Paladin06

We have not come very far at all in all these years and all those who have gave their life for this great nation. We still see a "black man" and a "white female".

Almost makes me sick to my stomach that I might have wasted the best 20 years of my life standing on the front line of freedom to perserve this great nation and its people. [:@]

kramtrah

Greg, in some repects you may be right, but on the other side I see this great nation as one that does make it work for the millions of different people we have here. The best thing besides leadership that I gained while I served in the Marines, was getting to know people from many different back grounds, religions, and race. It was the best thing to ever experience and one that the rest of the general pop of the US could learn from. The military works based on your qualities and capabilities as Soldier, Marine, Airman, or Sailor. No politics to worry about, no prejudice. On the outside, inequalities still exist unfortunately, but again, we aren't all running out and shooting one another because we are not all of the same race, religion, or belief. Thanks for your 20 bro, I only did 2 enlistments and moved to civy life after the 1st Gulf war. As for my family, like I said I learned to look at people for who they are. It just so happened that my beautiful wife was not like me. Im white, she's black, and we have the best marriage I could ever have imagined.

Semper Fi!

Paladin06

We have more in common then you know. I hear and respect you opinion. My wife is French Canadian and the love of my life for 22 years after a failed marriage.

Thx for your service and feedback my brother in arms.

brucer41

Paladin, there are times I feel the same way as you do. I did 22 in Uncle Sams canoe club doing my best to ensure that this country stood head and shoulders above all of the evil in the world. Yet, I do see that no matter how far we have come as a nation we always seem to slde back into things that have no place in todays society. I would never ever go back and change what I have done in my life pertaining to the military as it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Always nice to see other military members around places like this.

BootCamp

I understand what you're saying here. Its very easy to see the differences between all of us and use that as a basis for categorization. But I think we've come a long way in that we categorize instead of prejudge. There's no denying Obama is a black man and Palin is a white woman. That's what we "see". But we can also "see" that neither is a puppet of their political party.
40 years ago, there was no liklihood that either would have been on the Presidential Election ballots. But here we are, and regardless of how the results of the election pan out, it WILL be a "first" in our history. That IS progress. That's something that's been won with blood from our vets.
We forget that since we're all human and make mistakes, our government - made up of fallable people - will make mistakes too. We unfairly expect more of our elected officials.

Greg, you didn't waste a minute of your service time. You helped us get to this point - along with every other vet - where we have the right and responsibility to make history in a few weeks. This IS a great nation - as you pointed out twice. It's not perfect, but we can all work to make it better with the benefit of the diversity we all contribute. The whole is far less than the sum of it's parts.

DSkippy

Paladin, First, thank you for your service in defending this, the Greatest Nation to bless the earth, country. I've agreed with sentiments behind most of your posts. I have to part ways on this passage

If I am understanding it the way it reads to me.

I like and dislike these two candidates solely for the views on life (life as in life in general not as in pro-) and politics. It has nothing to do with their genders or race. Had we been in a time where pictures were not part of the internet (think Wildcat Bulletin Board or any other bbs) and the popular media had no images to convey and there were not the rancor of raced base politics (to where one were identified by either his own ads or an opponents or "journalism") or the gender traditional names that would identify either of these candidates races or gender, I would do as any enlightened person would do and make their judgment/vote based on the content of their heart and not color of their skin or the gender of their biology.

If you sat me down and said Candidate A believes in this and Candidate B believes in this. I would abhor one and adore the other.

Paladin, I was reading back through the thread to determine what caused you to bring up race and gender and I couldn't find it.

I disagree from more the core of your oversimplification of this. I would hope "we" as a nation are beyond this; but if "we" aren't I am.

Maybe I am naive; maybe, but I'd rather live in a perception of America in its ideal as opposed to one where "I don't vote for him because he's black" or "I don't vote for her because she's white", it not only diminishes the character of what this country is, but its collective intellect.

If I were black, I certainly wouldn't vote for Obama because he were black. I would vote for him because he will lead the nation as I feel he should. Additionaly, if I were a woman I wouldn't vote for McCain/Palin because one of them is a woman. Admittedly, if you went back to my previous hypothetical and had no pictures or description of either their race or gender, one might swear their genders (McCain/Palin) were reversed based on their words alone.

Had I had my druthers, I'd vote for Palin over McCain in a primary. She has more executive experience, less political baggage, and more of the right stuff than either McCain or Obama. And no, not because she's a White Woman, but because, she has tried to impart change on corrupt broken governments.

McCain and Obama's pasts are too shady for my taste, and certainly too "progressive".

RoswellGrey

I think Paladin was making more of a general statement than something specifically tied to a previous post.

Just as a side issue, but since the origin of this thread was Andre's friendship with Sarah Palin, I should note that I actually talked one-on-one to George W. Bush one time. When he was governor of Texas, I was vaguely aware he had a meeting scheduled with the bigwigs at my company one day, but of course had no idea when he was coming. At one point, I was engaging in my favorite pastime of disappearing from my assigned work station and was hanging around out on the front steps of the building smoking. A big, black Caddy pulls out and who gets out (by himself) than the new governor. Since I'm the only person in the area and since he had to do the obvious politician's thing of giving me a cheery greeting, Bush says, "Hi! How are you doing?" Not expecting to be talking to him, the only thing I could think of to say was, "Fine, thanks. How are your parents?" He gave me a big grin and said, "Oh, fine. Thanks for asking." He's the only person who became president that I ever talked to, although I actually did go see Ronald Reagan in person three times.

Rudy61SRT8

WOW THIS TOPIC MADE MY DAY !!! I Should have looked in off-topic more !

I can't believe your friends with GOVENOR PALIN !!! All I do is watch politics and I must say she is a VERY SEXY VP CANIDATE !!!

I bet snowmobiles are fun but being from Miami I wouldn't know. and I think it's horrible that a lot of false information was being said about Gov. Palin !

SHES HOT AND HAS MY VOTE ! (first time voting)

Rudy61SRT8

ANDRE you should take the Challenger to that looooooooong road that no one drives on and hit 180 and youtube it.