My brother hears me talk about the forum and when he has a minute or two reads some of the posts. He asked me if I would relay his feelings, to give a different prospective then we have seen on the forum.
This is not written to upset or offend anyone, it is just another opinion, that we should all be open to.
Hi, my name is Kenny also known at work as:
Private First Class Montemagno, 182nd infantry, United States Army. I am twenty years old and everyday my job involves holding on to the rights that I believe each and everyone of you on this forum and in the world deserve and should have and should never have to worry about. I write this as I read the results of a post that started with a conversation about a bombing not even classified as a terrorist attack and quickly becomes American bashing. No one in any country deserves to be threatened by dangerous, blood thirsty terrorists including on our own soil. If you feel that I am on of those terrorists because I serve my country there is nothing I can do to change your mind except for to continue to risk my life for your rights and citizenships on a daily basis. I have also read the Protest the Protestors post in the ordered forum and my thoughts could no longer be kept to myself. I hope you all at least read my words and respect them, regardless of your feelings.
I support doctors who save my life, police officers who patrol the streets, garbage men who take care of my rubbish, firemen who save us from the fires, the cashier at the grocery store who bags my food. I choose a job that protects them, you and myself, just as they protect me on a daily basis in different aspects of their career. I am not a better person then anyone because I am in the service, it is my job. In my job I have the ability to help protect your rights, just as an attorney does but with out the fancy clothes! So I do my job. In my job I have the opportunity to give my life for my country, so I take that chance. In my job I have the ability to at least try to make life better for people that do not have the right to protest like our citizens do. I do not ask for war, but I support my boss (Bush) and I will support the next commander in chief regardless of other policies that I may or may not agree with. I work every day so that you can protest and I appreciate you using your voices. The reason I am telling you all this is because I acknowledge opposition, I embrace it actually. It is a part of the country I love with every fiber of my being. I am a soldier, you may be something else. My path lead to the military, yours leads elsewhere. It doesn’t bother me what you choose to believe in, it does bother me when my brothers are dying for you and for me to be able to choose any path we feel fits our needs and you out right oppose them… It also bothers me when anyone else in any other profession is killed. Just because a woman choose the job of a prostitute and is murder should we not want justice? I know it is a little or a lot different and illegal but I think you catch my drift.
No doubt there are idiots in the service, there are idiots every were you go. There are also people who feel it is necessary to protect your rights as an American citizen. I am that person. I feel it necessary to raise my family in a country that woman can work, children can go to school, you are allowed to leave your home regardless of race, creed, sexuality or religion. We have our problems probably more then most countries, no doubt. But, we are who we are, the United States of America. You or your families have made a choice to live in the country or state that you live in. If it is America and you want to benefit form the rights that are granted to an American Citizen I am not saying you have to agree with my choices, my bosses choices, my comrades choices, but realize just like the doctors that save your life and the cashier that bags your groceries, I am doing my job and my job is to protect you. You do not ask me to do this just as I do not ask the doctor to save my life if I am in an accident. It is what we do. My only goal is to be the best at my job. I hope that you strive to be the best at your job because it benefits me as well, somewhere, somehow. Basically, I am trying to say…Hate the war, fine with me. Hate me for serving my country I can even deal with that but respect the servicemen who have died in every war because they are why you have the rights to protest and respect the country you call home. I am trained to do what I do, just like you are in your job. I don’t ask that you place a bumper sticker on your car but I do know my job is paying off when I see one. I don’t ask for you to stop protesting but I do ask you to think of one of my brothers whose mothers, fathers, children or wives…have to stop while you lay in the street, or hear your screams of disgust when their loved one is in another country or worse returning with an American Flag draped over a coffin. I don’t ask that you even like Bush, you don’t have to, just respect that like us all he is doing his job. In my mind a **** fine job in yours maybe not. It all comes down to the basic fundamentals of respect. I understand that it is hard to respect if you do not agree but I am not asking you to agree with the war or with his politics. All I am asking is for you to do your job just like I do my job, the best that I can. If that means that I defend the rights of innocent Iraqis or anyone else for that matter for the rest of my career then I will and if the time comes to that I need to defend my own home on my own home soil, I will with out a second thought. Whether you protest me or not just know that I will always protect you and I will always respect your rights. That’s why I risk my life everyday. That is why we (on a whole) join the military and that and only that is why I am Private First Class Kenneth Montemagno Jr. 182nd Infantry Division, United States Army.
