I've always been a people watcher. I don't know when it started or why, but I have always noticed people and their trends and behavior.
In the last few years I have noticed something about a lot of my black brothers, a sad and bothersome trend. I've noticed that many brothers seem to put a higher premium on white women than they do black women. Okay - sure, that might not be anything new, especially to folks that live in major metropolitain areas. But after walking down the isle in the grocery store tonight, behind a 20 something year old black guy with this homely white girl and a surprisingly cute baby daughter, I found myself thinking about the numerous times that I have seen this combination.
You have this young thugged out black kid, trying his damnedest to look hardcore while he's holding hands with some girl that looks like Rosanne Barr.
And, then I think about the countless young black girls with their 2 and 3 little black babies with no dad and no father figure anywhere to be seen. I simply think these young black males are more proud of their white women and the little babies they have with them. I find it too frequent to be a coincidence. Many of the young black males in the Maryland and DC area [and probably other places too] are simply awestruck at the idea of having a white woman. And not even talking about a pretty white woman, many of these women are just plain old, homely, and dumpy. I think I'd personally except it a little better if some of these women were attractive, at least then it would seem like - "hey, she's sexy, so you can see why I want to be with her..." but that is hardly ever the case in my personal observations!!! Now don't get your panties in a bunch - I'm not saying all white women are unattractive, that would be insane to say. But I feel that many young black guys aren't even trying to be selective. Whatever gives them the time of day is where they'll lay their head that night.
I firmly believe that many of these guys would probably love to screw a black woman, possible pregnancy-be-damned, if she gets knocked up and the time to be a man and a father comes, these same guys will run and hide from the black women and snuggle deep into the open arms of the white women. I'm being dead honest here. And, considering the current pathetic state of the Black Nuclear Family today (see my blog entries two months ago) I'm certain some of these guys are leaving the white girls too, but I have clearly noticed more young black males, aged 16 to 25, being loving and attentive to their bi-racial kids than to the kids that look to have black mothers.
I'm really disheartened to see that black men seem to be discounting the value of the women of their races - please keep in mind that I'm not saying all black men do this, probably not even a majority of black men - but the number is pretty high - in my opinion.
I often think that it is natural desire in people to produce offspring that look the same way you do. No - before anyone reading this challenges my scientific proof of this, calm down - I have no proof, it just SEEMS like the natural thing. I think that is subconsciously why people of similar ethnic groups choose to marry and have children together. My parents were both black and I look like both of them for the most part. My wife is black and my kids look like us. My friends have kids that look like them... but I find that bi-racial kids usually don't look like the parents. I think the natural physical traits of different races are so different that they tend to create a third physical characteristic. But my point in all this anthropologic rambling is this - I sometimes wonder if - deep down - black men that "agressively" seek white women to have babies with, aren't in fact in a phase of self loathing. They see something within themselves that they want to change or get rid of... they want their progeny to look different from them, they want their kids to not have their black skin, they want their babies to have different hair, they want their kids to have thinner lips and noses, they want to stare into blue eyes instead of brown... they want all these things and more that white women and white genetics can give them.
Now, after all this racial posturing, I want to make something clear. I AM NOT against interracial dating per se, because sometimes you just can't help who you vibe with, or who's smile you're drawn to. You sometimes can't and shouldn't fight against who you fall in love with. I'd rather see a black person with a white person that is going to love and treasure them anyday before seeing two people of the same race who disrepect each other and basically treat each other like shit. But I get the sincere impression that a lot of these confused black males just see "white", nothing but WHITE and figure that THAT must make it RIGHT!!!! They go to their boyz and boast about how they won't tolerate a black woman's 'attitude' - they just lump ALL black women into this one negative and unappealing group. This is what I cannot accept.
This whole phenomenon of de-valuing black women and putting a premium on white women is very disappointing to me. But, if you think I'm crazy, take a look around at the young black men and the women you see many of them with. Just look around, and if I'm wrong - then fine. But if I'm right, just remember where you heard it!!!
