User: Zeus

========== In Reply To ========== One law of science says you can not create or destroy matter and matter cannot creat itself. One law of science says all matter has a beginning. This is my question. How did matter come into existence? To this day I have found no one to answer my question.

That's because no one knows the answer to your question. There are things that the human mind is too limited to comprehend. Religion is man's attempt to understand that which the human mind can't comprehend.

Quote: "Maybe if someone needs an operation, the surgeon could be under the influence. Or maybe the school bus driver, driving little kids could be under the influence."

How do you know they aren't now?

...and for the 23% who voted for Carl Yastremski as the best shortstop, he never played short. He replaced Ted Williams in leftfield in 1961 (his rookie year) and played there until late in his career when was replaced by Jim Rice and moved to first base and DH. But he played 80% of his 23 years with the BoSox in left...never played shortstop.

I agree with some of points and disagree with others. First of all, I disagree with you on what you call "this digusting eco-political battle we've got going on on the Middle East." But this is not the forum in which I want to get into that except to say if you have a true warrior mentality, which is necessary for a foot soldier, your politcal views would not factor into your thinking. A soldier is a trained killer who cannot let such idealology influence him in anyway. Your job is to kill. That's what you are trained to do and that's all that matters.

Second point: I don't agree that it is being "idle to sit back and fight from a $%!@pit or a tanker." These jobs are just as important as being on the front lines. These jobs are also very dangerous and I have all the respect in the world for the men and women who perform them. As for wanting to do it yourself, you would have to learn very quickly in any branch of the military that what you want isn't important. You learn to do your job, whatever it is, to the best of your ability and for the good of the entire operation.

And the dynamics of fighting that you may have learned in your martial art training have no validity on the battlefield where nothing is respectful. There is no room for respect, except for your fellow soldiers. The enemy must be killed at any cost.

There is nothing cowardly about the jobs that our pilots do in a war. They are in as much danger as anyone. To suggest that any of our pilots who spent time and/or died in the Hanoi Hilton is just plain wrong. And if you were ever a foot soldier, you would be very thankful for your air support and the brave men AND women who risk their lives to provide it.

As for killing someone's child without looking them in the face, there's no assurance you would not have to do that on the ground. Something that still haunts me to this day is when I had to shoot a young Vietnamese girl, who looked to be about 14, in the back when she was walking toward one of our Huey's with a gernade in her hand. But war is hell and those things happen and you have to be able to do your job when they do.

Its these type of experiences on which I base my skepticism on that women don't belong on ground forces. But I would also say that there are probably many men who also wouldn't belong. Just being born male doesn't qualify a person to become a trained killer any more than being born a women disqualifies them.

These jobs that you consider cowardly fighting are anything but. Every job in the military is important and dangerous and requires bravery and sacrifice. To suggest otherwise, in my opinion, is very disrespectful to the people who peform them in order for us all to enjoy our freedom.

You are not the typical American woman. You are obviosuly very a intellegent and proud woman. But I still don't think you have a true understanding of the physical and mental strain of being a foot soldier in combat. You can watch all the movies, documentaries, and news reels in the world, but I say yet again. You just have to be there!

I understand, I think, why you feel the way you do and I respect your feelings. I disagree with some of your opinions but everyone has opinions in which they are entiltled to. And the world would be a pretty boring place if we all held the samo opinions, although that might eliminate these wars.

And if I HAD to fight with women, you would be the type I would want to be there.

========== In Reply To ========== Quote: "Darling, can you tell me where I called him a name? Because I can swear that I said something about xenophobia...but...that's not exactly the same as calling him a f*cking idiot. Aside from my cursing habit, I did not blatantly taunt the man, who, I will agree, was a complete gentleman throughout the debate. In fact, I'd like to hear from him again."

First of all, I take no offesne at anything you said to or about me. I do not allow myself to be offended by anything someone says on an internet message board. And you have every right to your opinion as do all Americans. That`s one of the reasons we've fought wars to begin with. I respect your opinions and I will admit you make some very good points.

I can not or ever will change your opinion. You can not or in most likelihood will ever see this matter through my eyes. And I hope you never do. War is a necessary evil that I would not wish on anyone. So the best thing we can do is just agree to disagree.

You obviously take pride in being a woman. I hope that's something you never lose. I like to see women who are confident in themselves and refuse to take a back seat to men. But in my opinion, there comes a time when we must recognize the differences that do exist between the sexes and adjust our opinions accordingly. And I think putting women in armed combat is one of those times. To me its more of a use of common sense than putting down or denying women their rights.

But you obviously disagree. That is your right and I respect you for it. I guess my wish would be for there to come a day when neither young men OR women would have to be put in that situation. But we know human nature will ever allow that.

In closing, and I stress...I respect your opinion, I just don't happen to agree with it.