My 20 something, tiny, blue eyed, blonde daughter taught in the South Bronx

[pasto76]

11. because most of us live gutless, cowardly lives. lets get down to it.

my neighbors are both good men and women. However, they have never known any kind of violence. The atrocities and tragedies that occur in this world are not known to them. They are simply modern Americans.

I participated in a recuriting event a few years ago. On the way there, the NCOIC of the detail told us, "nothing is more manly than going to war." He was offering that as a recruiting point. That people look up to us, and to allow that admiration to grow in an individual and convince them that they also wanted to be just like us. The other side of that razor is an entirely different discussion.

But over the years Ive thought, he may have had a point. I am a veteran of this Iraq war. I went there, did that and have volumes of stories. But Im nothing special and if I could look back to my DU posts from 2004, I know I would see myself saying that - I just did my job. Im a dad, a husband, a son, a brother. Just like most people.

While I was squad leader back in 2005-2007, I thought I was doing a decent job. I was trying. Trying to do what I had been taught by the good NCOs I'd had before me. I wouldnt call it doubt, but the self critique is the most critical. Until I started being told by my squad that I was the best in the company. I was the most fair, the best trainer, the best leader.

Likewise, a few years ago colleagues and coworkers started telling me things like, "well you're a veteran, you are the toughest guy here". Really, I still think. Im not all that tough. But who can argue with the perception of another person.

The point? every white male out there wants to be a badass. In some way. In some manner. Sometimes I think we are on the leading edge of a societal mental illness, in that so many people seem to act on these fantasies! I mean jesus look at that show Doomsday Bunkers on Discovery now. Ive never seen a bigger group of gutless white meat talking about how they would "handle" this situation or that. Pleeeeese.

On NPR yesterday I heard about two other stand your ground law cases in FLA. One guy alleges a woman and a 14 year old boy were trying to steal his wave runner. So he shot the boy with a shotgun and killed him.
The other case was a guy chasing a burglar a full block, catching him and stabbing him to death! What the fuck!?!?!

would I ever kill someone for stealing a THING? hell no. S'why I have insurance.

This mentality is insane! and those cartoons sum up my take on this nonsense to-the-letter. People like Zimmerman are dangerous. This army sergeant would have little problems knee capping them with a lil ole .22 to keep them holed up in the house, where they can not harm my kids!
At least in Colorado you have to be inside your house to murder somebody