I was just solicited by an Army recruiter

I have a day off today so I am home here on the ouskirts of Jersey City. As I was walking to the corner store I saw a guy in a recruiter's regalia talking to one of the young kids in my neighborhood. The neighborhood is mostly poor and minority populated (we have a vibrant dominican community - you all should come out it's a fun place to be). Anyway as I walked by the recruiter said that he liked my pants as I was wearing camouflage army surplus pants. I said thanks and went on to the store.

Eventually he came into the store and asked me how old I was and why did I stop my education. I said that I just got my masters degree and he said why stop there. He asked me how old I was and I said 32. By this time he knew I wasn't buying it and he just shook my hand and I thanked him for his service.

I just found it creepy that in this somewhat poor and very latino-heavy neighborhood that recruiters are scouting in the early afternoon on a school day.

I either say...."Whats it like to have an idiot for a Commander in Chief"
or "Dont sign up while Bush is in the Whitehouse"
or "Bush sucks"

:hi:

I have no idea where he or she stands politically

I never 'dis' someone in uniform, as I was in the Air Force once, I only comment on Bush
and this rogue Whitehouse.......Bush and Cheney have ruined this Country :hi:

I'm not going to make some sort of statement no matter how crazy the situation makes me feel.

I would, as they need to know the situation............


They have been 'dis sed' by being sent to Iraq in the first place....

:hi:

oy vey

I had Reagan when I was in, thank Gawd I didnt have Bush !!!
:hi:

Why he wasn't recruiting in Princeton or Trenton or Westchester County.

:hide:

They need warm bodies and their best hope is to catch them while still young and dumb. Once they get older and wiser you know what the response will be-like yours.

He said he liked your pants?

And you let him shake your hand?

I would have so "No thanks, I don't shake hands with people who are pimping for Bush".

right or wrong

Yeah -- he's serving our country all right.

He's serving our country by hanging out in poor minority neighborhoods, trying to entice poor minority people into joining the killing machine known as the US Military.

He's among the worst kind of military people -- those who try to get others to join in the killing.

Some "service" to our country.

he joined the military and this is the job they gave him. That being said I wanted to say "what the f&*$ are you doing?" but that would have been a waste of both our time.

I see.

Doing the job that they gave him gives him a pass.

Did he tell you that he was "only following orders"?

What would you have said?

You ask what I would have said to person trying to entice poor, young minority people to become cannon fodder in the killing machine also known as the US Military.

I would have looked, first at his hand, then I would have looked at him straight in his eyes, and said, "No thanks, I don't shake hands with people who are pimping for Bush." Then I would have said, "Get lost. You are NOT welcome in this neighborhood."

Then I would have stood there until he left.

I'm just not that confrontational

Making the assumption that he supports Bush. Interesting. I take it you feel all Government employees support Bush?

Obviously, I feel differently than you on service in the military, but hey, disagreement on this board is nothing new.

You can't serve the country for the wrong reasons, it means your serving because you are willing to look the other way on things like torture, warrantless wiertaps, the incarceration of people who have not committed a crime, the total disregard for the rule of law, and no respect for the Constitution you swore to defend.

So, I served my country because I believed in the Constitution and the rights that all were subject to!

I just don't know what I was supposed to say to the guy that would change things

I don't get the reference

the fodder sn't dropping off trees anymore.

scary

:scared:

have been able to answer him because I would have been laughing too hard.

I think that's why he gave up

They get the kids coming and going to classes! Talk about a 'captive audience'! :grr:
They show up on Career Day with 'cool stuff' like tanks and 50 caliber machine guns and
then, if you aren't on the opt out list, they copy personal info. on those kids and call them
at home! The recruiters will do what it takes to get next to these kids to recruit them, no
matter where they have to go or sometimes, what they have to say.

nothing new

personal information and I mean EVERYTHING!!!

LNCB changed the rules and that's how it's different now!

no doubt about it