*hello
*i am sorry but i seem to have missed something:i read some lines about albert pike and the 3ww being planned long before they took place so i ask myself if all what was said about albert pike and may be other unknown conspirators was true then what would the words "hero" and "heroism" finally mean....;sound like a paradox!!!
*i doubt there had been heroism over the past three centuries at all...

Ok, I am a Army recruiter.

When people come and talk to me they are usually looking for a way to better their lives. I have not heard anyone yet say "Oh, i want to serve my country and be a hero." I think you are a little misguided about what bootcamp actually is about. The outstanding men and women in TRADOC have just 10 weeks to turn a civilian into a soldier.

As far as "following every order by the government." goes, I have never gotten a call from "The government" telling me to do something. Usually the orders i get come from officers. Myself, as well as the officers appointed over me are bound both by civil law and the UCMJ (which is a much harsher judicial system when compared to civil law.)

Basically, I am a average guy. I sit home and play my XBOX, I also attend classes at a local college. All paid for by the American taxpayer. I'm not a hero and never claimed to be. I'm just a guy that saw a way to make my life better and took advantage of it.

Originally posted by SuperSecretSquirrel
I think you made some great points OP. I am a vet and you definitely do get brainwashed during boot camp. They tell you how to think, that killing is glorious. If you don't believe me, ask any vet what you have to say during the bayonet training. The drill sergeant asks you, " What makes the green grass grow?" The response is, "BLOOD! BLOOD MAKES THE GREEN GRASS GROW!" and then you stab a dummy with the bayonet fixed to your M-16. You are taught that America and The Government are indistinguishable.

I feel bad for our troops. They are pawns for our gov to play with. They are gov property and are owned. If you don't believe me, look it up. If a soldier injures himself/herself on their own they can be charged with destruction of government property.

They HAVE to do what they are told. They HAVE to conform.

They wars that have been waged in the past 40 years have not been to defend the American people, they have been to invade, liberate, and occupy OTHER countries. Of course we are told that it is for national security and such.

I support the troops because they cannot support themselves. They cannot choose what battles and missions that they are sent on. I feel bad for my colleagues that have their faces blown off by roadside bombs and had their helicopters shot down ALL IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES!

Thanks for coming forward with that.

I would like to make it clear that I am not attacking/blaming the troops, the government is doing the greatest deal of this injustice on the world (all governments that wage war), government creates soldiers, government desensitizes people, the government creates wars, which needs soldiers to fight in those wars.

The lame lies mostly on the shoulders of the government, people have a conscience choice, but some time that choice is so clouded with hate filled propaganda that they choose poorly.

We are all brainwashed at some point in our life time, but there is a golden moment that comes, a moment where the haze is lifted and we can choose another path. it is straight and narrow, not everyones first choice, but it is the right choice.

-Lahara

Originally posted by MSP4206
I lived in Miami for most of my life and was lucky to be raised in such a diverse community. I was also lucky enough to be in a language arts Magnet school where I was able to learn German and it's history. (accurate world history) ( well to a certain extent). I was able to see lots of parts of the world at an early age.

I have lived in Paris (where I went to school) Germany, Japan, Korea and all four corners of the US. I spent time in over 75 countries across all seven continents. I have seen the poorest this world has to offer many times over, I have seen the very best of man and the very worst.

That's either neither here nor there because to be truthful I would take a bullet for a complete stranger, be they Nicaraguan, Peruvian, American, German, Iraqian, Isreali, Palestinian, and or Alien. (lol) It doesn't matter what label they put on a life to me it is just that and every single light vibration(life) has a right to survive and prosper.

I love people and I love cultures. The love for life and freedom is why I do what I do...well did..I'm now retired with 28 years in the military.

Those who wish to control and/or manipulate others lives are the ones doing wrong. Are you not by invading another's country trying to impose your own belief systems on a people?

I agree whole heartily, the world would be a boring place if everyone was the same or thought the same. All I want is for everyone to live their life to the fullest without fear, hunger, hate and biases that force them to live in a world where they can never have happiness or fulfillment.

I'm not blowing smoke up your @ss when I post for I post what I believe and have lived.

I completely agree with the OP and don't believe he made any mistakes in his post or reposts regarding your attacks on his/her character. You probably will never read my posts but just know that just because you didn't personally didn't commit any of the crimes doesn't mean you weren't an accomplice or turned blind eyes when need be. You can't bull # a bull #ter and you sirs, both of you or the thrice of you have a scent that even passes through the information superhighway and resonates in my nostril hair to alert me of lies.

