College Essay

[petesvx2]

So im new to the whole college thing, i was wondering if i could get an opinion on my essay so far, its relating to something we read but i just wanna know if it makes sense....ill paste what i have so far....

Critical Analysis
“Why The Terrorists Attacked Us”
Samuel Francis

Throughout the past two years or so, we (as a nation) have been pushed into, if not thrown into, the thought that war is ok. Ever since nine-eleven patriotism has reached a new high, as if we needed a reason to be proud of our country, and of our accomplishments as a democracy. There is now an abundance of flags everywhere, visible off the sides of houses, as stickers on the back of cars, some people even wear pins. If you ask yourself, would we have this sense of pride before the attacks on that day? Say in 1995, the year of the Oklahoma City bombing, was there this much focus on nationality back then? In my opinion, no, and the reason for my answer to that question is because I think that the reason we have such a sense of togetherness now is because we don’t exactly know who we are up against. And we have no clue as to why we were attacked on 9-11. When the Murrah Federal Building collapsed due to a bomb, we knew who did it (Timothy McVeigh), we knew the reasoning behind it, and we knew exactly what we needed to know. Now we don’t really understand what comes with the word “war” and we don’t really care, as long as someone feels the wrath of our military.
Even though we are at war, it almost seems that everyone has a different reason as to why they think we are fighting this war. Samuel Francis states, “…Nobody was exactly sure who we are at war with.” (Pg 462) This may be true for the first Gulf War, but in today’s conflict there are more narrowed down targets, we know who we’re after but we just don’t know how to get to them.
Technically, as Samuel Francis also touches on in his essay, “The blunt truth is that the United States has been at war for years— at least a decade...” (Page 463) The opposition may have changed, and the target may have been altered, but to this day troops from the U.S. are being sent over to defend something, that something is not entirely defined. There are two main targets, Suddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader or tyrant as some may say, and Osama bin Laden, the supposed mastermind behind the attacks of September 11th. Both of which seem to be hard to come across, as they are constantly moving about and hiding among innocent civilians. This decade long war started with George Bush, the father of our current president, and our leader during the Gulf War. This battle has been passed on as it were a baton, from George Bush, to Bill Clinton, and now to George W. Bush. All three, the latter two mainly, seem to have ulterior motives as to why we have maintained the reason to fight, and all their spoken reasons can be contradicted by things that they have done in their past, almost as it were a cover-up, or as a means of getting out of the spotlight for as long as they could. I strongly agree with Samuel Francis with this topic, that war seems to mean less than it used to, and now it is just used as an excuse, or a reason to test out new weaponry.

[petesvx2]

well i finished the essay, so im ready to have my professor look at it, its only a rough draft so there's still time....hope it meets her standards

[Subafreak]

I'm not gona get in to essays but I wonder, is spending alot of money for a 4 year party really nessasary for a carrer in law enforcment?

[petesvx2]

see this is what i thought too...this is why ive decided that im going to most likely, after this semester, enlist in the coast guard, earn a degree while im in there, gain military experience as to law enforcement, i.e. like tactical police stuff i.e. jumping on boats drug seizures and that jazz, im going to talk to a recruiter before saturday to get the fine details, but so far its a go, just a matter of when

[Subafreak]

Thats cool my dad was in the Coast Guard most of my life and some how he ended up training arson investigaters for the State Police now. But kinda the same track ya know.

[petesvx2]

yeah its cool because alot of doors will open due to the fact that ill have military experience, i could go police route, or like maybe even U.S. customs or something...i just think kicking the door in and busting the bad guys is pretty exciting stuff, and the experience and travelling will be cool too

[Chicane]

Dude, FYI, when you're busting up the drug dealers, just remember they like rap music too. :P

- Rob

[petesvx2]

hahahaha, well i'll hopefully never have to bust a cap on their foolish asses... i'll sing some biggie lines while kicking in the door...."kick in the door wavin' my 4-4"

[GreenMarine]

That's a good one Rob!!! Probably mostly true too!!!

[petesvx2]

lol...haters , i could join like some rowdy militia in the diirrty south and bust up on some rednecks

[Chicane]

Heh. You guys are cool, no matter what music you like. This is a good group of people.

