Originally Posted: 12:20am Friday, Aug 31
Pratap was telling me the other day that he's enlisted into the army. Now I've always respected Pratap a lot, but this set a new standard for me. This guy just joined the army and made it seem like it was nothing. This is the same army that so many cowards have fled to Canada to avoid being a part of. This is the same army that over 2000 soldiers have died fighting for in Iraq in these past 5 years. He just joined, like it was nothing. That's who this guy is, he's just doing what he has to do, whether its running, schoolwork, or even going out and risking his life for his country. He defines what being a man is (ladies, don't get mad yet, I'll get to you a little later on).
This brought me back to an old motivational tool I used to use. I call it, "the penis principle:"
God gave you a penis, but it's not free, you gotta earn it. You gotta go out every day of your life, work hard and earn it.
Many have disgreed and still disagree with this. They say it doesn't account for women. Well I'll tell you the reason for that. I don't understand women, I'm not a women, I don't know what they go through. I know they've got a whole other burden going on with the PMS and the childbirth and the generally subdominant physical state they are in. Women have it much harder, don't get me wrong.
But that's just another reason why as men, we have to work extra hard to make up for that difference. That's why to be a man you can't fear, you can't complain, you can't hesistate. If a women does that, I'll let it pass, she's got enough going on. If a man does that, forget about it, drop down and give me 50.
Pratap does the 50 without anyone even asking him, without even violating the rules of manhood to have a reason to do it. He does it because its gotta be done. Now that's a man, that's putting the down payment on the tools God lent you.
Eat up buddy, you deserve it.
P.S. Thanks to Tito and James Jones for some revisions on this.
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1 comment:
Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 1:29am on August 31st, 2007
I don't know Pratap very well, but I respect his right to make his own decision about whether or not to join the military--he seems like a really good guy from the little bit that I know about him. As for this note, I take issue with a couple of things said. Some of the "cowards who fled to Canada" that you mention, Brian, are the same people who have been serving in Iraq these past five years. There have been a decent number of soldiers who, after serving in Iraq and becoming disillusioned with the war, have now taken refuge in Canada since they no longer wish to serve in the military, yet the military refuses to grant them "conscientious objector status" and will court-martial them if caught. One of these men a few years ago on TV was expressing his anger at people who called him a "coward" for going to Canada after all he'd been through.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 1:42am on August 31st, 2007
As for "to be a man you can't fear, you can't complain, you can't hesitate", I challenge you to name me one single person who's never felt fear or hesitated while making any decision whatsoever. Fear is a natural human emotion and anyone who's said that they've never been afraid at any point in their life isn't telling the truth. The goal should be to control one's fear and let one's good judgment prevail in all situations. Hesitation isn't always a bad thing because once again, we are only human. As this is the case, we aren't perfect, and hesitating before making a decision may ensure that one's more likely to make the right one. Complaining isn't good, I'll agree with you on that one--I would, however, emphasize the difference between complaining (whining) and speaking out against a particular circumstance or injustice.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 1:42am on August 31st, 2007
Finally, for the idea of the "penis principle", I personally think it should be up to each individual to motivate himself to do what he thinks is right. Each of us may have a slightly different idea of how to best do this, so I don't feel we should attack each other because we don't entirely approve of one another's decision in this regard. There, that's my two cents worth.
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Rebecca Cweibel wrote
at 10:53am on August 31st, 2007
the thing that i love most about this is that a) you call it the penis principle and b) the picture is pratap eating cake.
congratulations, pratap! i support you!
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 11:48am on August 31st, 2007
Ascher its some what of a romanticized notion. No one is a man every second of their lives, but there are certain moments, certain tests that separate the men from the boys.
As for my statement about "cowards fleeing up to Canada," your right many people have gone to Canada after fighting in Iraq, now I don't have the ultimate respect for them, but if you've went out and fought certainly I am in no position to judge.
I think the reason why people get offended when I say that any man at the age of 18-30 should be willing to lay down his life for his country is because it is such a tremendous sacrfice, and its a hard thing to do. War is ugly, nobody wants to go, but that's my point, to be a man you have be willing to go through something truly awful. We've grown soft, we should either draft for this war or leave tomorrow.
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 11:57am on August 31st, 2007
I've seen blogs and other things that say "Bush is planning to draft for Iraq, that's right soon you may be there." The purpose of this is to scare you and strengthen your opposition to the war. I find this to be absolute bull, what difference is it if you are fighting or not, someone is fighting, someone is dying out there. If the war isn't worth it then we shouldn't be there, and if it is worth it then you should be fighting.
For some reason people seem to value their lives as if they are special, and are above dying in Iraq. I don't know if I'm first person to tell you this, but you are not special; Ascher, Pratap, me; none of us are above dying in Iraq. True all of us could do more with our lives if we didn't die in Iraq, but none of us are above it.
Nobody in this country wants to work, nobody wants to sacrifice, nobody wants to fight. They want the world handed to them on a plate, but yet they still want to be safe.