Well the difference between you and me is I understand where you are coming from and I respect your views. I'm not defending everything America has done, and I'm not saying every American military person is some kind of angel helping the world. I know the realities of the world first hand and have personally experienced all sides of that reality. I know most of the people in every country are good people, but I also know there are a small persentage of really bad people in the world that have the ability to hurt a vast number of the good people.

I really am that enlightened as I state, and have seen and done more for humanity than you ever wished to have accomplished in your time serving the military industrial complex.

You are as enlightened as your experiences allow you to be, and the same for me. I'm not going to be so bold as to say, like you do, that you done more for the world than me, but if we compared notes you might be surprised. You also understand little as to what the US military does day in and out to write that statement above.

I have spent much of my life helping a good part of the world, and I’m not saying that I set them free or some abstract ideal. I’m saying I helped them to live as in delivering 10,000 of tons of food and supplies to hungry people, digging people out of rubble from earth quakes, working endless hours in field hospitals caring for people all over the world. (none hurt by us BTW). Personally working in and providing my own money for orphanages around the world, protecting people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time even when it is very dangerous to me. It is one thing my friend to say you are willing to take a bullet for others, and another to have bullets actually wiz past your head helping people to live and doing it over and over again.

When I help people I’m not doing it to set them free, or to put my ideals on them because I think mine are better. I do it because they are people damn it, and there is no one else to help them. Now times this by 28 years and you have a small understanding to what I’m about.

Does this make me right…I don’t know, for I only know what I know…

You tell the poster, to think a little, well I say to thee, Think a lot because it is evident that not much thinking is occuring on your side of the creek. Only through individual awareness can we conquer this evil, so to all my fellow ATSer's keep posting the truth in as many forms as you can.

Truth is a very hard thing to find, and just when you think you did, you have learned just enough to know you know nothing yet.

And just cause this is my first "actual" post, that's just cause I never felt I needed to let myself be known. But now you have an easy way to contact me or look me up so we can continue to grow our efforts.

I look foward to more posts and insight from you this coming year.

Yes I am a musician amongst other things but that should deter the validity of my posts.

I love to play guitar. Music and math are the only two truths in the universe

Peace is a very valuable thing to me. It means I can be home with my two young boys sit and smoke a great cigar, drink a fine 18 year scotch and truly know I'm blessed, for once you walk in a sea of poverty and misery everything else just doesn't seem so bad as you thought it was.

BTW I read your post...


[edit on 3-1-2009 by Xtrozero]

Originally posted by Common Good
The Military personel consists of brothers and sisters, moms and dads, people who put their life in jeopardy to serve something greater than themselves!

They are only serving themselves. That is the only thing people can do, even when "helping someone else" or whatever, they only do it because they get some pleasure out of it. All decisions and actions are based on how much pleasure an individual will get. There is NO honor in someone who chooses to do ANYTHING that serves their pleasure-seeking ego. There are no heroes.

Originally posted by MSP4206

I fight for the injustices that they face now because of our military actions of the past. I really do see your points and stances as soldiers but you need to understand that you are still a pawn in a much bigger game.

I know the big game all too well, but one man can only do what one man can do. I'm American, so it is a curse and a privilege all in one, and I’m not sure what is worst, being spit at or shot at.

But do not, and I mean ever, underestimate the good of helping just one person no matter how big the game is.



[edit on 3-1-2009 by Xtrozero]

Originally posted by SideWynder

You sir have alot more patience and understanding than I... And I thank you for this small lesson in humility, I do believe it is what I needed right now...

I remember this one time during Somalia that I spent around 26 hours flying supplies to refugee camps non-stop that were dying of hunger. We got back to Egypt where we were staying in a hotel and my crew was finally able to sit down and have a beer. Well in the bar were four very pretty women from Somalia that once they found out we were American military they got upset and started to curse us with one finally throwing her drink on me as they stormed out of the place. All I could do was just continue to drink my beer in my numb state of sleeplessness.

I got all the patience in the world my friend.


[edit on 3-1-2009 by Xtrozero]

Originally posted by ghaleon12

They are only serving themselves. That is the only thing people can do, even when "helping someone else" or whatever, they only do it because they get some pleasure out of it. All decisions and actions are based on how much pleasure an individual will get. There is NO honor in someone who chooses to do ANYTHING that serves their pleasure-seeking ego. There are no heroes.

I agree, but I think despair is a better word than pleasure. When you help truly hopeless people you are only avoiding for a short time your despair for the millions you cannot help.