This is my first diary and I have lurked kos for some time now, I feel that there exists a lot of diaries that pick up on the news for the moment and I feel that is a positive thing. I hope no one is upset that I digress from the norm as I try to theme my first diary differently, personally. And, on a different note, Thanks to Celtic Merlin for turning me on to this great site, where republican banter has kept me angry and sharp this place actually gives me some hope.
Below I'm just trying to collect and impart some things I've experienced and how it makes me feel about them, specifically through the eyes of a youth.
I used to listen to conservative radio all the time, not because I agreed with them - more as a way of vindicating what I believed. If Rush/Hannity were unhappy about then I must be doing something right. You know? Also, it helped that I was delivering pizza and was in the car for 4 - 6 hours a day. I was no longer a teenager, I'd tried college, I'd tried working, but nothing really stuck, I was dissatisfied with where I was but I figured I was young, I had time to lull.
I had not taken any true interest in politics until I joined the Marines. I was 21 and life was not going anywhere. So I talked to some friends who'd done it and though they were new, they really didn't have much negative to relate. Yeah, it was hard. Yeah, it's going to be difficult. But at that time they all said it was worth it.
So I decided to do it, I think my exact wording was, "What the Hell, why not?" I really had no idea the of the consequences of a light hearted decision such as this.
It's been over 2 years now. I enlisted at the local mall, I signed a K6 (6 year by 2 year) reserve / inactive reserve contract as a Military Police officer. I figured I would use my military experience as a way to get into the state police, my grandfather had always told me I'd make a great statie and at the time it seemed like the best course of action, fulfilling on multiple levels - One, I made it past the Marines, Two, I made it into the State Troopers, Three, Deedee (I'm Polish) thought I could do it and I could vindicate him.
I remember asking my recruiter if military police are basically like normal cops, do they drive around on base and write tickets? Yes, was the answer. And though I could easily spiral into a book about how the recruiter doesn't lie, he just cherry picks the answers, I won't allow it. Regardless, there also exists the field MP. Effectively, a glorified grunt, focusing on security details, convoys, escorting prisoners, clearing buildings, and essentially any job that requires a humvee and being on the road.
So, without knowing this I enlist, take the oath and ship out. I complete all my training and approximately 7 months after I shipped I am a trained Marine with the Military Police MOS. I get to go home, I check into my reserve unit and I find out there only exists 1 Garrison Reserve MP Unit in the country, but it isn't mine. I'm a field MP. So, big let down - right?
However, in my two years time my unit has never once deployed, it didn't say that would happen in my contract but I'm not complaining. Though this was very much the opposite before I showed up. When I arrived I met people who had deployed 3 times to Iraq and this was only 2 years ago. Then, having at least 2 deployments seemed like a standard and having deployed but once was to consider that person new.
Presently, the majority of those people are not longer a part of my unit, their contracts have expired and they haven't reenlisted. Even when offered promotions and 5 figure bonuses, they turn it down and walk away. I don't know where it comes from that we are happy but I'd say the overwhelming feeling, at my unit anyway, is misery. Most of us try to stay up to date, we all have some college and like to pay attention, and not to many of us have much positive to say about how we feel on Iraq. We aren't exactly busting down the door to volunteer to deploy with other units. If anything, we echo many of the thoughts represented here.
In my two years I have become interested and been very busy. I got a strong slap in the face that the shit had officially "just got real." George Bush wasn't just a joke anymore. He wasn't just something on the Daily Show that I could chuckle at. This maniac effectively had control over my life now, and how naive I was for thinking "What the Hell, why not?" I truly believe Bush is a maniac that drives the military machine like a drunken carnival clown who has taken too many downers after his shift has ended at the fun house and I apologize to carnival clowns.
At this point, Republicans interest me the most. It is not an interest you get from having a desire to learn or from any sort of passion. It is more akin to a wreck on the side of the road. It's something you know is horrible but you cannot pull yourself away from. It sits with me right now that I believe if you voted for Bush the second time you are just as much responsible for the Iraq war as he is. You own it. You are responsible for the broken, the maimed and the dead that come out of that country. I am tired of it being broken down into a fucking yellow ribbon on their bumper.
I am sick of hearing that they support the troops. It rings hollow like a false coin. What they really say is "Support the troops, deploy them to foreign wars." And then they reply with some cursory reply regarding money that they give the troops or some funding issue. When in realty the rational troops who know what's going on want the funding cut because it means the madness ends. And besides, most of that money and gear goes straight to the Iraqi police force. Christ, my flack jacket is green.
I am sick of hearing that Democrats are going to destroy the country, it's like a Bug's Bunny Cartoon. Republicans are bandits running out of the bank and the police are chasing them, they turn a corner and hand the loot to some guy and run off and the police arrest the poor SoB. They had control for how long? And John McCain, "he sure don't support pork but god damn he loves Bacon Bailouts" apparently someone has their shit backwards. I sure as Hell don't think it falls on the Democratic side of the aisle.
It's time for these assholes to start taking ownership of their own bullshit.
UPDATE I want to thank you all very much, posting this was a big deal for me and I was not sure how it would go over and I appreciate all of the feedback very much. I am very happy to be a part of this community now and look forward to spending a very long time with all of you. Thank you so much.