John Kerry on our lazy, uneducated military

Originally Posted by JaJae

I can't believe people are attacking the wealthy to defend Kerry. It has nothing to do with his comments.

I dont find it all that surprising

[IminWonderland]

Originally Posted by JaJae

I can't believe people are attacking the wealthy to defend Kerry. It has nothing to do with his comments.

I am not attacking the wealthy. But this is reality. People I know who didn't have money for school, and had what they felt as no options, went into the military to pay for school. Shit, that's why recruiters cover so many of the poor neighborhoods, and why advertising is increased in low income neighborhoods. This isn't like some big secret. It's not an attack, that's the way it is. In our country, this is how it is.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by IminWonderland

I am not attacking the wealthy. But this is reality. People I know who didn't have money for school, and had what they felt as no options, went into the military to pay for school. Shit, that's why recruiters cover so many of the poor neighborhoods, and why advertising is increased in low income neighborhoods. This isn't like some big secret. It's not an attack, that's the way it is. In our country, this is how it is.

Yes. People go to the military to help fund their education and promote a better life for themselves and their families. That's true.

But saying, the rich don't send their kids to die in wars, but send the poor etc et al is an attack on the wealthy. It was said with a negative undertone.

And this has nothing to do with Kerry's statement of if you're lazy and stupid while in college, you end up in the military. It's like, those of you who fuck up your civilian life will be stuck in Iraq.. hahaha, it's a funny one-liner before my speech. Well no, it's not funny. And his audience gasped when he said it.

He has since said he was referring to Bush. But his previous one-liners weren't completely about Bush and there was no Bush lead-in at all. People from his own party are telling him he's a douchecanoe for saying it. And rather than being humbled and saying it was a mix-up he's going on the attack and lashing out on the GOP like a moron when it's not just the GOP. The majority of his party and every media outlet has reported it the same way. Even the people who were at the event have said it didn't sound like a joke about Bush.

We can change the subject to the wealthy sending the poor off to die in Iraq like the Democrats and Michael Moore did during the last election. We can complain about military policy. We can even mention economic conditions, etc.

But when it's all said and done, in reality none of that has anything to do with John Kerry's quote of if you're too dumb and lazy to finish school you'll be stuck in the military.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

This entire "controversy" is the result of conservative political correctness, nothing more, nothing less.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

This entire "controversy" is the result of conservative political correctness, nothing more, nothing less.

You can say it was un-PC. I can say it was immoral. But when it comes down to it it seems the vast majority of the public feels it was inappropriate. And that's how politics works. He is supposed to be representing the views of his constituents. When he goes this far off, he's gonna hear about it.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by JaJae

But saying, the rich don't send their kids to die in wars, but send the poor etc et al is an attack on the wealthy. It was said with a negative undertone.

Oh, please! The last time I saw political correctness this strong was from feminist lesbian college student activist. It's a FACT that very few rich people have their kids fighting on the front lines, whereas most that are fighting are the kids of the poor. How can reporting a simple reality be an "attack"?

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

This entire "controversy" is the result of conservative political correctness, nothing more, nothing less.

you're kidding right? You have no problems with what he said or how he said it?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

Oh, please! The last time I saw political correctness this strong was from feminist lesbian college student activist. It's a FACT that very few rich people have their kids fighting on the front lines, whereas most that are fighting are the kids of the poor. How can reporting a simple reality be an "attack"?

What does this have to do with his statement?

[Diesel66]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

This entire "controversy" is the result of conservative political correctness, nothing more, nothing less.

Lets see, military recruits have a higher HS graduaction rate then the general population.


So obviously they are dumber, right.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

you're kidding right? You have no problems with what he said or how he said it?

None whatsoever. He didn't say anything different than what millions of parents all over America think when their kids talk about going to the military. Hell, the Army even acknowledged this with their commercials with kids having to explain to their parents why joining the Army is good.

Most parents would want their kids to get an education so they have more options than joining the military. There's nothing wrong with a politicians echoing that sentiment. I know this is all very taboo to speak about, but if you put aside your political correctness for 2 seconds, you'll see it's all very reasonable and true.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by JaJae

What does this have to do with his statement?

Because when it becomes taboo to talk about plain facts, you've reached the dark depths of political correctness. It's hypocritical for the right to use PCness as one of their talking points against the left for years, but be just as guilty of it with different subjects now.