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 11:57am on August 31st, 2007
The terrorists aren't the problem, the problem is our fear rules us.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 1:16pm on August 31st, 2007
Brian, I think you may have missed my point. I never claimed that I was "special" or more important than anyone else; I believe that every single life is valuable. I feel bad for the soldiers who are constantly dying in Iraq, and I also feel sympathy for the Iraqi people as well who have suffered considerably. I've been against this war from the very beginning and feel that no one should have ever died in this conflict--if I could somehow turn back the hands of time and bring all the soldiers and Iraqis who died back to life, believe me, I would. My point was that one shouldn't be forced to kill if one doesn't believe in doing so. Part of being an adult in my opinion is doing what you think is right--if you believe in war, then yes, you should be willing to fight, otherwise it's completely hypocritical to support it.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 1:30pm on August 31st, 2007
But then I'd have to ask, how is it any less courageous to do what Muhammad Ali did during Vietnam? He could have lost his entire career and he could have gone to jail. If he wanted to take the cowardly route, he would have done what George W. Bush did and joined the National Guard, subsequently going AWOL. Muhammad Ali didn't risk going to jail because he was "scared for himself" but didn't mind other people dying--he did it because he had courage. The true cowards are the people who don't care about the war at all--people who spend more time watching celebrity headlines and paying attention to popular culture than thinking about the issues that actually matter. Also cowards, are the people like Dick Cheney, who obviously supported the War in Vietnam but got five draft deferments. I have a lot more respect for people such as Pratap who are willing to fight, as well as people who say no to war, than I do for Bush, Cheney, O'Reilly, Quayle-type people.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 1:31pm on August 31st, 2007
"The terrorists aren't the problem, the problem is our fear rules us."
This is precisely the reason so many Americans were tricked into supporting the War in Iraq. Too many Americans were so frightened by the idea of a "mushroom cloud" that they didn't think about what the real reasons for the war might be.
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 2:13pm on August 31st, 2007
Ascher its funny because we think exactly alike. I agree with you completely. Going to jail to avoid war (if the reason your avoiding it is because you think its immoral or will have a negative effect on your country) requires just as much balls as going out there to fight.
Also, your interpretation of my quote was great, that was what I meant.
As I've written in previous notes I have serious beef with this war and everything it stands for, in fact it I probably am as passionately against it as anyone who isn't directly involved.
However, I also have beef with the cowardice and complacency in this country, which this war has revealed bright as day.
I can't believe I'm doing this, but as Al Gore wrote in The Assault on Reason, it is an insult to all our ancestors for us to feel that we are in any more danger than they were. They faced far greater adversity than us and got through it, we are nothing special, we have to rise tothe conflicts of our day. Sacrifice will be required.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 10:15pm on August 31st, 2007
Cool, you read Al Gore's "The Assault On Reason"? I would really like to read that book. Sorry if I sounded too argumentative--I didn't mean to come across that way. I know you're very much against the war and I wasn't trying to deny that. This is sort of funny that we're talking about Iraq because just yesterday I saw the film "No End In Sight" where Pentagon-type people talked about the events of War in Iraq from the start of the war on March 20th, 2003 up until today, and a little over two hours ago I watched a PBS show on post-traumatic stress disorder among soldiers--I'm certainly getting my share of Iraq discussion. Well, it'll be interesting to see what the future holds. As for Pratap, I may not support the war but I hope you stay safe.
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 10:37pm on August 31st, 2007
Yeah I started reading Assualt on Reason, it's good, but it basically was just going over things that I already knew. Also, I didn't really like Al Gore's writing style.
All you need to know from it is that your being dumbed down, brainwashed and controlled by television and commerical media.
Worth reading if your just being enlightened to this stuff.
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Kevin D. Ascher (New Hampshire) wrote
at 11:12pm on August 31st, 2007
Actually, I'm already quite familiar w/ the mind-control techniques of our media so I'd probably feel the same way about the book. I'm a fan of Noam Chomsky who I feel has very interesting stuff to say on various subjects, such as US imperialism, media control, civil liberties, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, etc. Does Al Gore mention the subliminal ad that the Bush-Cheney campaign used against him in 2000 where the word "RATS" was flashed across the screen for a split second so it wasn't consciously noticeable? Well anyway, it would be much nicer if more Americans read books than relying on TV for everything.
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 12:00am on September 1st, 2007
No its more about like the absolute barrage of messages that are constantly filling your mind when you watch tv. Fear, sex, escapism, constant entertainment, all that stuff.
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Dakota Jude Fontanello (North Salem High School) wrote
at 8:41am on September 1st, 2007
seriously u two are nerds. How about this for pratrap, way to go, ur one baddass mother fucker and try not to get shot. If you do I hear it hurts a lot.
Now see that guys, that is what these posts shud look like. It shudnt lookl like u guys are tryin to argue with eachother over "romanticized" statements. Wtf are u guys talking with mind control techniques. Seriously ppls
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Dakota Jude Fontanello (North Salem High School) wrote
at 8:43am on September 1st, 2007
o btw it was a little homo how u wrote this much. I'm not calling "homo" but it def could be considered in the range. Nonetheless I'm happy to see you keep ur streak up of topics that ppl argue with you over. Maybe next week u can talk about crime amongst minorities vs. whites. If that doesnt start riots idk what will.
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Brian Liebman wrote
at 10:55pm on September 1st, 2007
What da hell are you talking about? LOL seriously.
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Andrea Romero Tellez wrote
at 11:22pm on September 1st, 2007
LMAO HAHA Dakota "I hear it hurts A LOT" hhaa and btw PRETAP IS A HOTTTIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!! " no homo" (always wanted to say that)
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