“If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq.”
Rep. Rangel: Lack Of Options Makes Soldiers Enlist
(CBS) NEW YORK Congressman Charles Rangel said most enlisted soldiers join the military because they do not have the “option of having a decent career.”
Speaking with Fox News reporter Chris Wallace on Sunday, Representative Rangel voiced his belief that soldiers in America’s armed forces join only for lack of a better choice.
He said:
“I want to make it abundantly clear: if there’s anyone who believes that these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits.”
Rangel also said of American soldiers:
“And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment. If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq.”
The Congressman also continued to press for the return of the draft, saying:
“I have been advocating a draft ever since the President’s been talking about war.”
Last month Senator Kerry told students at Pasadena City College that, “you know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”
His words were seen by Democrats and Republicans as demeaning to enlisted men and women, implying that they enlist because they do not “make an effort to be smart.” However, the senator later apologized, calling his statement a “botched joke” on President Bush.
Wild Thing’s comment……..
Seperatted at birth Rangel and Kerry sure love to bash our fine mimlitary. Rangel is making no bones about the fact he knows so little, other than being racially ignorant and demeaning those in the military and the state of Mississippi.
Rangel and Kerry both are not worth the air they breath. Patriotism is a concept they do not understand.
I really wish the GOP would stand up and denounce idiots like Rangel point blank. Oh well. I guess being a eunuch is so much better. Funny how the only person who had the guts to call the Democrats out was another Democrat, Zell Miller.
Hey you POS Rangel, how about this……Earth to Charlie: Boys only join Congress if they can’t have a decent career and ends up being a freeloading politician. One would be hard pressed to find a greater collection of mediocrity than the US Congress. The vast majority are of average intelligence at best. Most people of accomplishment stay in the private sector as politics in this country drives away the best and the brightest.
Just last week I had the honor of attending the retirement ceremony of a good friend of mine. He spent 28 years in the Air Force and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant (E-9); highest enlisted grade achievable. He also was a Black man and originally from Mississippi. The thing most significant about this retirement ceremony was that his son was the presiding officer and had the honor of retiring his father. His son is also in the Air Force, a 1st Lieutenant and pilot. The son said he had the honor or receiving his first salute as an officer from his father and now he has the honor of receiving the last salute his father will give. Both my friend and his son could have done other things and made more money as they are both highly educated but they chose a life serving this great nation of ours.
Charley Rangel doesn’t know his butt from a hole in the ground. Yes, the military has provided a way for many young men and women from lower income families to better themselves; I’m one of them. Imagine a young man or woman, right out of high school, going to work for a living. Imagine these young people before their 20th birthday working unsupervised on multi-million dollar aircraft and having the lives of a flight crew in their hands. Imagine a 21 year old Platoon Leader having the lives of his men in his hands, the decisions he makes will determine if his people live or die. Or that young person on the deck of an aircraft carrier, the most dangerous workplace in the world. One mistake and people die. Charley Rangel and John Kerry are talking out of their butts as their mouths know better.
The Heritage Society concluded from the available data that military members are just above the national average in education, and come from income groups also just above the national average.
Rangel is either too stupid, too dishonest, or too consumed by the hackery required of him by the left Donk establishment to speak the truth. There is no greater pack donkey in the House than Rangel. He gets his lines from the Clintons.
Along these lines, the same lies were disgorged by the left about the racial and income distribution of Vietnam veterans, and the killed and wounded of that war.
And you’re absolutely right, WT, about the qualifications and ambitions of members of Congress. I’m convinced that even those who appear to be on the up-and-up, have some quirk or moral deficiency that points them in that direction. Screw them all. Idiots.
I enlisted in the Marines at 17, I had a choice it was either the Marines or the Marines. My father was a Marine and at the time My brother was a Marine, there was NO other service to join.
Had I entertained any other thoughts, like the Army or the Navy, I might as well never come home again.
My father was a WW 2 vet and I was brought up believing it was my duty, honor, privilidge and an obligation to serve my country. Imagine that.
