Miss Everett Teen USA Enlists In The Army

[Newsjock]

http://komotv.com/stories/38298.htm

EVERETT - Miss Everett Teen USA 2004 is putting away her sash to put on a U.S. Army uniform.

Last summer, Jennifer Cabanayan appeared at community events, including the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival and the National Night Out Against Crime, as Miss Everett Teen USA 2004. Now she has enlisted in the Army and will leave for boot camp at Fort Jackson, S.C., on Aug. 11.

... The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks brought personal loss. A family friend died, one reason Cabanayan was compelled to join the war on terror. London's deadly bombings July 7 made her certain.

... Otis Saylor, who's been teaching his granddaughter how to lace paratrooper boots, said she "doesn't have the slightest idea" of the trials to come. "Boot camp is not an easy thing," the 62-year-old Saylor said. "She thinks it's going to be a picnic.

... "I'm a very patriotic person, but I think the war in Iraq is wrong," he said.

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[RobertSeattle]

1. One down, tens of thousands to go

Good for her.

[Dave Reynolds]

2. She sets a good example,

all young repukes should be so committed.

[bluestateguy]

3. She should not be criticized

She supports the war, she is enlisting to fight for those principles. I respect that, in contrast to chickenhawk frat boys who stay at home and cheer the war on from the Sig Ep house.

We are always attacking chickenhawks for not walking the walk as they talk the talk. Well, this woman is walking the walk, so I respect that even if I disagree with the Iraq War in which she will likely have to serve.

[Voltaire99]

10. You "respect" that, eh?

Afraid you can't have it both ways. You can't "disagree with the Iraq war" and yet back-pat those who sign up for it.

In effect, you further what you claim to oppose, leaving you a symbolic opponent in word only. That kind of Kerryism is fruitless; I don't respect it at all.

[bluestateguy]

11. reply

Poeple here, including me, constantly taunt the chickenhawks that they should enlist and serve if they think this war is such a good positive thing.

Well, this woman is doing that. So now you're going to criticize her anyway? You are essentially saying that you cannot respect any other opinion on the war than your own.

Don't you dare call me a "symbolic" opponent. I have opposed this war for three years now.

[Voltaire99]

16. Reply to reply

You're terribly self-defeating in this foolish business of "taunting the chickenhawks," as this taunting only has as its goal more enlistment and more war.

The opposite of enlistment is what we opponents of the war want. We don't want those who support the war to go fight it. We want it to stop.

You take offense at my pointing out your contradictions, but it can't be any other way. You cannot be more than a symbolic opponent of the war if you are going to applaud its continuation, which is what you have done in lavishing undeserved respect upon this poor, misguided girl. Do you have even the slightest idea how bloody awful it is to approve of sending that innocent--or anybody--into the hell of war?

You're acting like a fireman who hands out matches. Stop wasting everybody's time and use your hose instead.

[Demit]

12. That's not having it both ways. Having respect for someone backing up

their belief with action, even if you don't share their belief, is just showing appreciation for the person's integrity. It doesn't contradict one's own position. Plus, how could the poster be "furthering what he claims to oppose"? The woman's going to enlist whether he approves or not. I think your slam is undeserved.

[PassingFair]

25. "backing up their belief with action"

Are you KIDDING me?
You cheer one on for "backing up" the murderous, greedy oil swallowers that have illegally invaded and occupied another country in our name?

I guess the SS were to be applauded for commitment to the fatherland. What "integrity" they had!

[Demit]

28. Oh for heaven's sake.

Godwin's Law. You lose.

[marylanddem]

29. I agree with you. n/t

[wakeme2008]

14. I support her too...

If she supports the War and signs up, that is good. Now if all the Young Republicans will do the same. GREAT...

[Pert_UK]

23. Nonsense...

Part of what distinguishes intelligent, thoughtful people from dogmatic morons is their ability to recognise when their opponents have done something praiseworthy or shown integrity.

You may not agree with the war. You may not agree with this girl's decision to join the army to fight in this war. But SURELY you've got to respect the courage of her convictions???

