Question for Protesters (Peaceful Discussion; no flames allowed! :-) )

[honeychile]

This was posed to me by one of my geriatric clients, concerning protests such as the Lake Shore Drive protest in Chicago. As you probably know, protesters held up the entire rush hour, and traffic was completely gridlocked for miles.

What if your mother-father-grandmother-grandfather-whomever lived in an apartment on Lake Shore Drive, and during this protest, had a heart attack or a stroke? One that is normally treatable with proper immediate care. No ambulance can get through; the traffic is completely gridlocked. Let's pretend Lake Shore Drive isn't ritzy, and doesn't have any helipads.

If that person dies, is it the fault of the protesters, on some level?



honeychile

[Blaire]

Dear Smiley21,
Not only to I find your comment disgraceful, I also find it disgusting. What do you expect the troops to do, refuse to go? Thats known as "going AWOL" and they can get in serious trouble. (Not to mention that they will probably never be employed again). I feel as though your comments are not only anti-American but anti-HUMAN as well. I don't know if I agree with why we are at war, but like President Bush said (summerizing, not a direct quote), I'd rather us fight terrioism with trained Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine forces then with Firefighters, Police officers, doctors and nurses. If we don't take a stand now, September 11 will happen again.

My father served in the United States Army for 22 years...my boyfriend has been serving in the Army for 9 1/2 years. I have the upmost respect and love for both of them. I appreciate that they put their lives on the line for not only ME but for YOU as well every single day they were/are deployed. If my boyfriend dies, he will do so in an honorable fashion. He is fighting for not only Iraqi freedom but, on some level, our freedom as well. Eveyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I think that it is ludricious to say you are anit-troops.

Let the mud slinging begin....

[OUlioness01]

I don't agree with why we are at war, and i've gone to an anti-war protest, but I too have a guy i care about somewhere over in the middle east...and he couldn't even tell me where he was going when he left. He wanted to go though. That, at the end of the day, is more inportant that any protest, and dissent, and any rally. He knew i didn't believe in the reasons he was going but that didn't change his mind. I've met several of the guys from his platoon, and there was not a single one who was afraid to go and defend this country, on the other hand they looked at it as something that needed doing, and they wanted to go so they could come home to the people they love. I know some people don't see our men and women overseas as defending our country and our rights, but that's what they believe they are doing. Because of that, I feel like I have an obligation to support our troops and this war. In the end, they are over there for us. I have been writing a letter to my friend, and it's hard to not include the things i see on the news because I have always talked with him about everything. the anti-war protests are something i can't even begin to write about because I want him to continue to believe that he is over there fighting for a cause. I don't want any of our troops to give up hope. If they hear about all the anti-war protests that are going on in this country, from all the people who claim they are "pro-troops" don't you think that that would be letting down the men and women who believe there are over there for us? No one likes the thought of our friends and family being killed, and we don't want poeple to die. We SHOULD want them to do what they desire and feel they need to do. Support is not mud slinging, it is not yelling that our troops are immoral, or protesting their actions at a time when they believe they are necessary. It is understanding that they are doing their jobs and respecting them for that.

Okay. I'm going to get off my soapbox now and stop my ranting. sorry i made you read all of that.

~OUlioness01

[LeslieAGD]

My $.02:

Unfortunately, the US has, for a very long time, made itself out to be the world police. Why? Well, maybe we're busy-bodies, but we're also a force that stands up for others.

To the anti-war people:
Have you ever lived under a tirant?
Do you know how the Iraqi civilians feel?
Do you have any clue what it is to live like that?

My guess is that most of you are going to answer no. Personally, I don't like bullies. I should hope most people don't either. That's part of the reason why we're over there fighting this war...because we stick up for what we believe in and it's about time we stopped making idol threats. How long was our country supposed to shake our finger at Iraq and say "No, no, Sadam...get rid of the weapons of mass destruction" like he's a misbehaving child? We needed to be take action, because most other countries weren't willing to look beyong their personal interests in oil to see what needed to be done.

You know, I don't really like Bush. But I give him a lot more respect now. He asctually took action. If he were out for approval ratings we'd still be waiting for UN inspectors and countries like France, who were just wasting time.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally posted by sasharala
And for those who say that Saddam is killing his people, here's a thought.....Why don't his people revolt? Many countries (including the U.S.) has had revolutions and though it may take time, the evil leadership are usually dealt with.

What would you suggest they do; pelt him with falafel balls???


* * * THE FOLLOWING IS NOT AIMED TOWARD ANY OF MY FELLOW GREEKCHATTERS * * *

Blaire: I have found that the people who protest most vehemently are the ones who don't have friends and family over there. *Not all, but in my experience most*. What is for us a legitimate concern for loved ones and a desire not to undermine their mission is for some of them just an intellectual exercise or even something to do for the day. (ie "Want to go to the skateboard park?" "nah, there's a big protest going on downtown. Maybe some of the girls will flash their boobies" "Dude! I am so there!!!" ) can't really blame them because I realize how easy it is to offer a trite solution when you're somewhat removed from the situation.

It doesn't matter what other people think, honestly. Your honey doesn't care about people blocking traffic in New York City. He cares about you at home thinking of him. And you know that I'm also thinking of you and him and praying for his swift and safe return home. So are millions of others.

DZLM,
Tracy

[librasoul22]

Originally posted by KillarneyRose
What would you suggest they do; pelt him with falafel balls???

Sorry, but this is quite possibly the funniest thing I have heard all day!