Thank you Sen. Kerry.

Ken Majors wrote: Tae Kwon Do wrote: I agree with what he said. The most disrespectful statement I have witnessed on this forum thus far.

You must not come here often.

More to the point, if you read the entire thread slowly, you would have seen that all TKD was saying is that the military is often the employer of last resort (true).  TKD interpreted Kerry's statement to say that "if you don't stay in school, you will be in need of an employer of last resort".  Basically a stay-in-school-rah-rah speech, albeit poorly stated.

Pretty obvious, really.  It would almost require intentional blindness to arrive at any other conclusion.  To take this as an attack on the military is idiotic.

oldsoldier wrote: Tae Kwon Do wrote:    They are the grunts going to Iraq. Like Mr. Kent said, John Kerry was not saying all soldiers are stupid. He was saying the same thing I am saying, he just worded it poorly. The chip on the shoulders of the forum-servicemen is astounding. The arrogance of those individuals on the forum who have never served or have the intestinal fortatude to serve, as well as thier ingnorance on the military is even more astounding.

How is this arrogant?  Whale is making a very straightforward observation about the military.

There is no rational way to take this as an insult.

OS wrote: The spin mysters are doing thier usual great job, trying to defend a man who can "botch a joke", do we now make fun of his attempts at language, I figured with all the education he could master a simple joke. But we should have trusted him with the language of international diplomacy......can't have it both ways.

If you are referring to the professional spinners, then clearly I agree - their function is to spin any news item to the favor of their party, all rationality aside.

But I do not recall ANY of the people in this thread being Kerry supporters - in 2004 or now - and we certainly do not consider Kerry a master of language.  "Would that it were" is almost a bad for the English language as "nucular".

Here's my short summary of the situation:

1.  Kerry made what was obviously a joke/snide observation about recruiting reality, and an encouragement to stay in school.

2.  The statement was somewhat politically incorrect, but obviously not meant as an insult to anybody in particular.

3.  The GOP has spun this on its head.  Not surprising - that's their job.  Whatever.

4.  Various military folks with grenades up their butts are determined to be insulted by this, despite the obvious non-insulting nature of the statements in question.

5.  The reason for 4 is ... I'm drawing a blank on that one. 

Kristofer wrote: I read what you said. You said. The dumb ones are the grunts going to Iraq. Plain and simple.

Judging by this post, it is apparently true in your case.

.Ryan wrote: I find that many current/ex-military folks seem to think that because you haven't done what they have done or seen what they have seen that you don't have a right to an opinion on military matters. Displaying such an opinion is perceived as arrogance.....

I am aware of that.  But that's the thing - Whale ISN'T making a statement about military matters.  He is making a statement about civilian employment opportunities.