From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Wed Sep 04 2002 - 12:21:16 MDT
>From: Michael Wiik <mwiik@messagenet.com>
>>Brian D Williams wrote:
>> Somethings have to be experienced rather than explained, no one
>> can explain them very well, words can't do every job. This is
>> what Zen is all about.
>I have no issues with that, and can understand the Zen analogy. I
>only have issues with what *seems to me* your idea that veterans
>(in general) should be accorded some extra status. Perhaps like
>Barnes in the 'Platoon' movie. He didn't think killing the
>civilian woman was such a big deal. I don't mean to suggest that
>you would kill civilians, only that it *seems to me* you share (at
>some level) some measure of contempt for non-veterans.
I don't think it extends as far as contempt, but I do have a
certain amount of disdain for those who don't understand the vital
role Veterans play. Veterans are the essential backbone to this
country.
Veterans have paid the price (some the ultimate price) for
everyones citizenship, the average citizen has not.
> I would recommend if you are serious about this to start with
> Heinleins book "Starship Troopers". It's the book that led to my
> decision.
>I've read it, and said so in a previous post. I hope this post
>helps you understand that while I'm not a vet, and agree that I
>can never fully understand what you went thru in your service,
>that I am not totally 100% ignorant of the realities of warfare.
>(Though I admit I am less informed about modern warfare).
Sorry, I missed where you said you've read it, but this is not
about warfare, it is about being a soldier, a completely different
entity than an ordinary citizen.
Nothing you've ever read will give you that understanding anymore
than reading everything ever written about women will tell me what
it means to be one.
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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