Don't Close Your Blinds

[mommaU4]

I'm speechless really. Not sure what to make of that story.

 

[VistaLeigh'smommy]

This is absurd. I don't get involved in political topics EVER. But YEEEESSSSH let's scare the crap out of our children. I know it's supposed to make a point but all I can do is feel bad for this kid!

 

[lulugirl]

Stupid story. I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't find it "touching".

 

[crazyforgoofy]

My husband is an old Marine (yep, once a Marine, always a Marine), two tours in Vietnam and 100% disabled due to that service. He feels strongly that the invasion of Iraq was not necessary and so many lives and so much money have been unnecessarily lost.

 

[momof2inPA]

Now pretend like 3 of the ten houses you see have a bad man that killed one of their family members, and the other family members are standing in the yard with the bad man. Which one do you choose? Well pretend the dad lies and tells the son, if we don't get the guy in house #1, he will go back in and blow up the whole block. I know he has a nuclear bomb. So, the son says, "Let's get him." And they go after him and accidentally kill his two innocent daughters while they are at it. Then, when they go in guy #1's house, the dad says, "Whoops he didn't have any bomb, but lets take his gas cans from the garage while we're here because our lawn mower is empty.. "

All the while, the guys in the other 2 houses have been starving their family members, forcing them to have abortions, and killing them. The dad says, let's leave guy #2 alone because he sold me his big screen t.v. Let's leave guy #3 alone because, well, he doesn't have any gas in his cans and nothing else we want. And the son just looks at his dad and says, "I don't get it. You aren't a very good person, dad."

 

[Island_Lauri]

If you really believe that is why we are in at war in Iraq, then why aren't we doing anything about the people in Haiti or Darfur or a 1000 other places around the world?

 

[Cindyluwho]

This is absurd. I don't get involved in political topics EVER. But YEEEESSSSH let's scare the crap out of our children. I know it's supposed to make a point but all I can do is feel bad for this kid!

ITA!!! I have my own feelings about this war but this story about the Dad being such a jerk is awful. And what kind of mother sets her kid up like that and then sits back and lets her husband treat her child that way.
Bad Story!! If you believe in the war find another way to make the point, the abusive father story doesn't cut it! Use Hitler or something, sheesh!

 

[mfabre]

This is not what this thread was suposed to turn into. I received this e-mail and thought it was worth sharing but I really didn't expect such a negative reaction. I know everyone has their thoughts and opinions but why turn this into a debate. No matter what is done with any government everyone will not be happy. We as a country need to look at the positive that has come from this and keep on trying to make a difference.

 

[va32h]

This story doesn't sound very genuine to me. I have a 9 year old, and she doesn't talk that way. It's a little heavy on the hokey. I think the whole story is, well, just a story.

I suppose it was intended to make Americans feel all warm and gooey about all the good we are doing in the world, but it just makes me roll my eyes.

And quite frankly, I found the metaphor pretty insensitive, inasmuch as women really do get beaten and murdered by their abusive husbands, and neighbors really do close their blinds and eyes to domestic violence.

 

[MomofKatie]

This is not what this thread was suposed to turn into. I received this e-mail and thought it was worth sharing but I really didn't expect such a negative reaction. I know everyone has their thoughts and opinions but why turn this into a debate. No matter what is done with any government everyone will not be happy. We as a country need to look at the positive that has come from this and keep on trying to make a difference.

Honestly, what did you want the thread to be? A "rah-rah, go war!!" thread? I understand that you feel patriotic and are gung-ho for backing Pres Bush and his war, but lots of people feel differently. If you post a piece of pro-war propaganda on the board, don't be surprised when there are people who don't agree with it. I support the soldiers fighting in Iraq, but not our reasons for being there in the first place.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Every chance I get, I thank my son when he calls me from Iraq with the sound of explosions in the background. I am extremely proud of him and the work he is doing. Regardless of how you feel about the reasons that this war or any other war started, at least give your fellow Americans that are defending YOUR freedom a break. That also includes the military wives, military children, military moms & dads, grandmothers and grandfathers.

If no one wanted to serve, what kind of mess would we have on our hands?

EXTREMELY PROUD MARINE MOM & MARINE MOTHER-IN-LAW

 

[JennyMominRI]

Lisa... I haven't seen anyone on here say a sigle bad word about American soldiers/Marines..Many of us have served and have family and friends who serve..I live with a man who is active duty Navy..he went to the Gulf right after 9/11

 

[Planogirl]

I would never, ever say anything bad about the soldiers doing their duty or their families who wait for them to come home. However, I don't particularly like the story the OP posted. In my opinion, it uses vigilante justice to explain the reasoning behind the war with Iraq and I don't think that's a particularly good reason.

