Thank you for your service?

Sorry not really too impressed with this wasteful sacrifice. That was destruction of government property for no purpose other than to salve his own ego. It will have zero effect and will likely not help a single Palestinian. He took no enemies with him. And the Air Force could probably have really used his help in containing the problem. If he had all that extra energy to burn (literally) he could have volunteered his services to the needy where ever he was stationed.

Also ... It took a terrorist attack and the subsequently overwhelming " over the top" response for this guy to finally realize that Palestinians are getting screwed and have been for decades? Centuries?

And he is gonna miss all that Air Force chow. I thought Air Force chow was pretty good. Especially around holidays or special events. You got real steak and lobster!

Semper Fi

"What do you call a Hamas supporter dousing himself with gasoline and burning himself to death on the sidewalk?"

Another wasted life.

"Sorry, are you saying his body was government property"

That comes from when I was in the military and they constantly reminded me my body now belonged to Uncle Sam so it was my responsibility to take care of it. It was a bit tongue in cheek. But it is actually what they used to say.

The real point was it seems to me to be a total waste of a life and will have little to no help to the people who actually need it.

At least his SGLI will still pay out.

Who woulda thought Dummuerboy's "Semper Fi" silliness was actually in fealty to Israel?
#21 | POSTED BY PUMPKINHEAD

Who would have thunk it?

Apparently folks like you who think that always being faithful to your country and being willing to put your life on the line for it and then stick around to help with the hard work when the going gets tough is "silliness".

I Salute you sir. Your ultimate sacrifice is not in Vain.

POSTED BY EFFETEPOSER

He can't hear you. He is dead.

He wasted a perfectly good life for little to no effect on the outcome of the war.

He would have been better off on a hunger strike. At least he could have drug his 15 minutes of attention out a few weeks longer.

"Its influence can range from very limited, resulting in little or no notable change, to moderately effective, prompting minimal changes in social and political behavior, to extremely effective, sparking mass mobilization and even complete shifts in political structures and power dynamics."

Yes I have seen immolations before. I remember the Buddhists immolations during the Vietnam War. While it was shocking to see I don't think their persecutions or the war ended one day sooner because of it. The US public was already pressuring the US to end the war.

Yeah. I am betting it will be "little to no notable change". It won't even help feed one starving or thirsty Palestinian. And think of how much he could have helped those in need if he used his life energy to help rather than remove himself from the equation.

"The data, at least sometimes, seems to disagree with you."

It also (at least sometimes) seems to agree with me. The immolation I referred to was in 1963 ... . the war did not end until 1975.

And anyway it's just my opinion. You have one too and I respect that. I just don't agree.

And I am obviously very much against suicide. That's definitely not pro-life or life affirming in any way. And it seems to be a dishonorable way out.

...

nothing will get in the way of your preordained opinion, so post on.

#51 | POSTED BY JOE

Well not sure that is true but when you provide nothing that gets in the way of my opinion then nothing will get in the way of or change my opinion. Seems I haven't changed yours one bit either. So welcome to the club.

But it's really ok to disagree. Suicide for any reason is a touchy subject.

Re #70.

You sound like someone who has never selflessly served his own country but only his own personal interests.

And I seriously doubt that very few join the military to kill others "for the wages". Personally I went for the rape pillage and plunder. (J/K)

Actually I joined to serve my country and for the career opportunities and for a chance to see the world. I realized that I could not possibly change the world if I did not get involved in it. And if I ever wanted to understand and make my government better I had to do that from the inside.

The world isn't acting the way you want it to so you publicly kill yourself? Umm ok.

I was pretty clear. There are much better and more creative ways to serve yourself and the world than to give up and kill yourself.

But hey you wanna waste your very brief life and go out in a blaze of glory (literally) that way then go for it. Don't expect me to respect you and honor you for choosing that easy course when you had so many better options that would had been way more effective in making the world a better place.

Donner, I'm curious whether SGLI will pay out in this intentional act (I have no idea).

#80 | POSTED BY GONOLES92

Yeah. I checked. SGLI still pays even if it's a suicide. Not sure I agree with that policy. The military probably spent a lot of money on his training. If it was Medicare they would attach a lien to his estate to recover the costs.

The data, at least sometimes, seems to disagree with you.

The data then, at least sometimes, seems to agree WITH me.

Regardless neither one of us know right now what effect this will ultimately have.

We are only guessing.

My guess is it won't and was a waste. Your guess is it will and was not a waste. You seem very upset with my position on this. Sorry if I disappointed you. I don't always think like others in the mob.

So we shall see.

"You think exactly like others in The Mob. Violence is the way of military forces everywhere. This man only committed violence against himself.

Can you say the same?"

In this thread? Apparently I am nothing like the "mob" here. He committed violence against himself to stop violence? Umm ok. Helping to feed them would have been a more nonviolent response to the Palestinians plight.

"All you see is someone who stole and damaged "government property". Like his own life had no value except if he gave it killing others on demand by government."

That's all you got from my statement?

His life had great value. How valuable is a life? Hard to say what he would have become given time. And he wasted it. And he wasted his future and all the money you and I as taxpayers invested in him.

...

If he died in combat drawing fire to save others? When he could have escaped unharmed?

Would he be a hero,or a misguided loser?
#83 | POSTED BY EFFETEPOSER

What if he didn't kill himself but died in battle?

He forfeited any "what ifs" ... .

So we will never know.