TTBM
24 June 2006
15 June 2006
Angry-as-HELL Black Man...
This is the only WARNING I'm giving to anyone the offends easily...
"If you offend easily, please STOP and proceed to another of my entries. Thank you for visiting The Thinking Black Man."
Okay...
I'm pissed off!
It seems as though 13 year old Deangelo Borras was standing in the courtyard of his apartment in Southwest Washington DC last night, talking with his 32 year old mentor. Deangelo was a bright eyed and handsome little kid that had just passed the 7th grade and was probably planning on spending the rest of the summer swimming and playing with his friends. I say 'probably' because we will never know. Three little motherfuckers walked up on the two of them and gunned Deangelo and his mentor down - killing the 13 year old.
Three young black males armed with handguns walked up to them and shot them down in cold blood. I have to ask, "What the fuck is wrong with so many of these young black males?"
Yeah, yeah - I know the 'Company Line'
"white kids commit crimes too..."
"the media doesn't focus on crimes that white kids do..."
I don't doubt for a second that white kids commit crime, but I do NOT believe that dozens of murders by white kids in DC and its surrounding counties are being covered up and hidden in some well orchestrated scheme by radio news, televised news and written news. To me that is just the argument of folks that refuse to accept that there is a problem with a frightening proportion of young black males!!! Don't try to point the finger of violent crime into the mysterious ether of "white kids that commit crimes too."
I am not too worried about white kids - there, I said it.
I am worried that it will be a young black boy that will stick a gun in my face, I am worried that it will be a young black boy that will car-jack my wife, I am worried that it will be a young black boy that will stick up my kid on the way to school. Why? Why you ask? Why is a Black Man more concerned about being victimized by young blacks than young whites?
Because my fucking eyes are open!!! That's why!!!
Now, I'm not scared of black kids. And, I believe the vast majority of our kids are bright eyed, positive and hopeful youngsters. The ones that scare me... I mean ANGER me, are the ones like these little assholes that got on the train with me yesterday - a half dozen young boys, ages 12 to 16, all with these crazy ass looking hairstyles and baggy clothes hanging off their asses, cussin' loud, swinging from the rails, yelling and like god-damn fools. When they got off the train and before the doors closed, they yelled and cursed back into the train and kicked the window where a man was trying to doze. They were like fucking animals!
And then there are the young black males wanted for the murder of Donald Victor in Tacoma, MD. These animals pulled a gun on him, demanded his wallet, made him lie down and then shot and killed him before scurrying away like the fucking cock roaches that they are. The little bastards were caught on video at a convenience store using his credit card to buy snacks and shit. He's dead and these motherfuckers are buying Little Debbie pies.
Then there are the young black males that came upon a 63 year old David Rosenbaum in Northwest DC. They beat him in the head with a pipe and stole his wallet and cellphone. He died and they used his cell phone to call friends and family and then used his cards to buy rims.
And, we have the young black male that, on May 19th, stuck a gun to the head of an infant in his mothers arms to rob and carjack the mother here in Maryland.
Then a few weeks ago, traffic into DC came to an hours long delay because four young black males had stolen a Dodge Durango and decided to try and outrun the police. Of course these lil'bastards had no remorse for innocent people or property that didn't belong to them. They pulled out onto busy New York Ave. a main artery into the city and crashed into four other vehicles injuring 7 people and causing miles and hours of delays.
I could go on and on with heinous crimes committed recently in the Maryland/DC area - murders, shootings, car jackings, robberies the list is endless. But my bottom line is this - I don't give a fuck about what white kids do out in suburbia, yeah, I know they have some sick bastards too - one of them killed two cops in Virginia a few weeks ago, but what I AM concerned about, is the fact that where I live and where I work and where I shop and where I play, and where my friends live, work, shop and play - we are more likely to be victimized, violently - by a young male with skin the same color as ours. And, that shit pisses me off!!!
TABM.
"If you offend easily, please STOP and proceed to another of my entries. Thank you for visiting The Thinking Black Man."
