General Discussion

liberalmuse

(18,881 posts)

1. Well...

Sun Feb 3, 2013, 05:47 PM

Feb 2013

I posted something that even surprised me on a comments section. It was pretty cold and callous, and I'm not proud of it. I guess I'm tired of gun worshipers and their "heroes". The scientist or doctor working in a lab to help cure a disease is a hero. Someone with a large body count due to being blessed with the ability to scope a living, breathing, moving target with their weapon and pull a trigger at a distance is not. And if you take a soldier with PTSD to a gun range, even this civilian (who was once military) could tell you that it may not end well. Why would someone who wants to help soldiers take them to a gun range? Flame away. It's a legitimate question that my mind is unable to reconcile, so any thoughts would be welcome.

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What type of person does it take to be a sniper?? [View all] kentuck Feb 2013 OP

Well... liberalmuse Feb 2013 #1

One of my nieces just married a Marine sniper who did two tours in Afghanistan. 11 Bravo Feb 2013 #2

Why are we there, again? WinkyDink Feb 2013 #43

That's the idealized version of a sniper. Ian David Feb 2013 #3

As I recall... kentuck Feb 2013 #4

Yep. n/t Ian David Feb 2013 #23

Kubrick thereby explains in a single cinematic scene why a coalition_unwilling Feb 2013 #26

That and the fact they were defending their country from ruthless invaders, who too often RC Feb 2013 #49

Urban warfare is ugly for any army davidn3600 Feb 2013 #57

This is tough, because the natural extension of this is the bomber pilot... hlthe2b Feb 2013 #5

Killing others from a distance. Drones. Our government in general. The Straight Story Feb 2013 #6

One who scores high on Concientiousness and low on Neuroticism and Tender-Mindedness FarCenter Feb 2013 #7

You could apply that to anyone who joins the military and picks up a weapon... cynatnite Feb 2013 #8

+1 n/t X_Digger Feb 2013 #9

many join the military because lack of other options, Jessica Lynch joined as a way to JI7 Feb 2013 #12

I joined for a job so I could support my daughter when she was small. n/t cynatnite Feb 2013 #13

My dad joined because of a deteriorating atmosphere at home. Drunken Irishman Feb 2013 #32

And the difference between us and them is the Berring Sea. TheMadMonk Feb 2013 #55

I can usually -- not always, like My Lai -- accept what someone has to do in military, but promotion Hoyt Feb 2013 #10

I've known a couple, but not well. bluedigger Feb 2013 #11

So now we're hating on our soldiers? NightWatcher Feb 2013 #14

Yes, in several threads obamanut2012 Feb 2013 #21

This isn't a simple sniper. This is someone who publicly touted his coalition_unwilling Feb 2013 #27

Then the OP should have pointed that one case out. Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #28

Oh, FFS, the entire thrust of this thread and of DU today has been coalition_unwilling Feb 2013 #29

Still should have pointed it out. n/t Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #30

a generalization of the military and those who fight and die so others can type bullshit at home NightWatcher Feb 2013 #33

Agreed. It's one thing to be a sniper and simply do one's job and be done with it. kestrel91316 Feb 2013 #37

He also helped disabled soldiers and died doing that. I had never heard of the guy before bluestate10 Feb 2013 #42

The snipers I have known were well adjusted sarisataka Feb 2013 #15

My experience.. Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #16

Poignant. cherokeeprogressive Feb 2013 #38

He is my husband. n/t Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #39

It's the "waking up in a cold sweat" that should give us all pause. WinkyDink Feb 2013 #44

Then as far as I'm concerned, yours is the definitive answer in this thread. cherokeeprogressive Feb 2013 #40

Will do! n/t Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #41

Beautifully written, thank you..Lady Freedom Returns... nenagh Feb 2013 #47

Real easy to write when my my topic is sitting right next to me! Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #50

I think the two of you are inspiring... :) nenagh Feb 2013 #56

Thank you. Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #58

The wording of your question suggests you'd reject answers that disagree with you. (nt) Posteritatis Feb 2013 #17

That was pretty much my conclusion. A question from a poster when that person already bluestate10 Feb 2013 #45

I could not do it libtodeath Feb 2013 #18

You can say that about anyone who joins the military obamanut2012 Feb 2013 #19

They have to be good at math obamanut2012 Feb 2013 #20

Don't blame the sniper, blame the government that ordered him to kill. Cali_Democrat Feb 2013 #22

I think a better question is jazzimov Feb 2013 #24

Calm, focused, methodical, patient and very self-contained. Spider Jerusalem Feb 2013 #25

You mean like this smiling fellow? oneshooter Feb 2013 #60

The most common target of a sniper is Peregrine Feb 2013 #31

A very calm and relaxed one. Deep13 Feb 2013 #34

How many rich people's children become snipers? shcrane71 Feb 2013 #35

This Comes Down To Human Nature In My Opinion Oakenshield Feb 2013 #36

You know what? He was a patriot. bmbmd Feb 2013 #46

War is a terrible thing treestar Feb 2013 #48

Patient. Bosso 63 Feb 2013 #51

My roommate's boyfriend was a sniper XemaSab Feb 2013 #52

The type that is willing to kill other human beings because the bosses tell him to. Tierra_y_Libertad Feb 2013 #53

I don't understand the glorifing a snipper as a hero. He is doing a job that had to southernyankeebelle Feb 2013 #54

One of the most ... AzSweet Feb 2013 #59