What John Kerry Said is Almost Word-for-Word What I Tell My Sons

[No Exit]

I just this moment saw the coverage of this supposedly "controversial" statement by Kerry, for which Dishonest John McCain says he should "apologize".

I was stunned, because, seriously, it was literally only maybe a word or two off from what I've told my draft-age and soon-to-be-draft-age sons, over and over and over again.

That doesn't mean that my heart doesn't ache for the young 20-yr-olds whose bodies come back every day. Or for the 40-something servicemembers who also get killed over there. I can barely even stand to look at the picture montages of the killed servicemembers. I DO NOT BLAME THEM, and I certainly do not equate them with the likes of Bush*.

I would like to tell McCain and also the many, many, chickenhawks, F U! If you don't like what we are telling these young men and women--and it is the frikkin' TRUTH--then you can talk to ME.

Meanwhile, I live in fear that the day will come when the law, as made up by this criminal administration, will take these kids away and send them to Iraq or Iran, in spite of whatever feeble efforts I've made to save them. I AM F**KING TIRED OF LIVING IN FEAR.

And regardless of what Pelosi and Dean are saying to calm the frightened wingnuts--that "impeachment is off the table" or that "we shouldn't expect instant change"--I know, and Pelosi and Dean must know, that there better be SOME changes right quick, or there will be some one-termers getting elected on Nov. 7, 2006. I don't think Pelosi and Dean mean that there won't be a change for the better. As we say here on DU, "I believe..."

[emulatorloo]

1. He was making a joke about Bush, not talking about the troops

Don't let the right-wing nutbags confuse you as they quote this nonsense out of context.

[No Exit]

6. All I know is, I heard a transcript of his remarks read on CNN

and it was almost word-for-word what I tell the kids. I remember when we had a draft. Most of the boys I knew, including my older brother, were in college. I had heard of college deferments. I know there were all sorts of exceptions to the draft, and then later I remember when they came up with the lottery.

I know there is currently no draft. But that doesn't mean there might not be one, if the repukes decide they want it (and if they keep their stranglehold on the government.) I know that, for example, Democrat Charlie Rangel's draft bill was written to prove a point, and that it contains NO deferments or exceptions. But if a draft were ever enacted, you can bet that like any other law, exceptions would be carved out. And there'd probably be college deferments as there were in the past. It's not fair--since it favors the more affluent--but let's face it, that's how it would end up.

Joke or not, what he said is extremely similar to what I say! I'll grant you, you have to make several leaps to envision a kid who starts to neglect his/her studies, ending up "in Iraq".

I appreciate your explanation and I realize that Kerry is saying it was a joke. But to me, it's no joke! I actually believe that all these young people are in peril--since the ruling fascist party clearly does not value their lives one whit.

[Child_Of_Isis]

2. Most kids have been told that at one time or another.

If the pukes don't know that, then they know absolutely nothing about the real world.

Many parents are clapping about now.

[Whalesaver]

4. I have cousins over there now

and they are far from stupid. All three have masters degrees which is more education than most people have. He didn't need to say that and not now.

[pacalo]

5. The *Rethugs* didn't need to distort it into mudslinging.

But, you know, Whalesaver, I think the 'thugs did us a favor -- Kerry gets some airtime to put them in their place. I love it when he gets angry. Kerry has learned that he can't take the high road when dealing with the scum of the earth.

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. He didn't say that people who serve are stupid.

HE SERVED! He certainly knows better.

He was saying, if you're a C student you too could grow up to be a president that will get stuck in some place like Iraq. A gentle slap at the president.

But even if you accept the interpretation they are spinning on it, you could see it as saying, poor student have restricted options. The military is the only growth industry in the country for kids that do not finish college. Is that a message that kids should NOT be aware of?

[wiley]

17. Great Take on the real issue here

Poor and uneducated kids are major targets of military recruiters. Don't anyone pretend that that is untrue. There are more people who would be in the military if they were not so burdened by debt - caused by the same administration that causes debt for working families and gives away money to wealthy people.

The military is the only growth industry for kids that don't finish HIGH SCHOOL at this point.

And Kerry was calling Bush a moron, which he is.