*Originally posted by rere420 *
**
I do not ask for war, but I support my boss (Bush) and I will support the next commander in chief regardless of other policies that I may or may not agree with. **
i guess i have a little bit of a problem with that. so let’s say, theoretically (and this is going to the extreme), that the next president is a ruthless dictator who kills numerous people, etc. you would still support him, no matter what?
btw, before the mods jump at me, i’m not dissing anyone.
I understand your not trying to be nasty but, remember in past and recent history many people including (americans) have said that Sadaams followers/army are doing only what they know, what they are trained for. Same as with Hitler and the nazi’s. I do not think that is right as a matter of factI think it is out right wrong and I enjoy having the ability to choose as one of my rights and that includes my job in the service. I do not have to re-enlist, no one is forcing me to do my job. You can leave…
My point was that you do not have to support me or my decisions but respect me and my brothers ( I am infantry so there are no women, I am not being sexist) just as I equally respect you and your position.
Hey rere,
That was a great post, and he makes excellent points. Often times we fail to see that all of us are basically doing our jobs. Pinx, it is very difficult for your scenario to happen because people will not vote for someone who is a dictator and Congress will not enable the dictator to have war powers :ub:
Cheers!
Kirupa :asian:
I see where you are coming from rere, however, blind faith will always result in coruptness, and someone abusing that power…
History has shown us this. If you need an example, just look at the Catholic Church throughout history, for one…
JMO tho.
Rev
History has shown us this. If you need an example, just look at the Catholic Church throughout history, for one…
I certainly agree with you about the church Rev.
However, I see that term “blind faith” and “blind patriotism” used alot here. I dont think that is an accurate description for how we <b>(me?)</b>view our beliefs towards our nation. It almost implies that that we do not pay attention to current events and just nod our heads. Certainly that is not the case. If there was something that I felt was out of line I would take a stance against it. I just support what is going on in Iraq and the other campaigns we are enduring at the present time.
For me, my patriotism is not blind, it is strong. I would do anything for my country. I love her very much. I love the fact that you dont have to and she will still protect you.
Hooo Rah! PFC Monte…
Now go finish your MOS!
*Originally posted by reverendflash *
**History has shown us this. If you need an example, just look at the Catholic Church throughout history, for one…
**
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Checks and balances.
I believe that’s enough for me to say.
Fester, I was just commenting on how the PFC said he would do anything the current, or future, government asked of him.
To me, that is blind faith. Patriotism is drastically different. One can be very patriotic, and still not have blind faith in the ones ruling the gov’t… Of course the military will disagree, and love the words the PFC above said (they drill that into you so much during basic training)…
If you won’t allow blind faith in business (The Enron debacle is an example of trying to use blind faith as a defense), then one should be wary of blind faith in the military.
That said, the military frowns on individual thought and inginuity, so blind faith is kinda required.
Rev
I commend you for sharing your opinions.
I commend you for your willingness to risk your life for a commander-in-chief that you do or do not support.
I also agree with you when you say that there are people who feel it is necessary to protect our rights as American citizens. In fact, I am one of them. While you combat terrorists abroad, I combat ignorance on the hometurf. See, we are both fighting for our rights, but in different ways. You get paid to use violence on command. I work in my free time to help people become aware of how our rights as Americans are being systematically stripped. Same war, different fronts, i guess. Atleast you get paid…
Understand, Kenny, that I respect your decision to be a soldier, and I am glad to have read your opinion. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Mods: if im out of line, then i apologize, and will not be offended if you edit or delete my post.
majeye,
your are not at all out of line. I agree with you! Same war. Understand though although I am trained in violence as an infantry man but, I do not use it everyday. I do not go out seeking fights because I am trained in a fight, I also volunterr my time in many other ways, with kids, by supporting my brothers and sisters risking their lives for you and for me and the pay is not that great!!! I wonder though how you feel about those who do choose to fight a war against what they feel is their rights being taken away when they lay in the streets, block traffic, start riots or other violent forms of protest? I am sorry you feel that the rights I fight for you to keep are being taken away. I am not sure I agree or understand your angel on that but I do respect that you have a different opinion.
Simple as that the Army did not teach me respect, my mom did that long before I knew what I could become in the service!!!
*Originally posted by reverendflash *
**Fester, I was just commenting on how the PFC said he would do anything the current, or future, government asked of him.
To me, that is blind faith. Patriotism is drastically different. One can be very patriotic, and still not have blind faith in the ones ruling the gov’t… Of course the military will disagree, and love the words the PFC above said (they drill that into you so much during basic training)…
If you won’t allow blind faith in business (The Enron debacle is an example of trying to use blind faith as a defense), then one should be wary of blind faith in the military.
That said, the military frowns on individual thought and inginuity, so blind faith is kinda required.
