"I haven't killed but I've done things I don't think are right"
Louisiana rest stop:Tall white guy with male child - wasn't angry, going to tower over me scream at me - many times he had to tell me that, he wasn't the kind that was going to threaten me but he likes to talk, talk things over, discuss. kept reassuring me so many times i was on high alert, wondering if he'd really like to hurt me.
He was drawn over to talk with me because of the "disarm: military, police, all men" painted on my truck. He identified himself as military, active duty and the minute he said that, I told him "son, you need to quit the military, you need to become a conscientious objector, you need to turn your back on them and free yourself. And when his wife approached, I told her the same thing.
Anyway, he's same old shit: we've been at war forever, humans have always been at war, we have to go get them before they get us, we're trying to help them, we're a super power that means we HAVE to have our military all around the world.
He acknowledges he's being trained to kill but is grateful he hasn't had to kill yet and he hopes he won't have to but he might have to. But he admits with a severe frown that even though he hasn't actually killed anyone, he's done many other things that he's not ashamed of but has gone against what he thinks is right.
We talking for a long time, his 3 year old in his arms. They might have been in their late 20's, white, just wanting me to know that all men in the military weren't the same and that he was not going to hurt me or act like some of this fellow men would act. Of course I have to insert "unless your commanding officer orders you to hurt me".
Before he leaves with his wife and child, he smiles sheepishly and tells me I have given him lots to think about, to consider, things he's never thought about before. I urge him again to follow his consciousness, and not orders from another person.
He was drawn over to talk with me because of the "disarm: military, police, all men" painted on my truck. He identified himself as military, active duty and the minute he said that, I told him "son, you need to quit the military, you need to become a conscientious objector, you need to turn your back on them and free yourself. And when his wife approached, I told her the same thing.
Anyway, he's same old shit: we've been at war forever, humans have always been at war, we have to go get them before they get us, we're trying to help them, we're a super power that means we HAVE to have our military all around the world.
He acknowledges he's being trained to kill but is grateful he hasn't had to kill yet and he hopes he won't have to but he might have to. But he admits with a severe frown that even though he hasn't actually killed anyone, he's done many other things that he's not ashamed of but has gone against what he thinks is right.
We talking for a long time, his 3 year old in his arms. They might have been in their late 20's, white, just wanting me to know that all men in the military weren't the same and that he was not going to hurt me or act like some of this fellow men would act. Of course I have to insert "unless your commanding officer orders you to hurt me".
Before he leaves with his wife and child, he smiles sheepishly and tells me I have given him lots to think about, to consider, things he's never thought about before. I urge him again to follow his consciousness, and not orders from another person.
posted by Xan @ 11:40 AM
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