[Diesel66]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

None whatsoever. He didn't say anything different than what millions of parents all over America think when their kids talk about going to the military. Hell, the Army even acknowledged this with their commercials with kids having to explain to their parents why joining the Army is good.

Most parents would want their kids to get an education so they have more options than joining the military.

Since when does an education keep you from serving ?
Especially when the military basically requires a hs degree and goes out of its way to help Soldiers get a college education

There's nothing wrong with a politicians echoing that sentiment. I know this is all very taboo to speak about, but if you put aside your political correctness for 2 seconds, you'll see it's all very reasonable and true.

You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

Do you really believe that statement was correct ?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

Because when it becomes taboo to talk about plain facts, you've reached the dark depths of political correctness. It's hypocritical for the right to use PCness as one of their talking points against the left for years, but be just as guilty of it with different subjects now.

But Kerry wasn't talking about that "plain fact." You're talking about a separate issue to defend Kerry. I was asking what the economic status of our military had to do with Kerry's statements. It was being used to defend him. So in what way is it related to where it can defend his statements?

And while you may feel it's a GOP problem of political correctness, I think the vast majority of America thinks it's an issue of what's appropriate for our elected officials to say and what is not.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by JaJae

But Kerry wasn't talking about that "plain fact." You're talking about a separate issue to defend Kerry. I was asking what the economic status of our military had to do with Kerry's statements. It was being used to defend him. So in what way is it related to where it can defend his statements?

There's an obvious connection between the economic status of soldiers and what Kerry said. Kerry simply said that if you don't do well in school, you'll be stuck in the military. He's right. It's plain fact that if you don't get an education, your options will be severely limited, and you might find yourself stuck in the military because you don't have many other options.

Now what does soldiers coming from poor families have to do with this? Coming from a poor family only limits your options more, and therefore makes it even more important you get an education to expand your career options, lest you wind up also stuck in the military for lack of other options. In other words, the fact that most soldiers don't have a rich family to fall back on to give them options only strengthens what Kerry said.

Originally Posted by JaJae

And while you may feel it's a GOP problem of political correctness, I think the vast majority of America thinks it's an issue of what's appropriate for our elected officials to say and what is not.

They're synonymous:

political correctness = what's appropriate to say

[ethyl]

Anyone cringe at reading Bush's speech saying the US military is "plenty smart."

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

There's an obvious connection between the economic status of soldiers and what Kerry said. Kerry simply said that if you don't do well in school, you'll be stuck in the military. He's right. It's plain fact that if you don't get an education, your options will be severely limited, and you might find yourself stuck in the military because you don't have many other options.

What difference does it make if you perceive an "obvious connection" between the economic status of soldiers and what Kerry said? It makes no difference to the facts of what Kerry said. Kerry didn't say if you were stuipid, lazy and poor you end up in the military. He said if you're stupid and lazy you end up in the military.

Adding variables to what you perceive he should have said doesn't change the fact of what he did say.

And I'm not going to argue semantics of the differences between political correctness and the generic ideology of proper behavior. The two don't have to be the same and I think most realize that, especially the liberals who are willing to come down on Kerry for this.

[Scrum]

Originally Posted by Diesel66

Lets see, military recruits have a higher HS graduaction rate then the general population.


So obviously they are dumber, right.

Don't they only take people with a HS diploma?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

Don't they only take people with a HS diploma?

Nope. They even take 17 year olds with parental consent. Their rule is you need a diploma or GED, but you can get it waived.

[SICKGUY]

im sorry, while i wont go out and say grunts are stupid, youre not going to convince me that more grunts have college degrees than specialist jobs. ther eis no real market for a machine gunner in the civilian world.

[alan1000]

What is the single most important service any American can do for their COUNTRY?

Today JOHN F KERRY told the youth of our country that not only are the great men and women that are now serving our country, are not very smart, and if you choose to not rise above the current SOLDIERS intelligence, you will be destined to get "STUCK IN IRAQ"

And now we know why this man is not PRESIDENT. Its HOOF in MOUTH statements like this that cost him the PRESIDENCY........... further more, it made no sense. The only conclusion that I can draw from that statement is we have a bunch of very stupid people serving our country.

Move over JANE FONDA, you now have serious competition.