) War affects EVERYBODY, and not all "ladies" are
simply concerned with weeping about their love over seas while getting her
nails done. Granted, some are, but not the majority. Most of the american
population, female or not, ARE ignorant to the facts of whats going on.
Hell, some of them even have the cajones to read up, stand up and say "it's
WRONG (insert logic here)" or "Enough is enough (insert logic here)". Hell
that's a LOT to fit into a schedule already full with hair and nail
appointments, spa treatments, shopping on their boyfriend's credit cards,
and yacking it up on a cell phone with their girlfriends over which soap
star you wanna have sex with.
And some of them have even more gumption to be able to outright say "I
don't know all the facts...this is what I know, this is what I think, but I
wasn't there, and I don't know." That's as honorable as any posturing,
shouting, or doggedly defending OPINIONS that may or may not be wrong.
Admitting you could be right OR wrong is just as intelligent as someone who
reads, forms an opinion, and debates it into the ground, right or wrong.
On Schitzo enlisting in the draft:
Yeah, she could go down and register, but I'm not sure as to whether or not
women are allowed to enroll in the draft. Join the military yes, but I'm
not sure as to the draft or not. Besides, if she married her boyfriend,
NEITHER of them would be drafted, as college students, and married men with
children wouldn't be selected unless we really had our asses in a sling and
needed more bodies for the cannons...even then I'm not 100% sure of the
"rules". No more taking away the dick, you can keep him safe at home if
his dick can get you pregnant.
I don't see why anyone would yell at schitzo, unless they are under the
impression that screaming loudest on bizarre tangents makes them right.
She's been nothing but civilized to everyone regardless of opinions and
things said. Oh wait, I forgot. She's just another girlie girl
heterosexual who can't POSSIBLY know what she's talkin about, as she and
her boyfriend are too busy busting their asses to keep a roof over their
head and their daughter safe and happy.
What it all boils down to:
Unless people actually put their convictions into action, nothing will be
accomplished in this matter. We are not in control. This little box on
this site is one in a zillion on the internet where people bicker and
confront and debate over the woes of the world.
This is not the war front, this will not be read by the president or the
people in charge of that dept of the govt. This thread to me, and all the
others like it, is nothing more than a place to let loose the massive
amounts of frusteration and anger regarding something as horrible as an
impending war. Unless the ideas are put into action, for war or against
it, it will accomplish nothing but letting loose some steam (which isn't a
bad thing) or perhaps creating some more pressure in our already bursting
skulls. It's effects are nil. No matter how many stars we have on our
armchair general badges.
____________________
Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
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Sticupus
Fanatic Posts: 254 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 07:20 PM |
| Thank you bettie. ____________________
The OBOLISK is Divine.
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Domkitten
Fanatic  Posts: 470 Registered: 23/9/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 1/2/2003 at 11:33 PM |
Let's talk for a minute about the slaughter of thousands upon thousands of
people. In the space of a few short hours, hundreds of bombs will be
dropped, one every 4 minutes, to make a populace tremble before the awe and
might of the nation dropping the bombs. There will not be a safe place to
hide. There will not be a safe place to live. There will be no market, no
power, no running water. People will be to terrified to fight back and
submit to the terrible power of their aggressor.
Of course, we are not talking about destroying soldiers or large military
regiems, we are talking about recklessly destorying a city, a place where
people live, people who have neither the time, nor interest in the war that
is being thrust upon them by the powers that be.
Historically the first instance of this was in the city of Guernica (History) a
small Basque town that was blown out of existance one sunny day when
hundreds of German plans flew overhead and dropped bombs on the innocent
people. Germany can be accused of killing many people in brutal and
sensless ways. But when it came to real slaughter America has proven time
and again that it is not only superior, but far better at striking terror
with a few moments and sheer power.
History repeats itself.
America is planning a military strategy for Iraq called "Shock and Awe".
The concept behind shock and awe is to overwhelm and debilitate the people
of Iraq so quickly that they will be unwilling and unable to defend
themselves. (One
Man's Dream). This is not just a war, it is terrorizing people of a
nation that will be helpless to defend themselves. We are creating terror,
we are planning to kill millions of innocent people (Baghdad is a city of 5
million) and we are doing it in the name of.... I'm not sure.
