To Jeremy

This is my livejournal. Mine. Not yours. I do not write in it for you or anyone else. I write in it for myself. This is a place for me to write down my thoughts, my opinions, my ideas. I do not write here to impress anybody. I do not write here to force my views on others. I write here for ME. If you don't like what I have to say, there is a very simple solution. DON'T READ IT.

but you are naive and have no place to sit at your computer and read CNN news and think that you have any credibility to say anything about a war that you have no part in.

Then what gives you the right to say anything about a war you have no part in? If you are so gung-ho, and if you know everything about this war, why don't you go join the army, navy, anything... go join the military and go over there and fight.

Don't tell me I'm naive about this war. Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. I don't just watch CNN news. I read the Houston Chronicle, The New York Times, The Guardian, The National Post, and I have somebody helping me read German papers. I watch CNN and MSNBC. I read published works, from all viewpoints, on Iraq and it's history, on the middle east and it's history, and on Saddam. I am learning all I can about the first Gulf war and seeking articles and anything I can get my hands on about this war. Do not tell me I am uneducated. You are not any more educated about this than I am.

Cry all you want for those troops, but they had the fortitude to actually stand up and do what they thought was right

I never said they didn't. I simply said I was sorry for the loss of human life. What is so wrong about me not wanting other people to die?

If I were you, I'd start listening to your husband.

I do listen to my husband. I listen to everything he has to say about this war. And I respect his views. I do not try to tell him he's wrong. I do not tell him he needs to learn more. And you know what? He listens to me. I don't try to convert him to the side of wanting this war to end soon, because that would be pointless and DISRESPECTFUL to his views. I listen to him and he listens to me.

Do you know why I listen to him? Because he doesn't make me feel stupid. He doesn't make me feel like I don't know what I'm talking about, even if I have sources to back up what I say, just as you do. Jeff does not judge me for not wanting this war. Jeff does not judge me for what I say. He listens, and yes he does disagree, but he does not judge. Not like you.

Maybe he'll have what it takes to put you in your place.

Put me in my place? And what place would that be?


I live in the United States. It is a great country, as I have said. It is a superpower. I am glad to live in a country that gives me the freedoms I have. And one of those freedoms is the freedom of speech. I have a right to say what I feel and believe without forcing it on others, which is exactly what I do here. I say what I think and feel and I don't force it on others. I don't ridicule you or Jeff for believing in this war. I don't set out to be mean or insulting simply because my opinion differs from yours. I respect your opinions. I read everything you send me regarding the war. I read both pro-war and anti-war speeches. All I ever asked from you was the same respect I have extended to you. Agree to disagree. But apparently you can't do that. Apparently you feel the need to convert me to your beliefs on this war.

I am not naive, not anymore than you are. I am not rubbing your face in the fact that I would rather live in England or Canada. You love America and that's fine. I love it too. I just don't happen to want to live here, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Before you attack me again, Jeremy, you need to read back a few days. You need to read back and see what I have said. You need to ask me my views and maybe actually listen this time. I have my reasons. If you bothered to look or even listen to me, you would realize that I do support our troops in Iraq. You would realize that while I may not like this war, I know I can't do anything to stop it and now that it's started, I don't want to stop it. If you bothered to listen to other people for a change, maybe you would realize that I am educated, that I do have my sources, and that I WANT the Iraqi people to be free. You would realize that I already said Saddam needs to not be in power. You would already realize that I agree war is probably the only thing that would get him out of power. But just because it HAD to happen doesn't mean I like that it did happen. Just because it HAD to happen doesn't mean I like the fact that people on both sides are dying. And I am well aware of the fact that Saddam is using innocent civilians as human shields, and if you bothered to look, you'd realize I hate the man for it. I hate him. I want him out of power and gone. I want the Iraqi people to have the freedom we have. And yes, I have said I realize war is about the only thing that stupid man would listen to. I realize there will never be world peace. But if you bothered to listen to me you would have realized that I said while I know it will never happen, that doesn't stop me from wishing people didn't have to die, from wishing we could have no more wars.

I would appreciate it if you no longer attack me in my own livejournal. Say what you want about me in yours. Be ashamed of me. Be angry at me. That's fine. That is your right. You can hate me all you want. But please respect the fact that I have never attacked you in your journal, that I realize what you say in your journal is YOUR OWN beliefs and ideas, and is not there to make others happy. The only thing I ever said rude or mean to you in your own journal was in self defense. I have not and will not attack your ideas, your beliefs, your opinions. Please do the same for me from now on.