So a horrible weekly rag finds the scoop that Governor Pataki's son is about to graduate, and wants the marines to send him to Fallujah-on-the-Charles instead of Iraq. (actually, the law school is unspecified) http://nypress.com/18/26/pagetwo/newshole4.cfm I think they're being a bit harsh on the lad. he is 22, independant and his own man - he should not have to answer for the warmongering of his old man. Especially as it seems he must have joined the ROTC around Sept 11th, 2001 - a very laudable act. I know the marines are missing their recruitment goals, but they should think pretty carefully on this. If he's gonna stay at Yale, well, is there a better training ground for urban warzones than New Haven? And war is hell, but surely the lawyers here will tell you how diabolical torts and depositions are. Yet at the same time...children of politicians are likely to get deferments & avoid hellholes. Where have I heard that before?
This was the feel-good story of the summer. Really. Liberals - myself included - ragging on the Chickenhawks to send their kids to Iraq. So Pataki's kid joins the marines. Its really a good story - rich kid, dad's a governor. A real nice counter-balance to all the poor kids and immigrants looking to get citizenship. Unfortunately now, the facts kind of fuggered things up. But it was a real nice story. For a while.
I don't see what the problem is here. I personally know somebody that has received a deferment from the Army so he can attend law school. He's from a lower middle class family that has no political connections. It's not like the kids saying I don't want to go into the Marines. He's made a decision to become a JAG officer, there's nothing wrong with that. He's already went through basic and all the other necessary training.
I agree with this. Though in twenty years young Pataki is liable to be some senator shipping other kids of to similar hell holes with impunity.
I really don't understand why it's so difficult for liberals to understand that no one can send their kids to war. They're adults...they make their own decisions.
Your hypothesis fails if you happen to be an adult. Of course I mean physically an adult. Mentally an adult cannot be reasonably hoped for.