War is not pretty. I feel quite strongly that there is absolutely no reason
to inflict this kind of terror on an innocent populace. I have not heard an
argument yet that convinces me that it is okay to kill 5 million people to
eliminate one man who might be hurting them. If you ask the people of Iraq
I am quite sure that they would agree that they do not wish to do for the
dreams of a few madmen.
Currently there is a human sheild being created, a groups of citizens from
countries around the world that will deploy themselves as a sheild to try
to stop the terror that our country is inflicting on the people of Iraq. My
heart goes out to them, and I wish I could join them. Currently I am busy
protesting in Korea to try and voice my sentiment about a possible war
here, its what I can do. (H
uman Sheild)
I do not think that this disscussion is a waste of time. I do not think
that activism is a waste of time. I am not naive enough to believe that one
person can change the world, but I will not sit on my hands and watch it
happen without voicing my opposition. We are about to senselessly and
needlessly slaughter millions of Iraqis for no sensible reason.
I may not be dropping those bombs, but I feel just as responsible. I think
everyone who is an American should feel responsible for the actions of
their government. Blood is essentially on our hands. I think that Mono, you
show and appreciation for human life that is being taken for granted by
many others.
For more information about all of these things you can also check these
links:
Picasso's
Guernica
Shock and Awe
story from CNN
More
information about Shock and Awe
Violation of Disarment by Iraq
Iraq is not in violation
Even more great information
Truthout
____________________
It's like kegel exercises for your throat.~Monolycus
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Anonymous
 Posts: 116 Registered: 14/4/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 02:37 AM |
I don't personally believe that there should ever be a draft used unless
it's the absolutely positively only way to get anyone to join the military
to defend the country.
I think since there are so many people who truly want to join, for whatever
be their reasons for doing so, and with so many people willingly staying in
the reserves, that between all those people there is most likely enough who
have or will join the military to keep our country thorougly protected.
It seems that in times that the draft was used, a good many people joined
of their own accord before being drafted. This shows that the draft
shouldn't be used as a terror effect to get people to join, so hopefully
those in charge are aware of this as well.
The way I've had it explained to me, was that men cannot get pregnant, and
a woman can unexpectedly get pregnant even on birth control or even with
tubal ligation on rare occasion. So because of this, that is still one of
the big sticking points of having women register for the draft. There are
so many reasons that someone who is intially drafted would be able to not
be pulled into actual service, that they don't want to add any more reasons
on top of it.
I do of course feel that if there really and truly is a need for a draft,
that it would only be fair to have everyone of a certain age register, and
then of course when called to appear there are umpteen number of reasons to
dismiss someone from actually having to go into service, that those who
really aren't in a position to be drafted usually are exempted at that
point, and most who go on in the service are actually willing at that point
as well. I do think that if a person chooses to remain in the reserves,
they should be fully aware of the fact that they can quite easily be called
into active duty. It can and does happen, and for some reason it seems to
catch some reservists off guard, when it really shouldn't catch them
offguard at all.
As far as my standpoint on equal physical training for both sexes, I
absolutely and completely believe that any job or task that requires equal
physical abilities, should absolutely involve equal training in all
respects. I do not go for the whole, making modifications, unless there is
to be modified battles, and that just is not reality. The only reason I
would see for modifying training is if someone will never be in the same
physically demanding type of position, and in that case it would need be
modified for both sexes not only the one. So I don't believe in making
women's training less difficult than men's when they are going to be doing
the same physical activity. I think this applies to any physically
demanding job, not only those in the military.
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Starlight
Extreme Fanatic  Posts: 618 Registered: 27/9/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 02:45 AM |
*points to the above Anonymous post at 2/2/2003 at 02:37am*
That's me!
I was signed in when I started reading posts, and most of timed out or
something. *L* ____________________
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never
tried before." ~Mae West
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Schizo
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 897 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 06:15 AM |
I believe that sex shouldn't matter in military service, but physical
ability most definitely should. If a woman wants to learn combat
techniques to potentially serve in an actualy conflict, she must be able to
accomplish the physical requirements. "Dumbing" them down will only put
her in danger in the long run, as she would not be able to keep up in a
long march, dig her foxhole quickly enough, or traverse rough terrain with
the proper efficiency. If a woman can carry out these requirements, I say,
more power to her.
