13 responses to “Like a broken record.”

1. 

   mary said on August 23, 2005 at 11:15 am

   Um, your link doesn’t seem to be working.

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2. 

   Nance said on August 23, 2005 at 11:31 am

   Sorry. Fixed.

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3. 

   mary said on August 23, 2005 at 12:36 pm

   There are recruiters at my son’s high school everyday. Usually I pick him up an hour and a half after dismissal (he goes to math tutoring or hangs out at a friend’s house near the school) but one day two weeks ago, I picked him up right as the bell rang. He had a dental appointment. There were other cars waiting to pick up kids. What I didn’t notice was the men in uniform in two of the cars. The bell rang, and out come Marines, Sailors and Soldiers, ready to chat up the mostly poor, mostly minority students.

   I have heard that as part of “no child left behind,” the military has access to your kid’s personal data for recruitment purposes. Not sure if this is true or not. What I do know is the recruiters have access to the students who are eligible to Title One funds. If you are poor enough to get a free lunch or discounted fees for your SATs, your name, address, phone number, GPA and income level are all delivered to those recruiters.

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4. 

   Dorothy said on August 23, 2005 at 12:50 pm

   Twice our son has met with recruiters, and both times he has declined to enlist, as of now. He’s pursuing a double major at OSU – Chinese and Criminal Justice. I feel like it’s inevitable that he’s going to enlist. I’m not wild about the idea, but I realize he is old enough to make his own decisions. He knows how his dad and I feel – we support him. But we are scared to death – like all the other parents these days.

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5. 

   John said on August 23, 2005 at 1:31 pm

   I like that picture of you and those frames are attractive too.

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6. 

   Nance said on August 23, 2005 at 2:37 pm

   Thanks, John, I’ll pass your compliments along to the photographer — Kate. I hate all pictures of myself, and so I tend to avoid cameras, but a headshot was necessary for this endeavor. I picked out a backdrop (the neighbor’s arbor vitae), handed her the camera and told her to fill the frame.

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7. 

   John said on August 23, 2005 at 3:51 pm

   Kate must have the magic touch because you look like 30-something in that photo.

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8. 

   Mindy said on August 23, 2005 at 3:59 pm

   My husband and a visiting relative were chatting outside our house when a Marine recruiter arrived in search of the house’s former owners’ seventeen-year-old son. “Sorry,” my husband said, “he’s been in Washington State for almost eighteen months. I was Air Force and discharged fifteen years ago.” Our guest said, “And I’m pushing forty pretty hard.” The recruiter looked him up and down, saying that arrangements could be made. My husband laughed and said, “I’m sure they can be right about now!” The recruiter sneered and beat it the hell out of here on the double.

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9. 

   brian stouder said on August 23, 2005 at 5:52 pm

   “I’m not wild about the idea, but I realize he is old enough to make his own decisions. He knows how his dad and I feel – we support him.”

   Dorothy – I know that must have been a terribly difficult hurdle to clear, for the person who gave him birth!

   My 18 year old son – to make a long story short – would probably do better in the military than on the path he is on now. I say that, and I grimace. I believe it to be true, and I have told him as much – but whatever he does (I save Navy all the way – he is cool to the whole thing, but likes the Army), I support him.

   But it is still so much easier for me to say such a thing, as he never kicked and tumbled within my abdomen.

   Truly – my hat is off to you

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10. 

    amy said on August 23, 2005 at 10:42 pm

    My second oldest son moved away to go to college two years ago. Recruiters still call my house for him, usually at like 7am.

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11. 

    Claire said on August 24, 2005 at 12:15 am

    I like your pic there, too, Nance.

    I’ve commented here previously that my sister is serving in Iraq.

    She is forty-one and has a 10-year-old son. My husband and I have been taking care of him. Now talk about an experience! Mother misses her dear son so bad that she literally aches. Son so misses his mother that he can’t bring himself to talk about her much. He is being very brave and we’re so proud of him (and his mom).

    Right now, I don’t have the energy to pick a side, point a finger, or say anything profound myself. But my nephew’s dream, which he told his grandma about last week, speaks volumes:

    “I was in the airport and it was really crowded. I was looking for my mom. I couldn’t see her. Then some people finally pointed her out to me, but I was on an escalator going up, away from her. I finally found her and when she was right in front of me, she couldn’t see me! I was holding something in my hand and was so mad that I crushed it.”

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12. 

    Dorothy said on August 24, 2005 at 6:13 am

    Oh Claire my eyes are still burning from the tears that filled them while I read your nephew’s description of his dream! I’m sure my two nephews and niece are having similiar feelings, but their dad is in Kosovo, not Iraq. But gone is gone, and the days must be agonizing.

    And thanks, Brian, for your salute. I keep thinking “If Josh joins up, I could be on the computer night and day making entries like this cause I’m sure as shit not going to be sleeping anymore.”

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13. 

    mary said on August 24, 2005 at 12:24 pm

    One of the things I really hate about this war is the cynical exploitation by our leaders of people’s best instincts and intentions. At least it looks that way to me. It’s heartbreaking.

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