Today, and when it started in the 60s, however, there seemed/seems to be a different thought process, that this country owes people something( So much for ‘Ask Not’) and not people owing the country. The idea of an all volunteer Military says right to the Kennedys we don’t need you and your hand outs we have a mind of our own and if we don’t defend this country, Mr Rangle you won’t have anything to hand out.
This seems to be where Rangle is coming from, he doesn’t know that there still are people still willing to serve their country first and put on hold a career or whatever lies ahead.
To him, a Conscripted Military would play right into the hands of the leftist, who would not fight to feed their own kids, let alone for their country. Afterall, like cindy sheehan says, ‘there is nothing about this country worth fighting for’. Where does she think her Right comes from, that gives her the Right, to trash the president and the country,… not worth fighting for, Indeed, she is a moron, a sorry one but still a moron.
So we, the Jinogists, Nativists, Redneck, gun totin, America first crowd are the ignorant and under educated of the country and don’t know any better. Therefore, the Conscriptied would be putty in the hands of Charlie Rangle and his leftists ilk.
It has always my belief that if freedom is worth living it’s worth dying for.
I enlisted in the Army and volunteered for Vietnam because I was patriotic and thought I owed the men and women who had served and sacrificed before me. I had two deferrments, college and flat feet. So, with flat feet I eventually ended up in Special Forces with other guys who, guess what, also had some real deferrments they could have used to avoid military service.
I served with draftees who for the most part were good soldiers. They only came apart when it was proven we were in a no-win war in Vietnam. If we still had a draft, draftees would not accept the present sitution in Iraq because it is also a no-win war. We cannot have a draft unless we get back on the winning track of decisive wars.
I know some of the young guys in today’s military. They are sharp, patriotic kids. They are screened and must meet character qualifications I did not have to during Vietnam days. They are screened for drugs, alchohol abuse, criminal problems, etc. In my day, a young guy crawling into a recruiting station and scribbling his signature could get in the Army. He might later make a good trooper or he might be a habitual problem. We also had guys with Masters degrees and enlistees from families with famous names and massive fortunes.
Anyway, Rangel and Kerry, being professional politicians, exhibit the worst examples of a career that is full of losers, liars, connivers, perverts, gangsters, criminals, traitors, wimps, etc.
Underlying all this, too, is that Rangel is one of those petty tyrants who wishes to alter public policy through the coercive power of government.
This isn’t about conscription as a means to raise armies that represent the population, it’s Rangel’s hope that the THREAT of conscription will lead to resistance to policies he disagrees with. It’s government by the mob, something that would suit the jackass Rangel.
Something called “the truth” doesn’t exist for these monsters, and that’s what Rangel is.
Oh Chuckie is so wrong!
Military personnel have wonderful careers.
And to think just a few weeks ago, good ole Chuckie wanted to reinstate the draft. (so he wanted our brave young men and women to have “unfulfilling” careers?) I think he’s lost his marbles! He’s gone kookoo in the noggin!
I’m not going to say it’s not a tough life because it is, but you feel good for the job you do day after day. That you made a difference in the world.
AGH!!!! These people are going to be the end of us. Literally!!
I like you Navy Vet tag 🙂
Bob, thank you so much for sharing about your friend and his son. That was very special.
Your so right about Kerry and Rangel too.
Rhod exactly and also about Vietnam too. I get so angry how the left lies, outright lies, about our military. During Vietnam and now too.
Mark, what you said is so true. Well said!
“My father was a WW 2 vet and I was brought up believing it was my duty, honor, privilidge and an obligation to serve my country. Imagine that.”
Yessss imagine that. Thank you.
Tom….well put!!
“Rangel and Kerry, being professional politicians, exhibit the worst examples of a career that is full of losers, liars, connivers, perverts, gangsters, criminals, traitors, wimps, etc.”
Rhod he sure is a monster. That is exactly what Rangel is!
Lynn, I agree and they sure do make a difference and have given us all so much.
Beth, thank you so much. I made that years ago. Wish I was better at that stuff though and could make it sparkle. (big smile) Thanks agian!!
I think you did a great job on the dog tags.
I think Rangel is trying to stir up public resentment with all this talk of the draft and putting out sound bites that only the poor and uneducated are fighting the war.