After all, this is the reason why there are separate men's and women's
categories in the Olympics. The officials realize that, as perfectly
trained as these women might be, they would be wiped out in a competition
against men on sheer athletic levels. How much more ludicrous would it be
to send a woman out to "compete" against men who are attempting to kill
her, not just beat her in a race? Except for the very rare, absolute
Incredible Hulk of a woman, we just are not able to make the grade.
Oh, and as I mentioned, I have a very close cousin who could very well be
caught up in this whole mess. I have a VERY personal interest in whether
we go to war or not. But I am TRYING to look at this objectively, and
decide on moral, and not on emotional levels, whether war in Iraq is
justified at all.
And before anyone bashes my cousin for being a blood-hungry, violent,
uncaring, thug of a mindless motherfucker, let me fill you in on exactly
WHY he and undoubtedly thousands of others have joined the military.
My cousin's father died of cancer when he was, I don't know, maybe 12. As
so many fatherless kids do, he got in trouble in High School. But my
cousin had the sense to notice this, and decide to do something about it.
He dropped out of High School, joined the army, and got his G.E.D. Now he
drives tanks and fixes Hummers and shit like that. He's been stationed in
Bosnia for the last 6 months, defending churches. Do you know that all the
Bosnian kids play near the churches, because they are the only safe places?
My cousin says that his division was the first stationed there that did
not have to fire their weapons at people.
My cousin is not a violent person. If anything, he is naturally the sort
who would sit on his ass and hang out with you. He makes friends wherever
he goes, because he is just a very nice, intelligent, sweet guy. He's
hilarious. He loves babies. He's one of the 3 black sheep in my family,
so he's one of the only ones I can talk to about anything. His older
brother and I are the other ones. He got a tattoo of his father's name on
his arm.
This cousin is the one that I sat on the edge of a field with when my dog
(who used to be his dog) got hit by a car and killed. We sat and talked
about our dog, until we stopped crying and just started laughing
hysterically. For no reason at all. Just so we wouldn't have to cry.
This is the cousin who always lets me win in hand crushing contests, even
though his hands are easily twice as big as mine. (After all, he is 6'4"
and built to match.) This is the cousin whose family we lived downstairs
from when my mom and my brother and I ran away from my dad for a year or
so.
I can just imagine what it would be like if he got sent to Iraq and had to
kill people there. He wouldn't want to. It wouldn't be a big thrill to
him. It would be a fucking nightmare. But he would follow orders, because
if he didn't he'd be endangering his buddies. Can you imagine being in
that sort of situation?
So I don't want to hear from anyone that I'm a thoughtless, inhuman jerk
for even considering that war can be justified, or for considering that
there JUST MIGHT BE a good reason for war in Iraq. As I said, I don't know
enough about it yet. But there may be a good reason.
And I don't want to hear any G.I. bashing. They are not a parcel of sick
bastards who get erections from killing little Arab children. They, for
the most part, are people who joined the military for whatever personal
reasons, and now find themselves between a rock and a hard place. People
who, if they are forced into this situation, will probably be haunted by it
for life. Even if war is entirely justified.
____________________
"You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and
the
/>
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest
of
girls." - Dresden Dolls, "Girl Anachronism"
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AloneSoul
Fanatic Posts: 522 Registered: 6/7/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 09:40 AM |
All I have to say about the Military using subliminal messages in games to
convince people to sign up is look out for the slogan “yvan eht nioj.”
Agreed with Sticupus, thank you Bettie.
- As for a American using terror as a tactic in war, well, war is terror.
Fighting in any city will fill the place with unspeakable horrors and
dread. Noone but those soldiers and the civilians, in the battle field, can
speak on how war really is.
- Discovery Channel held a good program on Friday, four hours about Iraq.
They had views from the Iraqis, pacificist, political figures and soldiers
on the issue of war. They also held a huge documentary on Iraq/ Hussain/
his cruelty, how the war could effect the world, etc.
