My brother's stepson is joining the service this week.

[Ladyhawk]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about the issue. I haven't been around the kid much, but I've noticed he has a tendency to make very bad decisions. He had his girlfriend's name tattooed on his chest and now, of course, they've broken up. He pre-enlisted in the army at age 17. To me, that is another very bad decision. His mother allowed him to pre-enlist (unconscionable in my book). My mother says the army makes "men out of boys." I don't think so.

The kid needs to grow up, but sending him to Iraq isn't the way to do it. I'm afraid he'll make a stupid decision and get himself killed. I'm also afraid he'll wind up killing a lot of other people. With a grin on his face, he told me about torturing small animals and I very seriously told him that almost all the serial killers in prison had a history of torturing animals in their youth. This kid does not belong in Iraq.

Today, my mother was talking on the phone about two soldiers she knew who couldn't wait to get back to Iraq. They felt what we were doing over there was important and that the people were really responding. I know she said it in front of me on purpose. Yeah, you can tell we're really welcome over there. 14 today? Bollocks.

Anyway, my mind is on this heavily. I'll probably be expected to write the young man, but I'm not sure what I'd say..."WTF are you doing over there, you stupid brat?" But he's a bushbot like the rest of my family and we want to send them over there, don't we?

I don't want any of those stupid young kids over there. They don't even know how to take care of themselves, much less "liberate" a nation.

[NorCalDem]

1. Lady,

"he's a bushbot like the rest of my family..."

Phew! I feel for ya LH. Just be cordial to him and his family, and find subtle ways to make sure everyone is aware of what the death toll is at and how long we've been there.

Good luck, you have my sympathy.

[Imagevision]

2. These "boys-kids" have been playing with too many video games

obviously for tooo long a time. I remember in F-9-11 the troops saying that they piped in the rock music to kill to - burn Mother-fucker burn!

The Columbine geeks who killed 13 video game whacko's

[Ladyhawk]

3. Yes, I guess that's why, after a lifetime of playing video games, I

am a completely non-violent person. It doesn't follow. Most of the people in my vid-game club are against the war and real violence. Most of them are also from overseas.

[jzodda]

4. I guess the only thing you can do

is to hope that the army puts some sense into the young man. They do a good job of teaching young people how to be responsible and have discipline IF the young person is willing and open to learning. Some just never learn of course.

Also hope he comes home alive and not under arrest I guess also.

what else is there you can do under the circumstances?