My Life Is Not My Own

[Trash Can]

Some food for thought.
I seem to swing in emotion and opinion a lot since last Tuesday. At times, I want peace at any cost. At times I want FREEDOM... and my country, and my community, and my family and friends, at any cost.

I was a kid when the Vietnam War was winding down. I was terrified of growing up and being forced to be a soldier, go fight in a war, and die a horrible death.
This fear has followed me through out my life. I could NEVER understand how men (AND women) could "give" their lives over to the service of their country, and risk death during war. "Life" as not about this!!! "Life" was to be happy, and fall in love, and spread love and joy to others.
"War" would ruin it! I hated living in the Cold War days in the early 1980's. I was sure a Nuclear War was inevitable when Reagan went into the White House. I was sure my best friend, a Marine, would die in Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War. He served, marched into Kuwait City... Killed other human beings... and survived.

I've seen films and read about the American Civil War (the film "Glory") and WWII (Saving Private Ryan).... even "Braveheart".

How could these men do this??? How can one march into his own certain death; storm a beach and get massacred before even hitting the sand, how can one give his life away like that???

Don't they want to live? Don't they want to grow old???

I never understood.

UNTIL last Tuesday, that is.

I understand it. I feel it.

I dont want to die. I don't.
But, I keep feeling, that since last Tuesday, my life is not my own anymore. It belongs to my loved ones. It belongs to my 75 year old dad. It belongs to my 12 year old godchild. It belongs to my community, my city, my state, and my country.

As a Christian, I have learned and believed that my life belongs to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet, I cannot and will not sit back and watch others kill my family. I can't. I feel confusion about this. "Turn the other cheek", right?

AND, I'm old now too! 36. I know that it will be, not I, that goes first, but my 20 year old nephew... and my 18 year old nephew.
And I feel frustration over this. We send our children to die for us??

Sorry, folks... I guess Ive rambled here. No real point to make. I just feel I have to share.

How do you feel?
Are you young? Are you eligible to be drafted?

Please share.

Thanks.

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My love for you
It's in the things I do and say
If I wanna live I gotta
Die to myself someday.
Surrender.

[Not George Lucas]

I am still eligible for the draft (but not for much longer), and I am aware of the possibility of having to answer the call of my country.

My answer is no.

I will gladly give my life if the cause is just. I'll give my life for my loved ones. I will stand for what I believe in.

But I will not kill.

I will not kill anyone because my country wants me to. I will not kill because others disagree with me. I will not kill anyone or anything in the name of Freedom, Justice, or Democracy.

It is not my place to decide who lives or dies. That decision belongs to no man or woman.

I believe that killing is justified under two circumstances:

1. For food.
2. To save the lives of myself and my loved ones.

If I can stay out of any situation that requires me to kill, I will.

"And we love to wear a badge, a uniform. And we love to fly a flag, but I won't."

[whammy]

Originally posted by Trash Can:

I never understood.

UNTIL last Tuesday, that is.

I understand it. I feel it.

I dont want to die. I don't.
But, I keep feeling, that since last Tuesday, my life is not my own anymore. It belongs to my loved ones. It belongs to my 75 year old dad. It belongs to my 12 year old godchild. It belongs to my community, my city, my state, and my country.

As a Christian, I have learned and believed that my life belongs to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet, I cannot and will not sit back and watch others kill my family. I can't. I feel confusion about this. "Turn the other cheek", right?

AND, I'm old now too! 36. I know that it will be, not I, that goes first, but my 20 year old nephew... and my 18 year old nephew.
And I feel frustration over this. We send our children to die for us??

Sorry, folks... I guess Ive rambled here. No real point to make. I just feel I have to share.

How do you feel?
Are you young? Are you eligible to be drafted?

Please share.

Thanks.

AMEN BROTHER!!

I'm in the Navy and I'm 30.

I just came from Sea duty and they tell me that I probably won't go. I'm going to be a RDC (Recruit Division Commamder). Like a boot camp Drill Sergeant. I guess depending on what happens, my new postion will be under-manned so I have to stay put. If they give me the opportunity down the road though, I'm out of here and on my way.

I'm more than willing to give my life so my children can grow up like I did and there grandparents did. So, everyone can continue to express their opinions on this forum.




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GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!........................................U2 is still the best band ever!!

[Trash Can]

Originally posted by Not George Lucas:
[B]
2. To save the lives of myself and my loved ones.
B]

Well...your beliefs and principles are admirable. You will then die as Jesus, Ghandi, and MLK did.

I will not... May God have mercy on me.
See... I agree with your second point on the only reasons you will kill, although I guess the great men I named above would NOT kill to save themselves, as you would.

I would NEVER ever want to take the life of another human being.
BUT, I am willing to defend my family by stopping the fanatical Islamic death machine that exists all around us... and the only way to do that is to end their lives, before they end ours.
Again, it is clear. There is NO negotiation here. NO comprimise. They want you and I dead. We are "infidels"; non-believers. They want to do us the great favor of sending us to hell.

What is that poem???...."First they came for the Jews, and no one would help them..."


There is no choice.