I find it funny how all the Iraqis claimed they love Hussain while under
watch from a government figure (if you speak out against Hussain in Iraq,
you’ll be killed) but at the same time, a refugee family from Iraq living
in America had a greatly different opinion...even groups of Iraqi refugees
in America are supporting military action to remove Hussain and are
teaching American soldiers about Iraq. (Pro-American propaganda? Say what
you will.)
http://dsc.discovery.com/schedule/weekly.jsp?channel=DSC
If you can find this replaying in your areas, I highly suggest you watch
it. The special does not go on a biased opinion about the war with Iraq. It
examines all sides of the debate with the facts.
- Females in military: I agree with Schizo on this. It’s a fact that
females are not physically as strong as males, our bodies are to different
(obviously). However, to dumb down or lessen the training program just for
females will only put that person’s life in great danger on the combat
field. ____________________
SRC="http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/snes/ff6/images/characters/kefka.gi
f">
size=1> but at least you know, just how much pain there is in living
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Sticupus
Fanatic Posts: 254 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 12:30 PM |
Statements retracted; this is Tweektime.
http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&fi
le=viewthread&tid=339
Flowers and Happy things.
Everyone be happy.
I am a crazy asshole. ____________________
The OBOLISK is Divine.
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Monolycus
Fanatic Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 05:23 PM |
Thank you for those resources, Domkitten. I've never figured out how to
include links in my posts because I wouldn't want any unpleasant facts to
stand in the way of someone's irrational opinions. I presume that if
someone is terribly interested, that is what search engines are for. As we
have both learned, though, just because someone hasn't done the reading
doesn't mean they can't scream about how badly the book sucks.
~M.
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bettie_x
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 1570 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 10:03 PM |
"Women, as I said time and time again, like being weak. I guess it makes
them happy- forever the weaker vessel... but as long as they have lip gloss
and pads!"
~quote
Stic, your woman/mommy issues have no relevance WHATSOEVER.
Have the balls to say that to the face of one of the "weakling females"
you love so dearly, and I've got five bucks riding on you shitting maxipads
and lip gloss wads for the next six months.
But yes, same standards for everyone for the same job. Period. You are
right on that point, I'll give you that, now only if you didn't come off as
a typical straight hating/woman hating bigot.
Women weren't the ones who instituted those "rules" to begin with, boy.
It's an insulting "pat on the head" to appease the feminazis out there.
Just as the "free points" for minorities are on exams for civil service and
college entries. ____________________
Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
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VampCourt
Fanatic  Posts: 293 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 10:07 PM |
"The differences can be only slight. The only thing I can think of is
women's muscle fiber is thinner and doesn't last as long as men. So in
other words, women should be worked harder. Women, as I said time and time
again, like being weak. I guess it makes them happy- forever the weaker
vessel... but as long as they have lip gloss and pads!"
Your SO not up on knowing anything about women.. so far what i have read
in that paragraph is total bullshit. Find me a statement that says women
enjoy being the weaker vessel. Thats FUCKED up dude. You wanna go around
slinging women enjoying being, Then that tells me your ignorance reigns
supreme in your fucken judgement. You know i tried to sit there and not say
anything to this little paragrpah, but it really discusts me that someone
who clearly puts out that he's "femmy" would be bashing the female sex.
So if we are so fucking weak.. Dont you think making us work harder would
be a bad idea? Why? YES! YES IT WOULD! You go out and work hard asshole.
See if you fucking think women should work hard after that. Your Opinion is
compleatly out of line. perhaps you should rethingk what the fuck you just
said and try to be a little more considerate to people.
Sorry pal, but that really pissed me off. and if that was your little goal
or plan.. well MISSION accomplished BUDDY CHRIST. ____________________
"Thou shalt not be afraid of the dark, nor of graveyards nor ghosts nor the
devil, for thou art scarey and mean." -The Goth commandments
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Sticupus
Fanatic Posts: 254 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 2/2/2003 at 10:45 PM |
Statements retracted; this is Tweektime.
http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&fi
le=viewthread&tid=339
Flowers and Happy things.
Everyone be happy.
I am a crazy asshole. ____________________
The OBOLISK is Divine.
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