Okay...
I'm pissed off!
It seems as though 13 year old Deangelo Borras was standing in the courtyard of his apartment in Southwest Washington DC last night, talking with his 32 year old mentor. Deangelo was a bright eyed and handsome little kid that had just passed the 7th grade and was probably planning on spending the rest of the summer swimming and playing with his friends. I say 'probably' because we will never know. Three little motherfuckers walked up on the two of them and gunned Deangelo and his mentor down - killing the 13 year old.
Three young black males armed with handguns walked up to them and shot them down in cold blood. I have to ask, "What the fuck is wrong with so many of these young black males?"
Yeah, yeah - I know the 'Company Line'
"white kids commit crimes too..."
"the media doesn't focus on crimes that white kids do..."
I don't doubt for a second that white kids commit crime, but I do NOT believe that dozens of murders by white kids in DC and its surrounding counties are being covered up and hidden in some well orchestrated scheme by radio news, televised news and written news. To me that is just the argument of folks that refuse to accept that there is a problem with a frightening proportion of young black males!!! Don't try to point the finger of violent crime into the mysterious ether of "white kids that commit crimes too."
I am not too worried about white kids - there, I said it.
I am worried that it will be a young black boy that will stick a gun in my face, I am worried that it will be a young black boy that will car-jack my wife, I am worried that it will be a young black boy that will stick up my kid on the way to school. Why? Why you ask? Why is a Black Man more concerned about being victimized by young blacks than young whites?
Because my fucking eyes are open!!! That's why!!!
Now, I'm not scared of black kids. And, I believe the vast majority of our kids are bright eyed, positive and hopeful youngsters. The ones that scare me... I mean ANGER me, are the ones like these little assholes that got on the train with me yesterday - a half dozen young boys, ages 12 to 16, all with these crazy ass looking hairstyles and baggy clothes hanging off their asses, cussin' loud, swinging from the rails, yelling and like god-damn fools. When they got off the train and before the doors closed, they yelled and cursed back into the train and kicked the window where a man was trying to doze. They were like fucking animals!
And then there are the young black males wanted for the murder of Donald Victor in Tacoma, MD. These animals pulled a gun on him, demanded his wallet, made him lie down and then shot and killed him before scurrying away like the fucking cock roaches that they are. The little bastards were caught on video at a convenience store using his credit card to buy snacks and shit. He's dead and these motherfuckers are buying Little Debbie pies.
Then there are the young black males that came upon a 63 year old David Rosenbaum in Northwest DC. They beat him in the head with a pipe and stole his wallet and cellphone. He died and they used his cell phone to call friends and family and then used his cards to buy rims.
And, we have the young black male that, on May 19th, stuck a gun to the head of an infant in his mothers arms to rob and carjack the mother here in Maryland.
Then a few weeks ago, traffic into DC came to an hours long delay because four young black males had stolen a Dodge Durango and decided to try and outrun the police. Of course these lil'bastards had no remorse for innocent people or property that didn't belong to them. They pulled out onto busy New York Ave. a main artery into the city and crashed into four other vehicles injuring 7 people and causing miles and hours of delays.
I could go on and on with heinous crimes committed recently in the Maryland/DC area - murders, shootings, car jackings, robberies the list is endless. But my bottom line is this - I don't give a fuck about what white kids do out in suburbia, yeah, I know they have some sick bastards too - one of them killed two cops in Virginia a few weeks ago, but what I AM concerned about, is the fact that where I live and where I work and where I shop and where I play, and where my friends live, work, shop and play - we are more likely to be victimized, violently - by a young male with skin the same color as ours. And, that shit pisses me off!!!
TABM.
14 June 2006
Gay Marriage and The Constitution
I love the way Republicans bring out the "gays."
Whenever election time comes around and times are looking rough - the Republicans bring out the gays and they start needing to Amend the United States Constitution. Most American's fall for this right away and they hit the panic button.
