2 ms·

In a volunteer army, these people serve by choice (albeit perhaps not always for altruistic reasons). It is also the choice of this fellow to make their horribl

by rexreed 15y ago

In a volunteer army, these people serve by choice (albeit perhaps not always for altruistic reasons). It is also the choice of this fellow to make their horrible experiences less so. While certainly I don't support endless war, I think this story is an uplifting one - a singular act of selfless kindness to add humanity to what is otherwise an inhumane situation. Certainly no one is coercing or paying him to do that. In fact, quite the opposite.

davidf18 15y ago
Many of the people go into the army to get a college education because their parents or they can't afford it compared with perhaps most of the readers of HN whose parents paid their way....
- ck2 15y ago
  It's pretty horrible to make someone decide they need to go to war to pay for their education. How about giving the well-off the same risk by enacting the draft for all college students when we decide to go to war? Bet we wouldn't be in another war this century.
  - rexreed 15y ago
    Guess again - war is a huge business. And it's very complicated. You'd be surprised how much of the US economy is derived from waging and supporting war. If you were to take that away, the cost would be surprising economic depression and joblessness. Way too many businesses are in the direct or indirect business of supporting war-faring. And that's terribly unfortunate, but a reality. Forcing the draft won't do anything to stop war making. You'd have to remove the economic incentive, and that's too painful for anyone to do. Indeed, a Senator would probably sacrifice their own son if it meant keeping the coffers filled. Perhaps that's worth the cost, but at this point, I would hesitate to say that it is a Complex Problem, which would necessitate a Complex Solution. Intractable, maybe?
ck2 15y ago
He's making it more comfortable to go to war - both for the recipient and for us on our comfy chairs knowing someone did this for them. Enact the draft for EVERY military action. It's only fair. I know these are not popular opinions but they are true. Where are the people sending DVDs to people in the peace corp? They make far less than people in the military. Obama promised to promote the peace corp and I've never seen one ad, but plenty for the military.
- rexreed 15y ago
  As a 92 year old veteran with not much more life to live, I don't think that's how he's thinking about it. He understands what it's like to be in a terrible war and is doing what he can to at least make life livable. Regardless of what you think of stupid wars, and yes they are all stupid with very few exceptions, we are all still human. And showing humanity in the face of inhumanity is not a bad thing. Yeah, war really sucks, but I'd focus the vitriol on those who are getting us into these stupid wars, not the 92 year olds who are trying to be human to poor 18 year olds who went to war to pay for college or because they couldn't get a job.
- rexreed 15y ago
  BTW, nothing is stopping you from sending DVDs to people in the Peace Corp. Maybe you should do that and be a force for good?
- jonknee 15y ago
  > Obama promised to promote the peace corp and I've never seen one ad, but plenty for the military. Perhaps because the Peace Corps isn't such a tough sell (you aren't going to war!), so they don't need to advertise to expand. Just more funding. Obama has increased the Peace Corps budget and as such there are more participants. I'm sure they receive plenty of DVDs from their loved ones.
  - Volscio 15y ago
    Also most of my friends who did Peace Corps didn't even have electricity for two years. I don't know how they did it.

by rexreed 15y ago

davidf18 15y ago

Many of the people go into the army to get a college education because their parents or they can't afford it compared with perhaps most of the readers of HN whose parents paid their way....

ck2 15y ago
It's pretty horrible to make someone decide they need to go to war to pay for their education. How about giving the well-off the same risk by enacting the draft for all college students when we decide to go to war? Bet we wouldn't be in another war this century.
- rexreed 15y ago
  Guess again - war is a huge business. And it's very complicated. You'd be surprised how much of the US economy is derived from waging and supporting war. If you were to take that away, the cost would be surprising economic depression and joblessness. Way too many businesses are in the direct or indirect business of supporting war-faring. And that's terribly unfortunate, but a reality. Forcing the draft won't do anything to stop war making. You'd have to remove the economic incentive, and that's too painful for anyone to do. Indeed, a Senator would probably sacrifice their own son if it meant keeping the coffers filled. Perhaps that's worth the cost, but at this point, I would hesitate to say that it is a Complex Problem, which would necessitate a Complex Solution. Intractable, maybe?

ck2 15y ago

He's making it more comfortable to go to war - both for the recipient and for us on our comfy chairs knowing someone did this for them. Enact the draft for EVERY military action. It's only fair. I know these are not popular opinions but they are true. Where are the people sending DVDs to people in the peace corp? They make far less than people in the military. Obama promised to promote the peace corp and I've never seen one ad, but plenty for the military.

rexreed 15y ago
As a 92 year old veteran with not much more life to live, I don't think that's how he's thinking about it. He understands what it's like to be in a terrible war and is doing what he can to at least make life livable. Regardless of what you think of stupid wars, and yes they are all stupid with very few exceptions, we are all still human. And showing humanity in the face of inhumanity is not a bad thing. Yeah, war really sucks, but I'd focus the vitriol on those who are getting us into these stupid wars, not the 92 year olds who are trying to be human to poor 18 year olds who went to war to pay for college or because they couldn't get a job.
rexreed 15y ago
BTW, nothing is stopping you from sending DVDs to people in the Peace Corp. Maybe you should do that and be a force for good?
jonknee 15y ago
> Obama promised to promote the peace corp and I've never seen one ad, but plenty for the military. Perhaps because the Peace Corps isn't such a tough sell (you aren't going to war!), so they don't need to advertise to expand. Just more funding. Obama has increased the Peace Corps budget and as such there are more participants. I'm sure they receive plenty of DVDs from their loved ones.
- Volscio 15y ago
  Also most of my friends who did Peace Corps didn't even have electricity for two years. I don't know how they did it.