[thechat] A balance of opinion.

Bill Haenel mail at webmarketingworx.com
Mon Mar 24 15:36:10 CST 2003


> > ... and I know
> > that if I want to see my family member and my very close 
> friend come 
> > back alive I shouldn't protest.
> 
> Uh, you "know" because ______?

I know (or think I know, anyway - maybe feel would be more accurate)
because I have had lengthy discussions with my very good friend about
his experiences during wartime as a serviceman himself, especially
related to how one feels when they have been through such an experience,
and what keeps them (almost) sane and what makes them (almost) insane.
He has not been sent to the M.E., but is on alert to go at any minute.
Also, I have a family member who is there (not sure where exactly at the
moment) now and has been Emailing me as often as possible since the
invasion/war started. It's not hard to tell how he feels and what he
needs to hear.

I do not pretend to know what it's like to be in the military,
especially during wartime. I have never been in myself because I never
felt that I could in good conscience participate in a war effort. I do
not believe in war as a default solution to conflicts between people.
But I have several family members and friends who were/are in various
services and have been in combat. I have been fortunate (or something)
to have relatively meaningful conversations with them about how they
feel.

No illusions here, they made their own choices about joining the
services. But to focus on the question, this is how I know what I think
I know, and this is why I feel the way I feel.

BH



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