November 30
...serving up your daily dish.
Spotted outside the Glen Ridge High School cafeteria today, according to a source inside the school: recruiters from the U.S. Army. They were giving away pamphlets and pencils. Hey, dude, a free pencil. Sign us up.
Making fun of the military and on Winston Chruchill's Birthday. Good for us our predecessors didn't feel the same way.
Your central thesis is no doubt true, recruiters will find slim pickings in Glen Ridge.
Posted by: Right of Center | Nov 30, 2004 5:40:15 PM
You'd be surprised. I know of at least 2 Ridgers who went ROTC to pay for college.
Posted by: Alex | Nov 30, 2004 5:46:07 PM
You scoff, but I fought in Bosnia for a Bic pen. It's a great pen.
Posted by: Shabe | Nov 30, 2004 5:53:56 PM
just another lovely hidden provision of No Child Left Behind...that the military has access to student info...
Posted by: butchcjg | Nov 30, 2004 5:57:08 PM
I don't really care that much excpet I'm getting really pissed off that the first thing all these navy and army guys say to me when I walk up to look around is you look like (insert organisation here) material
Posted by: Mr. Dude | Nov 30, 2004 6:04:29 PM
Important TO BUTCH:
NO the NCLB does not give the military blanket access to your children's information. Request (demand) that the high school give you the opt out form. If you sign that, the school is prohibited from giving your kids' names, phone #s etc to the military. It's worth the two minutes to fill out the form... my friends' sons are hounded relentlessly by the military. And, they don't want to hear from Mommy that Sonny can't come to the phone, is away at college, or ran away to join the circus. They just keep calling and calling and calling. If they get the kid on the phone, they are VERY high pressure. Fill out the form!!
Posted by: GC | Nov 30, 2004 6:37:12 PM
This is what really pisses me off. These boys are exploiting young, innocent students with their who life ahead of them, giving them false hope and security. But the truth is the army is far from secure. It nis truly upsetting to see young men and women go off to war, its 100 times more upseting to see your son or daughter go off to war than go off to college. I can't believe they have come to recruit in Glen Ridge where everybody can afford college. But it's horrible to see a person get killed for all the wrong reasons. it's almost as bad as the draft was, it's propaganda, it's false advertising, and mostly it's unsafe.The next time these army guys come back students should boycott their booth.
-a truly shaken student a.k.a blonde chica
Posted by: GRblonde | Nov 30, 2004 6:52:43 PM
You "can't believe they came to Glen Ridge where everybody can afford college"!
Not everybody in Bloomfield can afford college, so is it okay if the recruiters harass **our** kids?
Posted by: GC | Dec 1, 2004 6:30:42 AM
Recruiters have a right to be there. And before one typifies the services as "dangerous," in general they're no more dangerous than, say, humping lumber at Home Depot. Or working as a barista someplace like Starbucks. Most service units are rear echelon, the odds are usually very much against landing in combat. Besides, SOMEBODY has to serve. Or did you folks forget that?
Posted by: cathar | Dec 1, 2004 9:01:15 AM
"humping lumber at Home Depot" is most certainly dangerous, save for the splinters alone. Trust me I know.
Posted by: Right of Center | Dec 1, 2004 9:34:02 AM
In Glen Ridge they have come a long way...(baby).
(audio)
http://tinyurl.com/4y88y
http://tinyurl.com/64z2o
Posted by: Right of Center | Dec 1, 2004 9:54:26 AM
You see it everywhere, the stickers that say “Support our Troops”, the ribbons around trees and mailboxes, miscellaneous flag stickers on cars with quotes like “Freedom is FREE” or “These colors may fade but will NEVER run” and it goes on. We spout to be the most powerful country in the world, why is that? Do you enjoy your freedoms?
There are very few people (if any) who actually want to fight in a war, and I don’t know anyone who wants to die for their country, but I know some who would. Who should defend our freedom and way of living? Should it be left to the people in the square states? If everyone had the mentality of “We'd Rather Join the Debate Team” we would be called Germany or Japan or better yet England. If we rely on people that are less fortunate, less educated and people with no other options in life to protect our way of life, than not only is that unfair and selfish, but it will catch up with us (Americans) eventually. The military needs the smart people too. It needs leaders as well as followers. People say (and I agree) they don’t want a draft, well if everybody had this “We’d Rather Join the Debate Team” attitude than nobody would join the military. How will we defend our freedom?
I am not saying that I agree with the policies or politics of our current government, but I love our form of government and our way of life. You want to reap the rewards of being an American at no personal risk or cost. I am proud to say I am an American and a veteran of the US Army. Yup, a well educated, nice Jewish boy (who’s father was a successful doctor) from Jersey joined and served during the Gulf War as an airborne infantry soldier. I hope you had fun when you were on your debate team, I had your back.
Posted by: Bill | Dec 1, 2004 12:47:56 PM
I just want the Department of Defense to get rid of their peacenik name and go back to their pre-1949 sobriquet: "The Department of War". At least then nobody will be confused.
Posted by: Lex | Dec 1, 2004 12:53:48 PM
Tom,
Thank you for having my back in 1990. My people appreciate the freedom you have given them under my iron-fisted enlightened rule. In thankfulness we will attempt to keep the price of oil below $75 per barrel.
Allahu Akbar,
Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad
Posted by: Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad | Dec 1, 2004 1:01:31 PM
How to be an ass on the internet....see message from the "Sheikh"
Posted by: Not Tom | Dec 1, 2004 1:12:49 PM
p.s. here is perhaps some middleground for those inclined:
http://www.dod.mil/americasupportsyou/support/help.html
Posted by: Right of Center | Dec 1, 2004 1:17:16 PM
It's nice to pay off those who defend so you don't have to at http://www.dod.mil/americasupportsyou/support/help.html
Posted by: iGave | Dec 1, 2004 1:27:10 PM
ROC,
Thanks for the website. It looks like a nice way to continue to support the troops and the country.
Bill
Posted by: Bill | Dec 1, 2004 1:38:42 PM
Sorry, Deb.
I'm going to curse on your blog.
For those of you who support the war, I say. "Suit up or shut the fuck up."
If you are under 35, support the war and haven't visited your local recruiting office, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Posted by: Roxanne | Dec 1, 2004 1:43:12 PM
Roxanne, Does that also go for Police Work? Firefighting?
Were you a human shield in Iraq? If not.....?
(I'll say a prayer for your niece, I hope she will be ok)
Posted by: Right of Center | Dec 1, 2004 1:49:14 PM
What if we think the war in Iraq is a good thing but not a vital thing? It's certainly better having Saddam out of power and not having them shoot at our planes everyday in violation of UN sanctions, but it's not to the level of WWII, do or die.
There are many things worth doing in our country, being a soldier is one of them, not the only one.
Posted by: Lex | Dec 1, 2004 2:03:42 PM
p.s.
I wonder if Roxanne's logic works for the Abortion Debate? Perhaps only women who have had an abortion should voice opinions about them?
Just wondering....
"Suit up or shut the fuck up."
Indeed.
Posted by: Right of Center | Dec 1, 2004 2:15:45 PM
TO G.C.
Maybe I didn't make my self clear but i don't think army recruits should be on ANY DISTRICT'S SCHOOL PROPERTY! The Army promotes VIOLENCE, which in ANY OTHER CASE is ILLEGAL TO PROMOTE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. IF RECRUITERS WANT MEN AND WOMWN THEY SHOULD GO TO SUPERMARKETS OR MALLS INSTEAD OF DISRUPTING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT!!!!!!
Posted by: GRblonde | Dec 1, 2004 4:06:44 PM
