corrente

Yesterday (back) WaPo's Froomkin called for people's views on the question of whether Bush fulfilled his Guard duties. He posts 100 responses today, callling the emotions "raw."

Yeah, I get raw when I'm lied to....

Here's are some good ones:

As a lesbian former Army officer who served in Kuwait for 6 months in 1992 as part of Operation Southern Watch, I find it unbelievable that my family and I are about to be written out of the U.S. Constitution via a "federal marriage amendment" by a man who couldn't be bothered to show up for National Guard service.

Yes, you may use my name.

Lara Ballard, Washington, D.C.


Re: Dental Records

Thank heavens he didn't have a colonoscopy!

Jim Nash, Webster Groves, Missouri

From my own undistinguished military stint I learned the applicable term is "goldbrick". Originally meaning an ordinary brick painted gold to look like an ingot, "goldbrick" came to mean "counterfeit" or "fake" in general. In the military a goldbrick was originally a civilian commissioned as an officer, but with no real experience or abilities, a worthless individual dressed up as a soldier. By the time I served (the same era as the President), "goldbrick" meant "shirker", a soldier who schemed to avoid real work, especially by finding easy and worthless tasks to occupy himself while the real work was performed by others. The easy job itself was also referred to as a "goldbrick".

I can't recall any specific term for a soldier who shirked a goldbrick assignment.

Paul Brown, Denver, Colorado

Bush does not remember the names of any fellow officers in his Alabama Guard unit- 1972--1973. How can this be? The answer is "He wasn't there." It is clear to me that Bush did not report for duty to the Alabama Guard unit.

Fifty years ago-- 1952 and 1953, I served in the Army as a 1st LT. I have no problem recalling the names of the officers I served with both stateside and overseas. In fact, I can close my eyes and see their faces in my minds eye.

If at the age of 75 I can muster up names of men I served with, surely the our young COMMANDER IN CHIEF can do likewise. His statement, "I don't recall their names," just doesn't cut it.

Everett Semands, Tomball, TX

Isn't "trolling for garbage" beginning to sound a lot like "third rate burglary"????

Joe Stewart, Albuquerque, NM

John Allen Muhammad -- yes, the sniper -- received an honorable discharge from the Louisiana National Guard, despite having spent time in the brig after a court martial conviction for going AWOL and striking an officer.

J. R. Taylor, Washington DC

Conservatives have always exalted character over intellect in their leaders. If the commander-in-chief, the "war president", has a dubious record in the National Guard based on indifference to those duties than it is fair game. I don't know how one builds character when one's lifetime experiences stem from preferential treatment.

Dean Schleicher, Owings, MD

We do, Dean... We do...