From e-mail I sent today:
I still often gloss through forums, even if I have to fight my urge to offer a controversial opinion, just to gather what other people are thinking. I've run across posts by women in relationships with men who have the urge to enlist, in one case, a woman [whose] pregnant friend is married to a man who insists on enlisting, even though the news is reporting no such demand for soldiers.

Ok, for this forum topic, I posted anonymously, commenting that the pregnant woman needs to decide if she wants to remain married to a hero or not. I mean, everyone seemed to be asking what this guy's motivation is, but aren't willing to entertain the truth, that our culture pays tribute to heroes, and dismisses ordinary guys who take care of their responsibilities to their families. I think such tribute is selfish and nasty, and frankly I would hope I would simply allow myself to die, rather than put someone in a position to risk their life to save mine. Garrison Keillor commented that the surviving victims hoped people would resume their lives, starting by enjoying their lives more, and that we should take their benediction. Reading that was just so much of a relief over all the tribute going on that's just going to convince people their best legacy to their families is a dead hero.

-- Anonymous, October 04, 2001