This is a beautiful ploy, I must say-
You have the ultra religious here in the US that whenever they hear about gays being subjected to ANY kind of restriction or punishment - they vote in favor of whoever wants to do it! This sneaky little tactic brings a good portion of black non-Republicans into the Red voting mindset. These poor lost souls forget that the Republican party gives less than a damn about most black folks, but when Bush thumps a bible and calls gays a 'danger' to "our way of life," these folks come-a-runnin' ballot in hand!
Then you have the rural Mom's and Pop's in the Mid-West that would absolutely die in the middle of their driveways while drinking big glasses of sun-tea, the very minute Chad and Bobby move into the nice three bedroom down the street. So they too vote with the homophobe masses.
I have to hand it to the Republicans - they are the sneakiest, most low down bastards in the world. Sadly, I find myself more angry with my party - the Dumocrats. Uh, Democrats. For all the vile and conniving of the Republicans the Democrats match it step for step with cowardice, stupidity and weakness. The Republicans can take almost any issue - good or bad and spin it into greatness for themselves and few, FEW if any Democrats manage to stand up and call lies "LIES." Most of them sit back and whisper cute little sound bites for the media, but that doesn't mean shit. Republicans set the pace and the most the Democrats do is argue that they are not that different from the Republicans, just a little. That is why John Kerry's lame ass lost the election for us. He spent all of his time bobbing and weaving and jabbing at the obstacles that Karl Rove and the Republicans threw at him. The Bush team roped that dope.
If Kerry had grown a set of balls and real backbone - something few Democrats have managed in the last 7 years... he would have been on the campaign trail - burning George Bush's ass in effigy at every single stop! He should have been screaming at the top of his lungs - "Fuck the swiftboat mob! I served! I got hurt! I kept fighting! Now let me tell you why George Bush is fucking this country up and let me tell you why I won't!"
But now, I'm getting off subject.
Like I said to begin - It amazes me how American's fall for the "gay" issue whenever and however the Republicans tell them too. Their cold, heartless calculations are unmistakeably impressive.
TTBM
Whenever election time comes around and times are looking rough - the Republicans bring out the gays and they start needing to Amend the United States Constitution. Most American's fall for this right away and they hit the panic button.
This is a beautiful ploy, I must say-
You have the ultra religious here in the US that whenever they hear about gays being subjected to ANY kind of restriction or punishment - they vote in favor of whoever wants to do it! This sneaky little tactic brings a good portion of black non-Republicans into the Red voting mindset. These poor lost souls forget that the Republican party gives less than a damn about most black folks, but when Bush thumps a bible and calls gays a 'danger' to "our way of life," these folks come-a-runnin' ballot in hand!
Then you have the rural Mom's and Pop's in the Mid-West that would absolutely die in the middle of their driveways while drinking big glasses of sun-tea, the very minute Chad and Bobby move into the nice three bedroom down the street. So they too vote with the homophobe masses.
I have to hand it to the Republicans - they are the sneakiest, most low down bastards in the world. Sadly, I find myself more angry with my party - the Dumocrats. Uh, Democrats. For all the vile and conniving of the Republicans the Democrats match it step for step with cowardice, stupidity and weakness. The Republicans can take almost any issue - good or bad and spin it into greatness for themselves and few, FEW if any Democrats manage to stand up and call lies "LIES." Most of them sit back and whisper cute little sound bites for the media, but that doesn't mean shit. Republicans set the pace and the most the Democrats do is argue that they are not that different from the Republicans, just a little. That is why John Kerry's lame ass lost the election for us. He spent all of his time bobbing and weaving and jabbing at the obstacles that Karl Rove and the Republicans threw at him. The Bush team roped that dope.
If Kerry had grown a set of balls and real backbone - something few Democrats have managed in the last 7 years... he would have been on the campaign trail - burning George Bush's ass in effigy at every single stop! He should have been screaming at the top of his lungs - "Fuck the swiftboat mob! I served! I got hurt! I kept fighting! Now let me tell you why George Bush is fucking this country up and let me tell you why I won't!"
