Do you feel guilty for never having fought in a war? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

SeattleUte · 09-24-2007, 05:37 AM

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SteelBlue · 09-24-2007, 05:41 AM

There is a part of me that wonders how I would have performed in combat. That's something you can never know until you're in that situation. Most of me is very glad never to have had to find out.

jay santos · 09-24-2007, 02:26 PM

As a good Mormon there are few things I don't feel guilty about, but never having fought in a war is not one of them. (Record for negatives in a sentence?)

I only regret not having the chance to skip to Canada to avoid a draft.

MikeWaters · 09-24-2007, 02:27 PM

Dying in wars is for poor people.

Or so it has become.

BYU71 · 09-24-2007, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Dying in wars is for poor people.

Or so it has become.

I hope that was said just to get a response and I am obliging you.

MikeWaters · 09-24-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYU71

I hope that was said just to get a response and I am obliging you.

I don't think I am wrong about this, despite what Statman and the Heritage Foundation say.

DirtyHippieUte has backed me up on this. As has other research.

MikeWaters · 09-24-2007, 02:38 PM

To answer the original question, I feel a little bit guilty. But not enough to sign up.

I was in ROTC when I was a freshman during the first semester. Then I quit. The Captain that perished in the suicide bombing in the mess tent, he was a freshman in ROTC with me. So I am aware that some have given the ultimate sacrifice, whereas I have given nothing, along with 99% of Americans.

Clark Addison · 09-24-2007, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The Captain that perished in the suicide bombing in the mess tent, he was a freshman in ROTC with me.

Do you mean Captain Bill Jacobsen?

MikeWaters · 09-24-2007, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark Addison

Do you mean Captain Bill Jacobsen?

Yes.

Clark Addison · 09-24-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Yes.

I know his parents well, great people.

I voted "Yes" in the poll because of people like them. I am rarely a proponent of military action, but the guilt that I do feel is because 0.1% of the population is paying a huge burden, another 0.2% or so is paying a smaller burden, and the remaining 99.7% of us have essentially no shared sacrifice.

Aside from the Jacobsens, I have another friend who is in his mid 40s with 7 kids. He joined the reserves many years ago. He has currently been overseas for about a year, and had an earlier 2 year tour, so he has been away from his family 36 out of the last 44 months. He's missed his oldest two son's weddings, his first two grandkids being born, two sons going on missions, and a whole lot more. Even when he comes back safely, he will have given up 20% of the time that his kids will live at home with him, trading it for living in a tent and working 80-90 hour weeks.

My guilt doesn't keep me up at night, but I don't know how anyone could not feel at least a little guilty in my situation.

View Poll Results: Do you feel guilty for never having fought in a war?
Yes	10	33.33%
No	19	63.33%
N/A; I did.	1	3.33%
Voters: 30. You may not vote on this poll

09-24-2007, 05:37 AM	#1
SeattleUte fairlds.org Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,665	Do you feel guilty for never having fought in a war? ... __________________ Interrupt all you like. We're involved in a complicated story here, and not everything is quite what it seems to be. —Paul Auster

09-24-2007, 05:41 AM	#2
SteelBlue Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Norcal Posts: 5,821	There is a part of me that wonders how I would have performed in combat. That's something you can never know until you're in that situation. Most of me is very glad never to have had to find out.

09-24-2007, 02:26 PM	#3
jay santos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,177	As a good Mormon there are few things I don't feel guilty about, but never having fought in a war is not one of them. (Record for negatives in a sentence?) I only regret not having the chance to skip to Canada to avoid a draft.

09-24-2007, 02:27 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Dying in wars is for poor people. Or so it has become.

09-24-2007, 02:38 PM	#7
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	To answer the original question, I feel a little bit guilty. But not enough to sign up. I was in ROTC when I was a freshman during the first semester. Then I quit. The Captain that perished in the suicide bombing in the mess tent, he was a freshman in ROTC with me. So I am aware that some have given the ultimate sacrifice, whereas I have given nothing, along with 99% of Americans.