Thursday, January 11, 2007

WAR HUH, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

Jodes is bugging me for a new post, and I really haven't given it much thought. Today was sort of a somber day around blogdom. No HNT due to the death of a fellow blogger. And that in itself hung a dark cloud, that won't soon go away...R.I.P. Betcha

But the one constant is that life goes on, somber or not. Life is for the living, and when we are gone all that is left is memories. Good or bad? Thats up to us.

.......I always wanted to be teacher. That was my childhood ambition. And I'm sure that I would have been a decent educator. But I was a victim of circumstance! (sorry Crab)
The Gulf of Tonkin incident that precipitated the Viet Nam War occured in 1964, each year those of us teen-age males kept hoped that the war would end soon, but it didn't. It kept dragging on and on and on. More and more of our childhood friends kept comming home in body bags. And the war kept on and on and on. To get out of the military, you could do several things, you could become gay, you could go to college and maintain a 2.0 gpa, or you could get a job vital to the upkeep and maintenance of the country.
Since those were times that even gay men married for appearance sake, college was the best bet. Back then jobs were easy to get, if you really wanted to work. But the jobs that kept you out of Nam were scarce, except one.....teaching!
So year after year, starting in about 1966 on, the college enrollement soared. Each year as the graduating classes got bigger, more and more grads looked to extend their military deferment any way they could. Since there was a limited amount of openings for cops and firemen, they looked to the most logical choice....teaching!
So almost overnight teaching became the hottest job in town. What was once a profession that begged grads to enter, suddenly had their ranks swell to huge proportions. Then like everything else, after putting several years in and gaining tenure, you would be crazy to quit. So in the 70's it was quite difficult to get into teaching. All the positions were taken by people that wanted to avoid the draft, and not really want to teach.....Of course that is a gross generalization, and doesn't apply to all teachers. The women were not draft dodgers, and some men really loved what they did, but it was so hard to get into, it discouraged the many future Mr. Chips of the world........pity!.....That lousy war destroyed more than lives, it destroyed the dreams of many young men.....Just like that lousy war that is going on now! When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?..........G-Man

15 comments:

jillie said...

Hey there sweet thang! I'm not in a happy place today...VERY VERY SAD....my step father passed away this afternoon and I am a MESS!!!!!!!

G-Man said...

I'm so sorry Jillie, even though you knew it was comming it is not an easy thing to face. I'm here, and I'm up late..

Manny said...

First, let me say to jillie, I'm sorry for your loss sweetie. It's never easy to lose a loved one. My thought's and prayers are with you and your family.

g-I feel the same way about the bussing that took place all those years ago. All my friends got bussed and I stayed behind. After that, school became a joke. All I did was fight. Every day, I would run into someone who had a problem with me for some reason or another. I have never been one to simply walk away, so there I'd be in the hall's or outside fist fighting. It got to the point where I wouldn't even carry books because I knew what the day was going to bring.

As for the war, I support all of our troops, past and present. I don't have all the answer's, but I do know this...The only way evil will prevail is if good men and women do nothing.

Now see, here I am in the wee early hour's, am I playing my games? No, I'm here commenting on your blog. Tee Hee

Damn, my comment is longer then your post. Ahhhhh ah ah ah ah

Spoony Quine said...

` Noooo! Step fathers dying and wars are horrible!
` Man... and I was about to mention... uh... this, and how much I wouldn't mind you teaching me a think or two.... *sigh*

G-Man said...

Manny, I am quite honored that I have a tiny place in your game playing morning routine. YOU make me feel very special..Thanks

Sequin, all of those pix were quite lovely, ALL of them. You don't go to Pikes Place Market?

G-Man said...

TC, I support the troops,
NOT the reason!

I feel lucky today, we'll see how it pans out, thanks for your encouragement....G

lime said...

as others have, allow me to offer condolences to jillie and her family. may memories comfort you.

g-man, i knew about college, etc but i did not realize teaching was one of the modes of deferrment....i think that explains a great many male teachers i had who seemed to absolutely not give a damn about their jobs.....too many years tenure to bother quitting and finding something they loved to do.

and if you are economically able to take the hit to the wallet such a career shift would cause i still say go for it. education needs peopel who WANT to be there and who have the skills and experience. depending on your background and MI requirments you may be able to get some sort of emergency certification based on whatever your field of expertise is.

G-Man said...

Lime, my point exactly. I firmly believe that there are great teachers now, but for a while many just went through the motions.
I hope that you become the teacher that you want to be. How lucky would a child be to be nurtured by
Michelle Trini Limey?

CozyMama said...

I am very happy there is no more draft. However, I support the men and women that fight for us. Yesterday as I was driving home a woman called into KSON (country station here) she was very upset, her husband is in the military and as she was leaving work she saw a protest of some sort on the street. They were protesting the war and the military. She bacame very upset on the call, you could tell she was crying. Her husband is leaving for Iraq in one week. She said she heard them yelling obscene things about the war and our soliders(sp?its early)she was so upset that she had thought about going back to them and telling them that these men and women are fighting for you, saving your life and your future. I was crying at this point and I totally am on her side. No I do not want us at WAR, but I support the troops 110% Good post G.

G-Man said...

If they were fighting for me that would be great, but they are fighting for someone elses oil!

But thanks baby, your so HOT in your Chargers Jersy!

Roxi said...

amen

G-Man said...

Thanks Roxi, for your support.....G

jillie said...

Hey there Galen...guess what! I'm still around. Doing SO much better.

You are a doll and you rock...thank you so much for all your thoughts.

I am going to WI on Wed.

G-Man said...

Jillie have you read how much everyone cares and loves you?

Cha Cha said...

I am reading everything backwards and I went from Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll to THIS...and now I am tearing up.

Ugh.

I support the troops. War can blow me.