But now, I'm getting off subject.
Like I said to begin - It amazes me how American's fall for the "gay" issue whenever and however the Republicans tell them too. Their cold, heartless calculations are unmistakeably impressive.
TTBM
07 June 2006
Watch your kid... not me!
It's funny what people decide to pay attention to.
I went to the playground earlier with my wife and my kids. I actually got there after my wife and we were sitting near a ball field watching our kids play. My wife pointed out a woman sitting in a car in the parking lot about 30 feet away. It seems as though the woman in the car is the mother of a 'special needs' kid that comes to the playground from time to time. Her kid is a little taller and bigger than most of the other kids and doesn't really play smoothly with the other kids. I am not knocking or ridiculing her kid in any way, that is the last thing in the world I would do. Her kid just needs a little more attention, especially around smaller kids.
So, this woman always brings her kid to the playground and then she just sits in the car yacking on her cellphone. Me personally, I think parents of small kids should sit near the playground just to oversee their kids and make sure everyone is playing nicely with each other. And in her case, where her child needs a little extra attention - she should have her ass nearer than the doggone parking lot where she can't see or do anything. You can see how uncomfortable the other parents are when they have to supervise her kid when the child gets a little rough with the others or they have a hard time sharing. I think that's very unfair to the other parents that give a damn about their kids and have to watch after their kid AND hers.
I looked over my shoulder at the car and made the comment "That's pretty unfair. I guess she figures it's time for the village to raise her kid." Now, I didn't care if she heard me, one way or the other - it was how I felt, and I said it. I didn't say it loud and I didn't say it quietly. But, what happened next made me think that she may have.
About 45 seconds later, I noticed this fat woman standing about 12 feet away from us on her phone. My wife and I looked at her and she looked back at us with this strange, fake looking smile. We were talking about something else and kinda kept on with the subject at hand. The fat woman then walked past us and went back to THE CAR I was looking at with the lazy mother!!! So, then I put two and two together and figured that she heard my comment and was coming over to kinda' say, "Say it in my face!" Well, I have to say that I was glad I didn't speak to her when she walked up behind us - normally, I'm very friendly toward people and I'm quick to say "Hello." But, there was something about that fake smile that made me not even part my lips.
Now, I've got no problem with anyone that wants to ask me, "What did you say about me?" I like to be brutally honest sometimes, so I'll tell people how I feel straight up. What angered me, was the fact that this woman thought enough of what she heard me say to waddle her ass over for a possible confrontation. But she will not go push her kid on a swing, she will not help her kid down a slide, she will not help teach her kid to share toys at the playground - but she'll come over to me to, "See if he'll say it in my face!" God knows, I'd love to have that moment back - because I'm sure I'd have some words for her! I might not be as rude and nasty as I'm sure she'd want to be with me, but I'm positive that I'd encourage her to take some of that piss-n-vinegar she has in store for me, and flip it into guidance and go teach her kid how to play a little gentler with the little kids.
I'm just blown away at the fact that this woman would rather walk up to my wife and me and try to stare us down than go over to her kid and help the child make some friends at the playground. Other parents should not have to make sure her kid plays well with others when mom needs to be learning this lesson herself.
-TTBM
I went to the playground earlier with my wife and my kids. I actually got there after my wife and we were sitting near a ball field watching our kids play. My wife pointed out a woman sitting in a car in the parking lot about 30 feet away. It seems as though the woman in the car is the mother of a 'special needs' kid that comes to the playground from time to time. Her kid is a little taller and bigger than most of the other kids and doesn't really play smoothly with the other kids. I am not knocking or ridiculing her kid in any way, that is the last thing in the world I would do. Her kid just needs a little more attention, especially around smaller kids.
So, this woman always brings her kid to the playground and then she just sits in the car yacking on her cellphone. Me personally, I think parents of small kids should sit near the playground just to oversee their kids and make sure everyone is playing nicely with each other. And in her case, where her child needs a little extra attention - she should have her ass nearer than the doggone parking lot where she can't see or do anything. You can see how uncomfortable the other parents are when they have to supervise her kid when the child gets a little rough with the others or they have a hard time sharing. I think that's very unfair to the other parents that give a damn about their kids and have to watch after their kid AND hers.
