MovieChat Forums > Soldier's Girl (2003) Discussion > My sympathy is gone

My sympathy is gone

posted 16 years ago by gjampol
29 replies | jump to latest

I've always been strongly sympathetic toward the men (and women) in the service and our veterans, who deserve far better treatment from the VA than they typically get.

I recall watching TV commentary during the 1993 debate on letting gays serve in the military, and the hatred toward gays that poured out of the mouths of ex-officers and enlisted men shocked me.

There are plenty of gays now serving in the military, where the atmosphere is profoundly homophobic. The type of straight men atracted to the service will never be reformed to accept gays. They are a different breed. And after seeing this film, as far as I'm concerned they can all end up in body bags.

[–] red_rackham_77 14 years ago

I know how you feel about the army, learning the ways of Jesus was never easy for me, I hate alot of the crap the army does from discrimination towards not only gays but women as well and with the war we have been having they have been trying to quickly recruit anyone who hasn't or will not graduate from high school with their diplomas. Basically (and this happened to me) they wanted every moron to join in even though they have neither the skills nor the desire to be in uniforms.

Trust me, I was called by the Air Forces, the Coast Guards and believe it or not, even the Navy also called. I politely declined and told them God bless you and don't sit on your guns or in the air force's case bombs.

MY point is you cannot lose sympathy or compassion towards the armed forces or the military otherwises we'd be no different then those crazy Westboro bapitist church people who attend every fallen soldier's funeral and chant that they are burning in Hell.

[–] mulhollandpsycho 13 years ago

This violent mindset depicted in the film is not representative of the majority of soldiers. Soldiers are human beings, and are subject to the same biases as other humans. With the ambiguous U.S. "DADT" policy, it is possible that some people believed that violence against gay soldiers would be appreciated by top brass.

I think your new position regarding servicemen is blown out of proportion.

[–] Livana_Faolan 13 years ago

You truly are a pathetic, sorry excuse for a human being. You are the reason why I question the sincerity of the liberal advocates of "love and tolerance." I've run into one too many of your ilk. You know, the kind that don't practice the love and tolerance they love to preach about? Instead, they call for the deaths of the people they hate?

To me, you are just like Fred Phelps and his family of bigots. The only difference is: they hate everyone; you just hate soldiers. But other than that, you're just as evil and hate-filled as Phelps and his cult.

You're doing a great job, representing the "love and tolerance" crowd.

[–] busta_cap 13 years ago

As a US Army veteran, I disagree with the original poster's statement; I have seen both good and bad people in the military, people who were compassionate and understanding, average guys, hateful bigots, bullies and everything in between.

But to compare this person -- for a single ill-advised statement -- to Fred Phelps and his clan of spider-brained creeps, and to label him as evil as the Phelpsian nightmare? That shows just how messed up your own head is, Slappy.

As a previous poster most ably stated:

"Hating someone for who they are and hating them for how they mistreat others are two entirely different things. I see that kind of hypocrisy way too often, it usually boils down to something like, "Liberals are a bunch of hypocrites, they talk about tolerance but they won't tolerate my intolerance."

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[–] Livana_Faolan 13 years ago

Seeing as I've had a run-in with members of Phelps's cult, I think it's safe to know what I'm talking about. A hate-filled person is a hate-filled person, no matter who their targets are. So in my book, the OP is just the same as Phelps and the members of his cult. Insult me all you want. I'm not backing down and I'm not changing my mind.

I've said all I have to say on this subject. Have a nice day.

[–] busta_cap 13 years ago

Your 'book' and your opinion are worth little if one ill-conceived remark is what it takes for you to thrown someone into the same box with Phelps and his decades-long track record of hatred. What's next, 10 years for speeding? Execution for shoplifting?

"I'm not backing down and I'm not changing my mind"

Now there's the hallmark of a mind open to reason. [rolleyes]

[–] jigalini 13 years ago

Gays should not be in military openly. Don't like it? Too bad. All that "Homophobic" talk is covering up fact that over 90% of men are straight, and have no desire to have them around in close quarters. If a woman is uncomfortable rooming with a man who might have unwanted sexual attraction to her, it's ok, but you expect men to have to put up with it, for fear of you saying they are phobic!!!