 

[mommaU4]

Every chance I get, I thank my son when he calls me from Iraq with the sound of explosions in the background. I am extremely proud of him and the work he is doing. Regardless of how you feel about the reasons that this war or any other war started, at least give your fellow Americans that are defending YOUR freedom a break. That also includes the military wives, military children, military moms & dads, grandmothers and grandfathers.

If no one wanted to serve, what kind of mess would we have on our hands?

EXTREMELY PROUD MARINE MOM & MARINE MOTHER-IN-LAW

Can I ask a question? A serious one, not a flame or trying to make anyone mad.
If someone is against the war how does that make them less supportive of the soldiers?
And in the war they are fighting right now with all that we now know, how is it for our freedom? The people over there may be better off now, but how did things change for us?
And what ever happened to Osama? I mean he was the one who ordered the attacks on 9/11 right? So did we just forget about him and focus all our energies on the war we are fighting now?

These may seem like dunb questions, but honestly, I don't watch the news very often. Too depressing, so there are alot of things that I am not fully up to date on.
Thanks.

 

[dis ms.]

Before I read this, I had no idea how far my eyes could roll up into my head. I mean, come on! Propaganda, plain and simple.

And, truly, if my husband came up with an analogy like this, I certainly wouldn't broadcast it. First, I'd kick my DH's butt for needlessly scaring the crap out of our son. Then I'd take my DS to a nice, pleasant movie like Curious George to get his mind off the horrific scenarios his dad so idiotically put in his head.

OP, you may not have expected these reactions, but if you post something even remotely political here...well, people have strong feelings about this stuff.

 

[Lil_Tink]

That made me teary eyed.

 

[JPN4265]

After reading all of the postings, it becomes clear who the people are that don't want to do anything until its to late, then they become the loudest one's when they start complaining that nothing was done, or that they want help. So Sad!

 

[JennyMominRI]

After reading all of the postings, it becomes clear who the people are that don't want to do anything until its to late, then they become the loudest one's when they start complaining that nothing was done, or that they want help. So Sad!

Most of us had no qualms about going into Afghanistan..That was clearly,the right thing to do. Your post doesn't really make a lot of sense..I'm not pacifist..quite the contrary

 

[dis ms.]

After reading all of the postings, it becomes clear who the people are that don't want to do anything until its to late, then they become the loudest one's when they start complaining that nothing was done, or that they want help. So Sad!

And you're basing these findings on what? That several of us don't care for that silly story in the OP?

 

[phamton]

The piece was not written by Steven R Chandler, CMSgt but has been attributed to many people since 2003 when it first showed up.

Here's a forwarded email (minus the glurge) I received which has on a vaguely similar theme.

Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?

A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction.

Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.

A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.

Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?

A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.

Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of
mass destruction, did we?

A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll
find something, probably right before the 2004 election.

Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?

A: To use them in a war, silly.

Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to
use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to
war with them?

A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those
weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.

Q: That doesn't make sense. Why would they choose to die if they had
all those big weapons with which they could have fought back?

A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.

Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those
weapons our government said they did.

A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those
weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.

Q: And what was that?

A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.

Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?

A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.

Q: Kind of like what they do in China?

A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.

Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?

A: Right.

Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?

A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?

A: I told you, China is different.

Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?

A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.

Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?

A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.

Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?

A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Like in Iraq?

A: Exactly.

Q: And like in China, too?

A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.

Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?

A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.

Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?

A: Don't be a smart-***.

Q: I didn't think I was being one.

A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.

Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?

A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.

Q: What's a military coup?

A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.

Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?

A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.

Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?

A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.

Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?

A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.

Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?

A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.

Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?

A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men - fifteen of them Saudi Arabians - hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings in New York and Washington, killing 3,000 innocent people.

Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?

A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.

Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?

A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off eople's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.

Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?

A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.

Q: Fighting drugs?

A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.

Q: How did they do such a good job?

A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.

Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?

A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.

Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?

A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical
patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.

Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?

A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.

Q: What's the difference?

A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.

Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.

A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.

Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th
were from Saudi Arabia.

A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.

Q: Who trained them?

A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.

Q: Was he from Afghanistan?

A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a
very bad man.

Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.

A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.

Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald
Reagan talked about?

A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or
thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We
call them Russians now.

Q: So the Soviets - I mean, the Russians - are now our friends?

A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years
after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our
invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the
French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.

Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?

A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename
French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.

Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do
what we want them to do?

A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.

Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?

A: Well, yeah. For a while.

Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?

A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him
our friend, temporarily.

Q: Why did that make him our friend?

A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.

Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?

A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we
looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.

Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically
becomes our friend?

A: Most of the time, yes.

Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically
an enemy?

A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can
profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the
better.

Q: Why?

A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for
America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes
war is a godless unAmerican Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked
Iraq?

Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?

A: Yes.

Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?

A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells
him what to do.

Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because
George W. Bush hears voices in his head?

A. Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your
eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.

Q: Good night, Daddy.