I looked over my shoulder at the car and made the comment "That's pretty unfair. I guess she figures it's time for the village to raise her kid." Now, I didn't care if she heard me, one way or the other - it was how I felt, and I said it. I didn't say it loud and I didn't say it quietly. But, what happened next made me think that she may have.
About 45 seconds later, I noticed this fat woman standing about 12 feet away from us on her phone. My wife and I looked at her and she looked back at us with this strange, fake looking smile. We were talking about something else and kinda kept on with the subject at hand. The fat woman then walked past us and went back to THE CAR I was looking at with the lazy mother!!! So, then I put two and two together and figured that she heard my comment and was coming over to kinda' say, "Say it in my face!" Well, I have to say that I was glad I didn't speak to her when she walked up behind us - normally, I'm very friendly toward people and I'm quick to say "Hello." But, there was something about that fake smile that made me not even part my lips.
Now, I've got no problem with anyone that wants to ask me, "What did you say about me?" I like to be brutally honest sometimes, so I'll tell people how I feel straight up. What angered me, was the fact that this woman thought enough of what she heard me say to waddle her ass over for a possible confrontation. But she will not go push her kid on a swing, she will not help her kid down a slide, she will not help teach her kid to share toys at the playground - but she'll come over to me to, "See if he'll say it in my face!" God knows, I'd love to have that moment back - because I'm sure I'd have some words for her! I might not be as rude and nasty as I'm sure she'd want to be with me, but I'm positive that I'd encourage her to take some of that piss-n-vinegar she has in store for me, and flip it into guidance and go teach her kid how to play a little gentler with the little kids.
I'm just blown away at the fact that this woman would rather walk up to my wife and me and try to stare us down than go over to her kid and help the child make some friends at the playground. Other parents should not have to make sure her kid plays well with others when mom needs to be learning this lesson herself.
-TTBM
06 June 2006
SHOWTIME At the subway!!!
I think 95% of the people that ride the DC metro, ride it to get from point A to point B; to get to and from work or school; to do what they've gotta' do to save some time and some gas.
But then I think there are people that ride the trains to get the attention that they desperately want and need.
Today I was treated to an awful rendition of a Whitney Houston song by a half dozen teenage girls. These girls were too old to be acting so rowdy and too unskilled to to be doing ANYTHING musical.
A few days ago, I was treated to a weird sermon by an African woman who walked up and down the Greenline rambling on loudly about something in Revelation. I really find these people annoying. I don't need or want some goofball to read scripture to me or to pretend to be a preacher. I want them to just sit down and shut up. On top of that, I'm a Christian, but I'm not a 'gang mentality' Christian - so, I'm fairly respectful to people of other religious walks. And when I hear these jack-legged subway preachers trying to spout from the New Testiment, I tend to think about the folks on the train that might not be Christian... I don't think I'd want someone standing over me at U Street Cardoza yelling from the Quran!!!
Then there are the people that want to get on the train and sign hymms. They always seem to stand right next to me for some reason. I've got no truck with religion or hymms, but I want to hear them when I WANT TO HEAR them, NOT when somebody else decides they want to perform them for me!
Oh yeah - and then there was the transgender dude that sat in front of me earlier this week. I was reading my paper and this woman sat down in front of me. She was blasting go-go music on her MP3 player. I happened to notice that she kept looking all around. Behind her, in front of her, to the sides, she was just looking all over. It was during one of these 'looks' that I really noticed her face - it was hard and manly looking. You could probably strike a match across her cheek. She was rough looking. That's when I realized SHE was a dude. Then as if on cue, she started singing with this deep and heavy mans voice. Everybody turned to look at him. Then he started throwing his hair... his uh, weave and he had these big, hard looking man hands. It was kinda' awful. After a few steps he/she stood up and pranced to the doors where he made sure everyone on the train noticed him as he left. It was weird.