[–] rrb 12 years ago

You are homophobic - and ignorant. What makes you assume that, b/c a man is gay, he must therefore find his roommate(s) attractive?

You can use the same logic to bar gays from summer camp, dormitories, etc. etc.

BTW, I don't see you posting that straight men should not be gynocologists. Your opinion has absolutely no logic.

Don't like it? Too bad.

[–] Rainbowboys22 11 years ago

In my unit of 50 or so men 12 were openly gay plus 2 of us that obeyed the DADTDP law. Thank god it has been repealed.

We had not one problem with regards to the straight men not liking the gay men, or the gay men not liking the straight men. We were a unit were all were brothers. We helped each other, which is what a family should do. We all, gay and straight showered at the same time, hit the latrine at the same time. NEVER had any problems. Hell imagine, 50 or so guys all from different backgrounds from all over the entire country all singing to Garth Brooks Thunder Rolls.

[–] possumannie 12 years ago

So because of a dramatized account of the military in a movie based on an rare, exceptionally negative event that had very little to do with the military and more to do with the hateful attitudes of the attackers, you are making assumptions about all of our men and women in uniform and posting death threats to those who protect your life and liberty?

Please do not reproduce. I do not want my children growing up with the spawn of a faux-tolerant, hypocritical, hate-filled piece of garbage.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] iccleone-1 11 years ago

You cannot expect society's lowest common denominators who are trained to be killing machine animals to have the power of cognition. They're rote robots trained for specific purposes, not for rational, individualistic thought.

Prejudice will always exist in the military until the humans who fight wars are replaced by robots.

Then Skynet will realise that all humans are prone to prejudice and our irrational, non-linear and small minded distrust, fear, hatred and apathy in some cases towards others of our species makes us so dangerous that the only answer is extermination.

Is this debate something that unique to the US army?

Remember when black people couldn't fight, they could cook, they could clean, wash up after the white boys maybe. Then Uncle Sam pulled his head out of his sphincter and realised that we all bleed red blood and a brother (or sister) in battle is about crucial as it gets regardless...

I've been a signaler in the British Royal Signal Corps (I left in 2000 so it was a while ago) we had gay, straight male and female soldiers it didn't matter. We didn't care, we ultimately cared about the individual. Do they do their job right? Can you look to your left or right in a crisis and depend on that individual to fall in, hold the line and watch your back? Because if the answer is simply yes then why the *beep* does anything else even matter?

I am female. I am bisexual and I never.... NEVER suffered any harassment or negativity ever. I honestly believe that the US suffers because your country still follows the Bible a little too closely when governing laws, regulations and morality and apparently the Bible says gays are evil - If that is in fact the case I'll see you guys in hell I guess

This is my signature, there are many others like it, but this one is mine

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mellow-Fellow 9 years ago

Ah yeah what a glorious hypocrite you are up on that shiny golden pedestal...

And after seeing this film, as far as I'm concerned they can all end up in body bags.

Irony... Thats what that is..... You are strongly sympathetic to "OUR" service members and veterans... Yet for hating gays, the way they were brought up or the environment that shaped them into homophobic people extracts the SAME abhorrence out of you! It's almost laughable, in fact.. it is, if it weren't for the fantastic tragedy that comes from that irony and misunderstanding... Religions, one belief over another has always been enough to kill in this world, why not yours too right? haha, so you are human after all?

Oh, and by the way, if they did all end up in body bags I figure you're at least smart enough to know that a guy like Hitler or Kim-Jong-Un wouldn't tolerate any form of homosexuality or any support thereof. So you bite the hand that feeds you.... Rather, more accurately Bite the hand that shields you...

Good for you, really shows the folks reading how progressive you were back in 2008 surely, inbetween your time hanging up Obama for Change posters and littering the streets with flyers to "clean the mess up". This world and life is one big joke and the irony is a gift, you can wallow in its misery or laugh and enjoy the ride. You seem too stupid to do either so you'll just exist like the majority of us waiting to be told when to wake up and do all those things you "choose" to do on your list every day.