Rev **
rev,
even though i don’t get along with you a lot of times, you do make great points and this is one of them. IT IS blind faith.
*Originally posted by rere420 *
**majeye,
your are not at all out of line. I agree with you! Same war. Understand though although I am trained in violence as an infantry man but, I do not use it everyday. I do not go out seeking fights because I am trained in a fight, I also volunterr my time in many other ways, with kids, by supporting my brothers and sisters risking their lives for you and for me and the pay is not that great!!! I wonder though how you feel about those who do choose to fight a war against what they feel is their rights being taken away when they lay in the streets, block traffic, start riots or other violent forms of protest? I am sorry you feel that the rights I fight for you to keep are being taken away. I am not sure I agree or understand your angel on that but I do respect that you have a different opinion.
Simple as that the Army did not teach me respect, my mom did that long before I knew what I could become in the service!!! **
rere,
i don’t know about this brother and sister business. it sounds wrong and i say that because before yugoslavia broke up, the government instilled this kind of “we’re all brothers and sisters” mentality when we really weren’t.
i agree that protests shouldn’t go to the extreme. don’t get in the way of people trying to lead their own lives.
usually when someone starts the “we are all brothers and sisters” routine, they are trying to persuade a group of people over to their views. Rarely does someone say “since we are all brothers and sisters, I am going to split the $4 million I just won on the lottery.”
BTW - Pinx - are you using the new “pink” color scheme?
Rev
Why is everyone so afraid to voice their opinion? This is ordered and I state right now that I will defend, even against the administration of kirupaforum, each person’s right to state their opinion here, in an ordered and none threatening manner.
That being said, everyone can stop asking for forgiveness if they have offended someone. We all know that opinions can be offensive, but this forum is FOR giving opinions. So you can all stop being afraid. Just be as curtious as possible and you shouldn’t get into any trouble.
Soldiers - I think that a lot of our armed service personel feel that we who oppose intervention in IRAQ, at this point in time, are disrespecting the military, or the commander in chief. That simply isn’t the case. Sure you have some high profile schmucks who spread their opinion like some smelly soft cheese, all over our culture. The majority of us, however, have a very high opinion of both the military in general and the individuals who server specificaly.
The military man/woman is faced with a very difficult task. They are trained to perform their duties without question. This is vital to the survival of the solider. They must react (properly) in real time with people dying all around, and their own lives in immenent danger. The only way they can do this is to follow, quickly, efficiently, and without question.
They are also given a higher order by the rules of the Geneva convention, to not follow orders which are in specific violation to the international laws concerning fair treatment of individuals, both military and non military.
It is a hard line you have to walk… especially when all hell breaks loose. First reaction for any human is fight or flight, not “follow orders”.
Believe me Kenny… you’ve got it wrong if you think that we at this forum are bashing the individual military personel. As for the president… we are citizens, we are supposed to pose opinion and debate to the ideas of our leadership. You are not. It works well this way.
Lastly, I do not believe you when you say that you will follow any orders your commander and chief gives you. I have a lot of faith that if the president asked you to chop a baby up into little bits and feed it to hunger dogs to get rid of the evidence, that you would stand up for the rights of the child over your orders. Maybe not every soldier would… I’m sure that there are some who would obey their orders first ( heck it happened in Vietnam in limited situations ), but the majority of our military goes into service with the goal “to protect and serve the constitution”. The majority of our military personel are intelligent, compassionate individuals.
So again… don’t think that because some of us may not support the actions of our government on this occation, that we in any way hold YOU kenny, or any of your fellow soldiers specificaly responsible for any hainus activity. We do have a lot of respect, and love for you who die to protect us.
I think that people who protest by laying down in traffic, starting riots, or any other method of violence are ignorant, and need to reexamine themselves, and their cause. I think the best forms of protest are done by an individual in a creative manner, as opposed to being done by a large group in a destructive manner.
By the way, my first impulse when reading your post, was to ask, “Is this something that all soldiers are required to memorize before completing Boot Camp?”
By the way, my first impulse when reading your post, was to ask, “Is this something that all soldiers are required to memorize before completing Boot Camp?”
what do you mean?
Hey, Good to see a soldeir puts his opinons here.
Personally I dont support the military, I dont hate them or dislike them. I just feel they don’t need my support for doing the job required by them. When soldeir go beyond the call of duty, I do give credit, when credit is due. Not more no less…
pinx:
I say my borthers not becuase I want to pull you into a group or anything. I call them my brothers because they are who I rely on to cover me, to protect me in life or death situations. Just like my real brother, I would give my life to protect them and that is how I feel about the men (again b/c I am infantrynot b/c I am sexist) I serve with
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