And then there are the people that like to yell on their cell phones and share their personal information, as if anyone within 20 feet gives a damn. And then their are the girls that wear the skimpy outfits and spend the whole ride looking at everyone to see who is looking at them.
I just figure, this is probably the only attention many of these people get all day. So, I just schrug my shoulders and bury my face in my paper.
Never a dull moment on the Greenline.
TTBM
02 June 2006
Alleged Reality
(A color photo of two small, dead Iraqi children - a boy and a girl, in the back of a pickup truck surrounded by grieving adult men has been removed.)
It was very hard to upload this photograph.
Not hard in the technical sense of keystrokes and downloads and that stuff... But hard in the sense of its content.
This image is allegedly from the scene of the alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians by US Marines who allegedly snapped after the death of one of their own after a roadside bomb allegedly hit their convoy.
"ALLEGED" is one of those words you hear all the time in the news. I took a journalism class years ago and that was one of the first words I was taught. The technical meaning aside, 'alleged' allows you to basically say anything without it having to be true. Allegedly, using the word allows the user to present a veiled truth, a soft truth that can be denied or confirmed later as opportunities dictate.
You know what is NOT alleged?
The following statement: "This war is a crime against humanity. The people that led us into this conflict for greed, for lies, for personal revenge, for oil, for contracts, for a place in history - they are all criminals and should be thusly tried, convicted and punished!"
You know what is NOT alleged?
The fact that the two kids, the two little kids in this picture are dead. They will not grow old, they'll never get married or have kids of their own, they'll never play again, they'll never laugh again, they'll never have a chance to be a part of the new Iraq. Considering that this war has completely destroyed the old Iraq, it seems as though this kids should have had a chance to live in their new nation.
You know what is NOT alleged?
The fact that their are some Marines who's actions, whether justified or not, have cast a shadow on the finest fighting force in the history of this country...
Let me stop for a second and can all the flowery journalistic bullshit.
This photo of these dead kids simply broke my damn heart. I get a little queezy thinking of the last few minutes of their lives surrounded by bombs going off and bullets flying all around them. Regardless of whether or not someone in their house detonated that bomb that killed the Marine, these kids and any others that may have died probably spent the last few minutes of their lives in more terror than 99% of us will ever experience. I don't really know if those Marines were right or wrong for killing those 24 people - I wasn't there, I don't know how angry or scared or confused they may have been and I just can't imagine what was going on in their minds! People everywhere are either puzzled or angry or supportive or in denial of these Marines and their actions... Frankly, to me - this war, in this modern age of digital photography, and the Internet and satellite television is bringing home the true ugliness of warfare. I'm sure war has been an ugly event throughout history, with murder and sadism and cruelty and torture in every conflict. Only now, we can see it first hand with a press of a button or a click of the mouse.
One thing that I am convinced of now is the dark side of man. What I mean is - you have these ugly things that trained soldiers do, like Abu-gharib, like Haditha, like other killings and things of that nature that have been reported... These are trained soldiers! Now, what does TRAINED SOLDIERS mean? Very little when it comes to right vs wrong. See, the problem is - these are human beings. Teaching them how to fire a rifle, or toss a grenade, or flank an opponent, or iron a crease... It doesn't take away the heart of a human. It doesn't take away feelings, fears, nightmares, hopes, dreams. It doesn't take away or change a thing in a person's soul - I mean really. Just putting on a uniform and WANTING to be an ideal, doesn't always reach into the total essence of a person. Sure, some things change - I believe that. But, not everything. Those Marines in Haditha, regardless of their training, regardless of the Marine legacy, they killed 24 people. I wasn't there, I don't know if they were justified, I don't know that they were unjustified - I just know that war brings out the worst in people, whether you think they're good guys or bad guys. The conflict of combat, the clashing of wills, the desire to prove your cause the most worthy - it brings out the darkness in man.
TTBM
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