[No Exit]

11. War is a racket.

It pains me to say it. Not that I invented that statement--someone far more knowledgeable than I first said that.

After the first Gulf War, it occurred to me that the Veterans Day parade would be particularly impressive. I took my then-small children to it, along with the child of a friend. I pointed respectfully to all the servicemembers marching and rolling along; I wanted to show the kids how impressive they were. The kids were duly impressed.

I keep my uncle's Purple Heart hanging on the wall. He died in WWII. Years ago, I placed a picture of the flag in my young son's room. It was a picture my grandmother had had. I later learned it was a picture that you got when you got war bonds during WWI.

I loved to talk to my sons about military heroes. To this day, they enjoy learning about war and battles and military weapons, feats, officers, etc.

But I no longer join in when such things are discussed. I cannot possibly view this misadventure in Iraq as anything other than a bunch of Americans--the young, the eager, the faithful--being taken advantage of and sent to a shithole solely to increase the profits of rich internationalists.

It breaks my heart to think that their goodness is being used in this way. I am at least slightly heartened when I think that the majority of them (I hope) will survive to come home and say, "We did what was expected of us and we did it well." Fine.

But not for me and mine. That's my opinion. I have reached it after many long years and much consideration.

Oh--and I was often told by friends who are war buffs, "The more educated guys become officers." I was even told that the more educated people, with specialized skills and knowledge, were at least theoretically safer, in that the military could less afford to lose them. But then I read about a bunch of young chemists. They were the cream of the crop of their universities and they were recruited by the military. I read that they were EXPERIMENTED ON by the military. I guess I could dig those articles out if I had to. I couldn't believe what I read--experimenting on people whose minds could give so much benefit to the armed services. What the---? (sigh).

[No Exit]

7. Hear, hear!

:applause:

[pacalo]

3. What he said is what I told my sons, too, when they were still in high school.

But it's important to point out that Kerry's sarcasm was meant for Bush's idiocy in creating the Iraq situation: Look at what a mess the incurious my-way-or-the-highway "C" student got this country into in Iraq.

[Whalesaver]

9. the timing will hurt our cause

They will focus on this until Tuesday night. Bad, bad, timing from him. He should have known they will do this

[pacalo]

13. Not when you consider all the skeletons that have been coming out

of the Rethugs' closet in the past month or so & their lack of meaningful response to each scandal. Instead of meaningful responses, they had to resort to blatant lies, which the clueless are now getting. Truth is hard to defend.

When I saw John Kerry's sarcastic remark replayed on tv, I saw for myself that it was meant for Bush. Now, it may go over the heads of the Faux News viewers who are very susceptible to Rethug spin, but Faux News' viewership is in decline & has been only shrinking (since 2004, I believe). The majority gets it.

The more time Kerry has to express himself, the better. Note that the man can speak very intelligently & articulately off the cuff, which is a beautiful sight to behold when comparing his speaking ability to the one who stole Kerry's rightful place in the WH.

[Disturbed]

10. Wasn't J. Kerry also a C Student?

I read that here on DU. His grade average for his Undergrad degree was a C average. What was his grade average from Law School?

[pacalo]

14. I think you're right.

But don't you agree that it is what the former "C" student makes of his/her life -- how their actions affect other people's lives -- after leaving school that counts?

I couldn't say that Kerry is incurious, narrow-minded, or lives his life in a bubble. He's quite the opposite of the other "C" student.

[Marnieworld]

16. I seem to remember that he excelled in school

that he was exceptional in his prep school, known for debating etc. I would be surprised to see anything saying otherwise.

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. There is a difference in being a C student in the political sciences

and being a C student in business. And IIRC, Kerry got some 'C's, but that wasn't his average, and he wasn't a C student. For him, like for most students, the C was low range, unlike the prez for whom it was mid-range.

Any moron can get an MBA - as proof, by the moron in the whitehouse.

[No Exit]

12. Yeah, Kerry forgot the collective IQ of the many wingnuts out there:

it's not very high.

He should've said, "Study hard, get educated, or you'll end up a drunken criminal like AWOL George W. Bush."

[pacalo]

15. And have to rely on your father's connections to get you out of every jam.

After they dishonestly install you into the presidency, that is.

[Nimrod2005]

19. Right on.....nt