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Blog Entry 63 of 82 Baseball,football,the Grateful Dead,Jesus and me
Could be politics, religion, music, sports, family life or anything in-between and outside the lines. (I refuse to say "outside the box," even if my chosen line means exactly the same thing) Chronologically, I'm 40. The consensus among those who know me best puts me somewhere between 10 and 13 in terms of maturity. I love listening to Jimmy Buffett, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers and all acts Country (except the Dixie Chicks who offended my long-held,closed-minded view of decent behavior) I have deep, strong beliefs in all things I believe in and sometimes in things I don't. I pride myself in my contradictory nature even though it is a sign of weakness to change one's mind. I have been known to waver more than John Kerry talking about national defense, though I remain steadfast in my beliefs. I am prepared to argue to the death on one issue and one issue alone; Dickey Betts should be allowed back in the Allman Brothers. On this, there is no compromise. I believe in compromise in all other areas so long as the compromise includes everything that I want or believe in. In all seriousness, I am a lucky man, blessed with a wonderful family and an uncanny ability to not care about anything if the situation requires such. I believe that minds are like parachutes in that they have been known to fail their user, albeit with a slightly lower fatality rate. So that's me, or at least that's kind of me. I mean, I felt that way right before I didn't.

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~billsblog

Ignorant Military Pawns

Contributed by: Bill Prather   on 1/19/2008

"Stay here, work and go to college. Let the stupid people die."

That's what my son's supervisor told him. That pearl of wisdom came after my boy expressed his desire to join the military and stand-up for what he believes in.

"Didn't you say your father is in the National Guard? He's doing his part, so you don't have to."

My son said, "That's what his father told him."

"Isn't it time someone learned, then?"

Clearly, my son has learned . He learned that sometimes, sacrifice is neccessary. Sometimes, people must put themselves second. Sometimes, good people die. All the while, ignorant people are falling over themselves to call the sacrifice "stupid."

Who's stupid, I wonder?

Maybe it's the person who uses the term, "Bush's pawns." As if we joined the military because we can't think for ourselves : " Please help! I have this gun and this contract but I don't know what to do! Can you help me? After all, you went to college on Daddy's dime! You're so much smarter than me. Can you teach me?"

Perhaps the stupid person is the one who feels the need to "educate" me.

I suppose we're to believe that the men and women of the military can't think for themselves. Somehow, we've all been duped. In short, we're stupid. You know, "pawns."

Speaking for myself, and my friends, I can honestly say, that isn't correct. We do what we do because we believe in the cause. It isn't our fault that you don't agree. It also doesn't make us stupid. It certainly doesn't make you smarter. Trust funds and Daddy's frat connections only get you so far.

We do what we do, because unlike our detractors, we're not arrogant. We don't hold ourseves above others. We actually believe that we have a duty to something besides ourselves.

How quaint. How old-fashioned. How stupid.

By the way, if the time comes that my wife covers the blue star in the window with gold . . .

I hope that someone has the courage to tell her that my sacrifice was "stupid." I hope that my son is standing next to her when that happens.

Guess I'll always be a "stupid pawn."






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Showing 1-10 of 30 comments
Submitted By: Barbara Neff
posted on 1/26/2008 @ 9:31:19 AM
Rated Blog Entry
How dare anyone refer to US soldiers in combat as "stupid". That's an act of treason and your son's stupid supervisor should be tried accordingly. Opinions about war aside, where would we be as a nation if fighting for country and freedom was considered "stupid"?
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Submitted By: Tracey Fanning
posted on 1/26/2008 @ 6:48:42 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Mr.Prather ,I love your blogs most of them are right on. You serving your country does not make you stupid,it makes the crowd that can only keep saying over and over again like a broken down record,Bush lied,there's was no WMD's, STUPID!Stay safe and keep your guard up especially against the people safe and snuggly repeating over and over there was no WMD's.You remind me of Dennis Miller.I watch Fox News to see what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.I wonder if we could get The Allman brothers to write a song about there being no WMD's and the chimps who keep ranting about it.
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Submitted By: Bill Prather
posted on 1/25/2008 @ 1:21:07 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Hey, Gene! Whattayamean BOYS! I think Brian and I might gang-up on you, now!
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Submitted By: Bill Prather
posted on 1/25/2008 @ 1:12:10 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Oops. I meant to say, "chatted." Silly me.
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Submitted By: Bill Prather
posted on 1/25/2008 @ 1:11:45 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Howdy! Mr. Crandall and I have indeed "chated" away from here and it turns out that he confused me with someone else. Also, the p---y comment was not directed at Bing. Indeed, I was defending Bing! That said, I never stated a hatred for Iraq or her people. I talked about anger. Two very different emotions. I was "angry" about the events of 9-11. Sometimes I'm angry with my children . . . that surely doesn't mean I "hate" them!
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Submitted By: Paula Dunbar
posted on 1/24/2008 @ 10:38:45 PM
Rated Blog Entry
Come on you guys.. Clinton was too busy getting blow jobs to think about Iraq... And..don't believe much of what you see in the news... most of it isn't even accurate..
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Submitted By: Brendan Leonard
posted on 1/24/2008 @ 2:36:54 PM
Rated Blog Entry
Five stars for 23 comments!
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Submitted By: Brian Crandall
posted on 1/24/2008 @ 8:44:47 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Bill, I can and do understand why you believe what you believe. Normal people work and have little time for watching much news, only receiving a little spin here & there. Since the 9/11 attack, I have had a painful amount of time to watch news and read. Too many times I watched live on cable as Top Military Intel, C.I.A. and top brass from numerous other countries testified under oath that Bush, Rumsfield and Cheney, took 12 year old intel and distorted it to create reasons to invade Iraq.
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Submitted By: Brian Crandall
posted on 1/24/2008 @ 8:44:44 AM
Rated Blog Entry
They testified under oath, Military Intel, and the C.I.A., that they recommended to Rumsfeld/Cheney/Dubbya that there was NO legitimate reason to invade Iraq. And this administration went AGAINST all recomendations to not invade. They testified under oath that the intel they were using as a reason to invade Iraq, the "information" about the massive amounts of W.M.D.s, had long ago been investigated, and proven to be false info provided by prisoners in the Middle East, who were fabricating stories to get their own tail out of jail. Under the Clinton administration, these claims of W.M.D.s had long ago been investigated, and proven to be false. But Bush/Cheney/Rummy would hear none of it.
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Submitted By: Gene Boshell
posted on 1/24/2008 @ 8:26:09 AM
(Not Rated)
Boys ... take it off line, please!
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Showing 1-10 of 30 comments
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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Bill Prather

Arvada , CO

Bill Prather has posted 82 blog entries and 324 comments since joining on 7/15/2006. Bill Prather 's average blog rating is 4.49.
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