Should i not be given credit for exercising my 'freedom', the very same freedom everyone here keeps mentioning, but apparently its freedom as long as you blindly support the troops and blindly support the puppet masters pulling their strings in the white house.
2006-11-30 02:12:57 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Its up to you. You can let other people fight for your freedom if you are okay with that. Enjoy.
2006-11-30 02:16:07 · answer #1 · answered by bradthepilot 5 · 4⤊ 2⤋
First, it's important to realise that "honour" is a concept defined by the society in which a person lives. Generally, upholding the standards and the ideals of a society lead to a person having an "honourable" life. So, in a society where to fight for your country is honourable, refusing to do lacks honour, or at least cannot confer it.
On the point of freedom, it's important to recognize that freedom is in all cases limited by the laws and institutions of the society in which an individual lives. Freedom is a priviledge that is conferred at the price of citizenship.
The point to all this is that societies go to war for a variety reasons. The soldiers of those societies are expected to go to war precisely because they are members of those societies, and because this is the price required of them, right or wrong.
So you're right - it's only freedom as long as you support your country. If you really don't believe in the war, then the honourable choice is not to abstain from fighting, but to engage in the accepted processes of your country in order to stop the war. Alternatively, it is also honourable to renounce your citizenship and move to a country whose idealogies more closely match your own.
Generally, it's very hard to take any honourable path.
2006-11-30 02:34:44 · answer #2 · answered by Alex J 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As many have said, the United States Armed Forces are all volunteer. If you don't want to join then don't. But once in a soldier does what he is legally obligated to do. It is not his/her choice to decide what is a good war and what is a bad war. There will always be conflicts that people don't believe are just. Even in WWII there were people who thought we didn't have any business in that fight.
If armies could be organized and trained in an instant then we could all stand around and make such judgements. However we all know that it takes time to train soldiers and many years to groom effective leaders. That means that the people who are the backbone of our defense will at one point or another most likely have to engage in a conflict they might not like. Take out that backbone and take out our defense. If we don't support that backbone then we do so at our own peril.
2006-11-30 02:41:57 · answer #3 · answered by k3s793 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dave, you mention exercising your freedom. Where do you suppose you got that freedom? I don't want to believe you are one who takes and takes without giving back. Do you believe that the well has no bottom? A lot of people who came before you did their part to see that your freedom to state your opinion freely is guaranteed. Don't you feel you (and others) owe a debt for their sacrifices? Nothing is free. Someone, somewhere always pays for something in some form of currency, whether it is monetary or with hard work or blood.
And be given "credit"? Well, sooner or later, that "credit" has to be paid off. Will you pay off your part? Or will you expect others to carry that debt for you?
2006-11-30 03:12:45 · answer #4 · answered by Rich B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, it is your right to choose to be a non-combatant (for religious or personal reasons), but please remember that the troops who are there fighting are not responsible for the the wars they fight. They don't make the decision to start the wars it would be better to not blindly support the the government. the soldiers are not at fault for any of this b.s, they can and should only be held liable for their personal conduct. Also keep in mind why you have the right to choose and if anything support them for that
2006-11-30 02:47:24 · answer #5 · answered by blackplatnium007 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's really not about believing in the war. It's about believing in defending the freedoms of which you speak. There's a line from Grumpy Old Men, something on the order of, "we have to go a long distance out of the way to come back the right distance correctly." It's kind of like that. Sometimes we have to do things that seem backward and nonsensical to maintain the things we treasure.
2006-11-30 02:22:16 · answer #6 · answered by Spud55 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No it is not honourable for you to pick and choose your fights. When you enlisted, you took an oath to obey all lawful orders. The fact that you personally dont believe in the war is of no matter. Your Country is at war. You signed on the dotted line and swore an oath. When your Enlistment is over then just do not re-enlist. You can then become your own person again, but until that time...
Serve your Country and follow all orders to the best of your ability. Your Brothers and Sisters in Arms are counting on you.
2006-11-30 02:19:08 · answer #7 · answered by JohnRingold 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If you are in one of the armed forces then no, it not honourable for you to refuse to fight since by joining the service you agreed to follow orders. You gave up your "Freedom" for certain things when you joined. Apparently you wanted the benefits but not the responsibility. However, if you are not in the service nobody is asking you fight anyhow so how can you refuse to do something that wasn't asked for?
2006-11-30 02:26:35 · answer #8 · answered by PRS 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Uh, we haven't instituted a draft if you don't want to fight don't fight. The last thing those brave, honorable, couragous soldiers need is a whimp in there who doesn't want to be there and feels the need to exercise his freedom by blindly fighting in the war! For crying out loud just don't enlist!!!!
2006-11-30 02:19:44 · answer #9 · answered by Brianne 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you exercise your "Freedom" and join the service, you know that your are giving up your freedom of choice on a lot of things.
Should you decide not to deploy, you should and most likely will be courtmartialed and sentanced.
The problem with today is everyone wants their "freedom" but do not want to be held responsible for exercising it.
If you join the service...your going to deploy. If you make the decision to join and then refuse to deploy...you need jail time. Plain and simple.
2006-11-30 02:25:28 · answer #10 · answered by Q-burt 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
as a US citizen you have the right to not fight in a war, however if you joined the military even if it was before this war started i dont believe you can back out now. you sign up to serve your country and that includes this war whether you like it or not. if you are currently in the military and want to get out now then i think you should forfiet some of the money you have been paid because your not following through with a commitment you made, follow through with the commitment
2006-11-30 02:18:04 · answer #11 · answered by flyguys123 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