Read other letters about this article

• Sunday, September 17, 2006 07:55 AM

  male bonding and iron nails

  Lex, this is starting to devolve into a flame war…and it shouldn’t.

  But you miss the point. CPT Mitch…and most people in the Armed Services…signed up for various reasons, but specifically going to fight in Iraq was not one of them. This guy CPTMitch sounds like he signed up to protect and serve…and to do so with eyes open to the moral reasons and implications of his actions. A good reason to sign up and a good mindset to have, in my opinion. That is why he sounds like a good soldier.

  Is your position that no one should ever join the army, thereby “don’t show up” for the war? That’s not a new idea BTW. The Chinese have an old saying (I think its old anyway…not sure); “good iron doesn’t (should not be used to ) make a nail / Good son doesn’t become a soldier”. But I don’t believe in this viewpoint. I believe it is important to have a peacetime standing professional army and I would like that army to have good leadership which appreciates diversity. Is your position that every individual soldier should have the freedom to decide if they are going to fight in any particular war? I don’t think that is very practical or realistic, do you?

  And why do you start talking about male bonding and macho this or that? I don’t understand where you are coming from. Not that I see anything wrong with male bonding. I just don’t think my views have anything to do with being a man. The values of service, courage, loyalty, and dedication – values which I hope are values of the US Military – are not sex-specific values. Neither are compassion are understanding sex-specific values. And I would like to see more of these values in the military as well.

  —jesse_covner Read jesse_covner's other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel