A Place to Talk About War

I would like to hear from soldiers who have been in combat situations, from their families, or from others interested in this conversation. I am a graduate student interested in war rhetoric. I have no preset agenda: I simply want to listen, to learn, and to be supportive.

About Me

Name:
Location: Texas, United States

Married, two kids. Worked in the defense industry for 20 years before taking a different path. I'll be starting my dissertation on the rhetoric of war in a few months. This semester I am teaching Freshman Composition. I DON'T CARE ABOUT BLOGGERS' SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, OR ANY OTHER GRAMMAR MATTERS--I JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

Friday, February 25, 2005

Isn't he an ex-something besides "soldier"?

This is not an anti-MSM post; I happen to be a fan of the press. But when I opened my web browser this morning, here was the headline: "Ex-Soldier Kills Two of Wife's Kids." (You can read the story here.) He had received a general discharge, never saw combat, and was never posted overseas. He was a psycho with a history of domestic violence.

Do you suppose he had ever done anything else in his life by which he could have been identified? A few examples: ex-City High student; ex-Spelling Bee champion; ex-gang member; ex-skateboard fanatic.

Or, how about this one: "Domestic Abuser Kills Two of Wife's Kids." That seems more relevant to me than "ex-soldier."

posted by English Professor | 6:33 AM