- Rob

[petesvx2]

yay! group hug people...group hug!

[Mr. Pockets]

Pete, I think your essay starts off fine (I have issues with some of your grammar, but you did say that this is a rough), but I would like to see more substantiation for your claims in the second half of it. You make claims, but provide nothing to back them up. Obviously the essay is on this book, so feel free to keep quoting the author, since you're obviously convinced by his argument anyway.

[mikecg]

Hello, the names mike and Im in the Coast Guard.

Hmmmmm where to start. First of all the reason its hard for people to figure out what we're fighting for is because its not a tangable item. You can't touch it, see it or taste it. What the fight is all about is outlined in a very old document thats housed in Washington DC. Its called the Constitution. The patriatisum isnt new. It's always been there. You can't give it to people. It's just been brought to the forground. I know where I was on September 11. In fact I know where Ive been for every Sept 11 since that first on. I was at work, stationed on board a Coast Guard Cutter in Baltimore. I know exaclly where I was standing when the first tower fell. I was in the local command building getting everything I could for a trip we know would be coming soon. My ship was scheduled to be down for mantenance for 2 more weeks. Our engines were apart and most of our crew including or Commanding Officer were new to the ship, and had never been underway with us. We spent the next 3 months sitting on the ship in Washington DC. We steamed non stop up and down the river. We could not leave the ship for most of the time. The crew started getting frustrated because we felt we need to do more. Finally we were shown the Pentagon. I small groups we were taken there and shown the destruction. It was exsplained that there were many reasons we were there. The most important reason we were there wasnt anything tangable. The most important reason for us being there was so the people could go back to there everyday lives. Ask anyone who was in New York why we're fighting over there and you'l get one of to answers. Either they'll beat the crap out of you for being dumb enough to ask someone from New York that question. Or they'll take you to the large empty part of the city that use to be the larges buildings in the U.S., and exspain to you that if we dont fight them there then we'll have to fight them here. If you still have any doughts about patriatism I seggest you go to the video store and rent the video filmed in New York. It's titled 9-11. I recorded it when it first aired. I cryed through a large part of it. As a member of the Coast Guard I am responsible for defending this country and all of its people. That day I failed along with the rest of us in the military and government agency's. We are determined not to fail again. If Mr. Francis disagrees with what Ive said that is fine by me as long as here remembers that on of the things at stake and that we're protecting is his right to feel that way and exspress it. Now I'll go, dry my eyes and attempt to regai my composer. I was no more a patriot on 9-11 then I was on 9-10. I just have a more defind picture of what my patriotism is all about.

[lee]

I like to try a few comments, please bear with me as I ramble.

I don't much care which side of the fence any one person takes on Iraq or the fight against terrorists - that's their right as an American. However, as a veteran (of the Viet Nam era), I sincerely hope Americans have learned enough to divorce the political situation from their feelings for the troops putting their lives on the line. Viet Nam was such an ugly era, with some unthinking anti-war types actually spitting on the troops that swore to defend the Constitution with their lives - instead of the politicians that made the situation - for good or bad. Speaking of bad, bad on me, but I have to admit that prior to six weeks ago, it had been high school since I last read the Constitution. Interesting and remarkable document now that I'm almost grown up enough to understand it. I fell in love all over again with the idea & ideal of America, even if time-to-time I am embarrassed by our leadership.

Second, no one who has to fight, or has had a comrade die in combat, wants to see armed conflict. It's an illusion that the military seeks wars -- do you want to be the person who orders someone you know, to do something that's likely to result in his/her death?

Third, all war is political. The War College I attended taught, on a simplified level anyway, that war is an extension of diplomacy/politics into the realm of violence. However, the fact is we are not at war since GW never sought the necessary congressional mandate. Sadly, that technical distinction isn't preventing loss of life.

One of my high school buddies (Army troop - Bronze Star, Purple Heart "winner") just got news his son (a Marine private) is safely back in Kuwait and due to rotate home soon - I wish I could be at their place in the midwest to buy him his first beer and see his Mom's tears & smile - damn, best I can manage is to be about three days late to the party.