At least she's putting her money where her mouth is and fighting for what she believes in, rather than just cheerleading from the safety of her home.

I think she's wrong. I think she's naive. I think she's probably not very bright, but anyone with a shred of decency has got to admire her commitment to her beliefs in this respect. If I'm reading this right, basically there's no possible way that you could ever have respect for this girl unless she thought exactly the same thing as you do.....

[wrlwnd]

32. agreed

and "dogmatic morons" is the appropriate term

[redqueen]

43. I agree with you...

if more rah rah types would join, maybe they'd come back with a slightly different take on things.

[northzax]

26. you can't respect someone for standing up for their beliefs

even if you don't agree with those beliefs? If you, legally, walk the talk, then more power to you.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[youspeakmylanguage]

33. That's a ridiculous and hateful stretch. (n/t)

[northzax]

40. you know, when i was growing up

the first person who brought up the Nazis was considered to have lost the arguement.:) But I'll address it anyway.

yes, you're right. But the analogy doesn't apply to this situation. First off, we aren't Nazi Germany, willfully and systematically destroying an entire ethnic group, when we are, your point counts. Every time someone brings up Nazis, that word loses a little bit more of it's power of shaming. Let's save it for actual Nazis, shall we? if you think there's any real comparison to the current US government, you are sorely, and luckily, mistaken.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mairead]

18. I think she *should* be criticised

She's signing up to kill people for money. Why on earth wouldn't that be worthy of criticism?? I can give her credit for a kind of integrity while also saying that what she's planning to do is terrible.

What she's doing is, let's say, an 8 on the 0-10 crappiness scale: she's going to kill people for money, but she's also taking a small risk herself, so there's a little balance there. Not much balance, but a little.

But a chickenhawk is at 10, or maybe even off the scale at 11 or 15. They're willing to kill for money, but they want to do it by proxy. They're not willing to risk anything at all. That has to be at or near the limit of despicable.

So the idea that we must approve of her or give up criticising chickenhawks doesn't work for me. Both deserve unremitting criticism from all of us.

[youspeakmylanguage]

34. You're describing a mercenary, not a soldier...

There is a huge difference between someone fighting and killing for money and someone who is fighting for their country.

I would take offense to your statements if I thought you had any idea what you were talking about.

[Mairead]

45. I didn't say *she* was getting the money.

And you can take as much offence as you like. Let's see you do it. C'mon, jump up and down. Get really red in the face. Drool a bit. Well, what are you waiting for?

[youspeakmylanguage]

46. "She's signing up to kill people for money."

She's signing up to kill people for money.

Thats the clearest and most concise definition of a mercenary I've ever heard, but go one denying anything you'd like.

Taking offense and getting angry are two different things, but considering the level to which you've lowered this discourse, I've gone from being offended to simply being annoyed.

Bye! :hi:

[Ilsa]

21. That's right. This young woman has some courage, unlike those

chickenshit chickenhawk pro-war frat boys who won't sign up.

[Cha]

4. At least her grandfather knows..

What's UP?

[progressivebydesign]

5. I think it's cool that she wants to enlist.

I'm sorry that she apparently thinks the neverending wars we have now are somehow related to 9/11. That's really really sad. I think the most salient point of the article is that her father, a military man who saw a lot of war is against the Iraq War. There is no such thing as the War on Terror... it's bullshit. The real war on terror is fought behind the scenes, what these easily led people are seeing is not a "WAR" its a military effort, and effort to further enrich Bush and Company's military holdings financially.

I hope she'll be okay, she means well.

[Kerrytravelers]

6. A young rethug wants to enlist... great.

Now, take the rest of the freeptards with you.

At least she is backing up what she believe in by enlisting. Do I disagree? Yes. But it's not about my beliefs. I am against this war, so I don't sign up. She's for it... she needs to sign up and get her pampared little rear over there.

[BulletproofLandshark]

7. Maybe I missed it, but

nothing I saw in the full article indicated she is Repub. Just woefully misinformed about the war and its' purpose.

