PEER PRESSURE

When I was younger, Vietnam was in full blaze. Ima girl, didn't have to think about fighting. My brother, one of 'em, went to Canada. I think about that a little as Iraq drags on. Would I have been strong enough, were I to have been a boy to resist being called a coward? Did I believe in why we fought there? No. Would I have chosen to go and kill or be killed rather than be thought a coward? You know, I think I might have. That astounds me. To fight for one's ideals is one thing. To not fight for someone else's ideals is quite another. To prefer to die rather than have your buds make fun of you . . . . I'm ashamed to think this of myself, to face my limitations. Many want to impeach Bush now for 'sending our young people into harm's way'. Well, they chose to go in their own way. Some really want to fight, to kill. Some can't resist peer pressure. Some really believe we belong there, or believe in the military, whatever.. There's lots of reasons soldiers are over there and I'm not even trying to criticize why humans feel compelled to wallow in the stench of blood and artillery fire storms and amputations and the whole lot of it. I mean it's not like I haven't read history. I was just wondering for myself. Would I long to go and immerse myself in the gore? Would I be strong enough to resist if not?
Some of this comes up from watching David Icke's documentary last night and his talking about how the media storm that accompanied his "son of god" response cured him of caring what people think. I'd like to think that of myself. That I was a bigger person that to let others' thoughts about me matter. But it's not true.
So for what it's worth, there's my confession, one of many. As these blogs are anonymous for the most part, I won't care what YOU think. And oh, by the way, I too am the son of god. Or maybe I should say 'a' son of god, as there appear to be many of us.