The mind reels (with corrections)

[pecunium]

In another blog I read conversation got heated (very).

In the course of the invectional back and forth the following was said to one of the participants:

...i’m sorry you’re jealous that some people went to college, and you were not able to. but you were too busy slaughtering iraqis, were you not?

This wasn't a conversation about the war, or military service. This was a completely unrelated subject. The purpose of the attack was to make the other person more "other". To tain't them with the brush of, "hired thug with no morals," (note the use of the word slaughter, which implies the dead were merely killed out of hand, as cattle in an abbatoir), and the modifier, "busy" and the statement that going to Iraq was done, rather than (and so preferentially to) attending college.

My first, concious reactions were too rude to share. I don't understand how someone can think up such a retort, much less use it. I am not, all things considered, a violent person. I don't know that, were I too hear such a thing, that I might not punch the speaker. I do know that I'd be pissed as hell (even if it were someone I really didn't like of whom it was said). I know that I'd not feel any real pity were the sayer of such a thing to get decked. I might even help shuffle the decker out of the place.

I am ever surprised at the meaness of some people's souls.

(nb, I am not going to allow the conversation that was in, to travel here. I am declaring an exeption to policy, and may be purging comments if the discussion goes that way. I am commenting on the statement, and not entering into discussions about the merits of the person to whom it was directed. I don't think such a comment is ever deserved, and talking trying to justify it because of "context" isn't going to fly)

Comments

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I've seen that sort of comment before, but this is the first time I've seen it tossed in as an ad hominem aside.

I've had it tossed at me, in various guises, but it was always an attempt (weak, and wrong) to make a point about the topic at hand (interrogation, war, duty, etc.).

To have it tossed out in a discussion about anything else (e.g. teaching inner city residents how to do urban gardening) is just incredible.

TK

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Welcome to my world. Whereas some people feel compelled to inform me that I murder infants, the ones with actual military experience seem to think their dicks will fall off if they don't insult my quality of service or something. It's quite common.