[PassingFair]

27. I don't revile the thousands of troops that are "over there" because

they belong to the service and have no choice. I cry for them AND their families. I don't fault those who re-enlist to stand with their comrades who have no choice.
I don't agree with anyone who thinks its cool for freeptards and Xtian soldiers to suit-up for this travesty. They will come home someday and become our police forces. Yuk.

I would rather commend the man who chose 5 years in jail rather than be sent back to our little imperialist endeavor. Or the ones in Canada, who refuse to kill for the chimperor.

Anyone who SIGNS UP, knowing what they SHOULD know about our motives for waging this war only gets what they deserve.

The "best" emotion I can muster up for them is pity.

[high density]

8. Good luck

I sincerely hope that you don't lose a limb or get blown up for the corporate profits and oil that we're fighting for over there.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

9. She's going to learn the hard way it seems

I hope that she lives, that she is able come home and put her life back together. I hope she also learns something from all this.

[Hav]

19. Lol that is a cool picture

[Anarcho-Socialist]

20. Thanks

:hi:

[ConsAreLiars]

13. So sad. A decent, gullible, honorable, deceived, good-hearted, naive

child getting sucked into participating in a fool's errand on behalf of monsters. I hope we are able to bring an end to this insanity before she and many others like her get killed or maimed.

[dhinojosa]

48. Hey, I am with you :)

Well said. You put it into words the best.

[classysassy]

15. A republican reporting for duty.

she proberly will be assigned as an aide to some Bush loving officer.

[Niccolo_Macchiavelli]

17. she chooses a rough ride

will she make it past boot without beeing harassed/raped/etc..? will she make it back alive?

young and dumb anyway.

[Ilsa]

22. Or in one piece? That would be pretty hard on a young

woman who was a beauty queen.

[hadrons]

24. what did Miss Everett Teen USA 2004 think when she saw 14 dead marines

in the news today???

[Rainscents]

35. I support her want to go fight! It's most likely, she'll come back with

totally different view of war and as different person. She will be in for big wake up call.

[ClayZ]

36. Mukilteo means "Happy Camp Ground"

This is my hometown. Mukilteo up the way from Everett WA. where the USS Lincoln is based.

I raised my children here and now have 5 grandchildren. I think Jenifer should have listened to her Grandfather!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

37. Good for her.

If the rest of the rethugs who were so gung-ho about "freeing" Iraq would enlist, they'd get an education.

[PassingFair]

39. They'll most probably get this...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Aug-02-Tue-2005/news/26983251.html

NO ONE should be fighting in this "war". And I REALLY can't agree with anyone who thinks they are doing a good thing by enlisting.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

41. No one should be fighting this war, but they are and will continue to

until enough rethugs come home with PTSD. Then they'll complain about how vets are not given their due after serving their country. Then, maybe, they'll understand why people were against this war to begin with.

I'd rather see rethugs enlist voluntarily than watch my sons be drafted into a war they don't support.

[PassingFair]

42. I'd rather see ALL resist this administration's war.

Not meaning to argue with you, goddess!
My point is that the rethugs will come home and visit havoc upon us. As husbands, neighbors, and, regrettably, police forces.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

44. I completely understand your point.

That'd be my preference too, and I'll continue to voice my protest of this war.

But I'm afraid at this point that my complaints fall upon deaf ears. There will be many more Americans (mostly green-card hopefuls) lost in Iraq before our troops are brought home; and there will be far greater numbers of Iraqis who die, though nobody seems to give a rat's ass about it.

[Javaman]

38. maybe the twins will follow her.....

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!! Sorry, I just crack myself up.

[SeattleRob]

47. My question about this story

Her story was prominently featured on every Televison newscast in the Seattle area. It seems obvious to me that the military is pimping her story to the local media as a propaganda piece to enhance recruiting. After all, the recruiting numbers are very bad. In the Seattle area, there are restrictions popping up at local schools to hinder military recruiters.

So my question, is there a specific PR branch of the Military that hypes these types of stories? Do you think there would ever be similar coverage if a local beauty pageant contestant said she was going to pursue work as a peace activist?