some folks inherit star spangled eyes, ooh, they send you down to war

[likeawoman]

And when you ask them, how much should we give,
oh, they only answer, more, more, more

I got a mass e-mail (don't they call that SPAM?) from an army recruiting officer today in my campus mail. it was funny to browse the names all lined up in alphabetical order in the "to:" spot. my old rommate Angie was in there. I bet she'll be just as pleased as I was to have recieved the invitation to join up. I sent a response. I try not to be such a cynical little nut that I worry that saying something will land me on a list, but it doesn't matter, since the cynical nut part knows that if there is a list, I've probably already gotten on it. I think of all the people in the military machine, I have the most trouble being diplomatic with recruiters. Its my gut reaction to think "fucking vultures". I'm not entirely sure that that's unfair of me. But I did my best to at least be respectful and moderate in the wording of my response. I'm just so sick of this fucking disgusting war.

my response
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 11:02:15 -0400
From: <preva1rm@cmich.edu> Add To Address Book
Subject: Re: Army info
To: "Olan, Leonardo SSG USAREC" <LEONARDO.OLAN@USAREC.ARMY.MIL>

Mr Olan, 

I have absolutely no interest in joining the army; further, 
I haven't the faintest as to why anyone would want to 
squander a perfectly good college education by participating 
in the war machine. I do not know how you excuse the way you 
make your living and I do not know how you get up every 
morning and go to work to convince young people that the 
military would be a good option for them. Does it keep you 
up at night, the way recriuters prey on the poor and the 
marginalized? Do you feel dirty touting enlistment bonuses 
and the GI Bill to people who aren't offered other, better, 
safer options? Does it unnerve you, convincing kids to sign 
up for the reserves as though "one weekend a month, two 
weeks a year" is anything like what being a reservist is 
like these days? What do you, Mr Olan, think of recruiters 
trawling refugee stations in the wake of Katrina, attempting 
to take advantage of unspeakable weakness? Do you find it 
easier to pressure kids by e-mail, not having to look into 
their eyes and tell them that it would be a good idea to 
join the military in the middle of an unwinnable, unpopular, 
unwarranted war that has no end in sight? My father, a two 
tour combat veteran of Vietnam, would rather die (which 
wouldn't be hard considering the extensive health problems 
that his serving, and more notably, his neglect under the VA 
system, have left him with) than see his children fighting 
this war of aggression. God help you, Mr Olan. God forgive 
you for being part of the problem. I'll keep you in my 
thoughts, alongside the soldiers and civlians dying 
needlessly every single day. Maybe one day you'll see it in 
your heart to remove yourself from the machinery of wanton 
destruction. In the meantime, if there is some list, some 
number I can call, to make myself permanently exempt from 
solictation from the Army or any other branch of the 
military, I'd appreciate the neccesary information. I'd 
prefer to be part of the solution to this erstwhile great 
nation's decline, not another cog in the destruction. 

Be well, 
Rachel Prevatt






Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket 
fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who 
hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not 
clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It 
is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its 
scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of 
life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it 
is humanity hanging on a cross of iron. 

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 16, 1953

Comments

[bluelou.livejournal.com]

I have the same reaction to recruiters. I remember in h.s. I would go see the army recruiters just to get out of class and all they said was, "We'll give you money" and not one of them said, "We're going to teach you how to kill people. You might have to go to war."

I was subbing a few weeks ago at a h.s. and I saw a recruiter and I felt like telling all the kids to run far and fast.

well done.

[beindigoe.livejournal.com]

when i was in high school, recruiters used to call me all the freakin' time. when my mom picked up the phone, she'd always stay on the line to hear the (apparently entertaining) exchange that usually went something like this:

Me: Yo.

R: *stammers* Um, hello... I'm Sgt. Crapshispants with the US Army, and I'm calling to inform you of our country's need for people like you in our forces. Several of your classmates have already enlisted... *names a few names of the last people i'd ever want to die alongside*... do you know any of these people?

Me: Yeah, they're douchebags.

R: *shuffles papers, stutters* Well, you know, this is a great opportunity for young people... the army will pay for your college, you learn career skills, you--

Me: Dude. Dude. *he tries to continue his spiel* Um, sir... stop for a minute.

R: *silence*

Me: Now, don't get me wrong... I have respect for how you wanna live your life and what you choose to do with it. I don't, however, have respect for war or the backhanded tactics you are forced to use to get kids to go and fight in it. I'm a pacifist artist with piercings I don't intend to take out and dignity I refuse to swallow for tall tales of a free college education. Oh, and I'm fat. And I have a huge problem with authority.

R: *laughs*

Me: So thanks for your time and all, but it'd be better spent movin' on down the list.

R: Um, thanks for your honesty.

Me: No problem, sir. Have a nice day.

*click*

Re: well done.

[likeawoman.livejournal.com]

I think living in a bougie little town where nobody would ever allow their children to join the army saved me that racket in high school but I wish I'd thought to mention being fat and having problems with authority.