Slog - Comments on The Land of Canada

Comment by Ziggity

Ziggity — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:21:39 -0800

The saddest thing about this is that he could've just told them he was gay and it all would've gone away.

Comment by Marty

Marty — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:22:54 -0800

What, that he voluntarily joined the military so they would pay for his college and then broke the contract?

Sorry Charles, this is not the 70's... he SIGNED UP.

Comment by rb

rb — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:27:24 -0800

This is aboot Canada in the age of PM Harper.

And what @2 said.

Comment by raindrop

raindrop — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:27:42 -0800

What @2 said. It doesn't matter what the war is, the military can't tolerate soldiers going AWOL without consequences. True in George Washington's time as it is in GWB's time.

Comment by monkey

monkey — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:37:47 -0800

Yeah, I'm dittoing #2 as well.

Comment by subwlf

subwlf — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:44:16 -0800

You break your phone contract - you pay a fee.

Maybe we can get the country out of debt this way?
(;=

Comment by michael strangeways

michael strangeways — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:01:47 -0800

not feeling too bad for him...we don't have a draft and no one forced him to join.

he should have offered to fellate his commanding officer.

Comment by Giffy

Giffy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:09:47 -0800

Sorry he signed up, knowing that war was a possibility. Its the military not starbucks. He made the commitment, received the benefits and has to accept the responsibilities. Order and discipline are important in a military.

The Iraq war is not so illegal or immoral as to rise to the level of say serving the Nazis. Now if he say receives a direct order to say mow down some children, he should disobey, but he does not get to leave the military just because he doesn't like the war.

Comment by lark

lark — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:27:57 -0800

Charles,
I agree with just about everyone on this Slog and part with you. It's not sad it's foolish. He (Robin Long or Corey Glass et al.) won't get any empathy from me. Mr.Long volunteered. He wasn't drafted. Many Canadians against the Iraq War and the Canadian courts apparently agree as well. Which is one of the reasons why some if not all these AWOL American servicemen will be deported.

Comment by THobbes

THobbes — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:42:20 -0800

I second #2 and #8. If this guy felt so strongly that Iraq is an illegal war, then he should have refused deployment and been court-martialed, where he would have had the opportunity to present his argument. Now, I'm almost certain that he would have been found guilty in that scenario, and maybe sent to prison, but he should have been aware of that when he chose to act the martyr. Running away from his obligation makes him a coward, not a hero.

Comment by DanFan

DanFan — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:46:22 -0800

Former veteran here, and I ditto everyone in these comments. People join to get all of the benefits - and there are many! - but they kind of forget the main reason the military exists. Anyone who has joined since 9/11 KNEW they were going to war. If they say otherwise, they're blatant liars. Or morons. Once you're in, you're in. Uncle Sam owns your ass, and what he says goes, whether you agree with it or not. These guys should have thought about that instead of their $5000 signing/re-enlistment bonus.

Comment by Hypocrites?

Hypocrites? — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:06:44 -0800

So how is this any different than the Watada saga? Other than Watada garnered near unanimous support from Sloggers...

Comment by sepiolida

sepiolida — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:10:45 -0800

He should have run to Mexico.

It's more fun anyway.

Comment by Giffy

Giffy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:13:15 -0800

@12, I think he got a lot of support from actual sloggers. Myself and others in the comments thought he was a whiny fuckwit.

Comment by john

john — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:35:45 -0800

@12 and 14,

Rather than trying to dodge his obligations, he stuck around and faced them head on. It's the difference between saving your own skin and accepting responsibility for a poor decision.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:36:18 -0800

@1 is right.

By the way, Nelson BC is a wonderful place this time of year, if you're looking for an inexpensive vacation destination with mountains, biking, hiking, beaches, theatre, and lots of young folks. And free ferry boat rides.

Shout out to Kaslo and Trail as well!

Comment by john

john — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:36:34 -0800

@12 and 14,

Rather than trying to dodge his obligations, he stuck around and faced them head on. It's the difference between saving your own skin and accepting responsibility for a poor decision.

Comment by Giffy

Giffy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:35:12 -0800

@17, facing them head on would have been to plead guilty and go to jail.

Comment by Mab

Mab — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:05:07 -0800

@16 and if you're looking for really great weed & Canadian hippies.

Comment by Gnarls Mudede

Gnarls Mudede — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:27:53 -0800

Charles,

I think you're crazy.

Comment by Gnarls Mudede

Gnarls Mudede — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:30:37 -0800

Charles,

I think you're crazy.

Comment by Gnarls Mudede

Gnarls Mudede — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:31:52 -0800

Charles,

I think you're crazy.

Comment by Toby

Toby — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:52:23 -0800

As @2, @8 and other have said, the main difference is volunteer vs. conscript.

Although as a Canadian I'd like to let them come run up here anyway, on the other hand I can see the point in not letting them. Many of these people signed up specifically to go to Iraq.

Now some have changed their minds. They made a bad choice, but they have to live with that choice now. It's sad, but it was their choice.