Hi everybody!

[MIScott87]

Let me introduce myself.

I live in Muskegon, Michigan. I'm 15, soon to be 16. (Because I value privacy, I'd rather not tell my name on the internet.) I'm not very active in school; although I am in the band and I might join the wrestling team. This is my junior year.

I'm thinking about serving my country in uniform. The Army and Air Force look attractive, as do (to a lesser extent) the Navy, Coast Guard, and Michigan National Guard. (sorry, I'm not a fan of the Marines. Too much for me. No offense.) Any advice on the military would be nice. (I graduate in 2005, so we may or may not have a more military-friendly President by then.)

I had been (and still am) a fan of Bill Clinton. I cheered him on in 1996 at the age of nine, I got angry at the Republicans who wanted to throw him out in 1998/1999, and I wanted his Vice President to win the 2000 election, of course. However, it was not until I watched the 2000 Republican and Democratic National Conventions when I took an interest in politics.

Another one of my idols is Jennifer Granholm. I saw her at a rally in Grand Rapids for Al Gore in 2000, when she was Attorney General. I also cheered her on last year, all the way to her election as the first female Governor of Michigan. Unlike you-know-who in the White House, Granholm seems to have changed the tone in Lansing for the better. (Got that, Dubya? For the better!) For instance, when Michigan was faced with a $1.8 billion deficit, Granholm led the state government to a balanced budget, which was approved by the Republican Legislature in July! (The fiscal year doesn't start for another month.) All the budget negotiating seemed so peaceful this year, unlike in years past.

I don't like any of the candidates over the rest; I like all of them, though Dean, Kucinich, and Graham are my favorites. Regardless of who wins the nomination, however, Bush is looking like an egg on a railroad track: About to get SQUASHED!

It's great to be a "DUer!"

[WilliamPitt]

1. Welcome aboard!

:toast:

[buddhamama]

2. Welcome !

it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. i'm me. i'm sure we'll get along like family.
Enjoy! :toast:

[Rick Myers]

3. Welcome to DU, MIScott87

You've come to the right place. There are many DUers here that are still in high school, and we certainly welcome your participation. You are our future, after all...

Enjoy...

:toast:

Rick
DU Mod

[CanuckAmok]

4. Welcome!

Ex (Canadian) military here... I can't tell you want to do, but I think it's great that you're thinking about it now. Mull it over for a few years, and then make an informed decision when you're ready.

One caveat: I wouldn't join during a republican administration--they seem to love hurling soldiers at bullets!

[prolesunited]

5. Welcome to DU!

There are a number of vets here and at least one active duty person who posts here so maybe they will be able to chime in.

Are there any particular reasons why you are considering the military?

[MIScott87]

11. I want to thank those who have served.

I think the best way to thank those who have served in the military is to join the military myself.

[Rick Myers]

17. If you have any questions, I'm ex- US Air Force

It can be a good life, and, even if you stay in for 20 (I now wish I had) you can be out at 38-40 years old with a nice pension and a whole life still ahead!

[patdem]

6. I am thrilled at how many young people are joining DU

Welcome......we need young people...the future of our country is in your hands. So glad you are early in your politics.

Welcome to you and all your friends! :hi:

[never cry wolf]

7. Welcome MIScott

Are you a democrat or a.......NEVERMIND!!! hahahaha

This is a very interesting board. Personally I am not using it very much to assist me in choosing a nominee, those threads always seem to have quite a bit of infighting and negative messages. I will listen to each candidate personally, study the debates and make my decision independently. Basically I am here as a reaction to the way our democracy has been hijacked and for what purposes and to GET THEM OUTTA THERE, ASAP!!! Here's a great thread for you to check out on the candidates which summarizes my feelings: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=227780&mesg_id=227780

I would avoid the military if I were you, at least don't sign anything until after the next election, if the neo-cons are still in power, forget it. Wrestling is a great choice, I wrestled in high school and my teammates are still my best friends after 33 years, you definitely develop a bond. There was a thread in the lounge a few days ago about wrestling that may give you some insight. There was also a thread a few days ago giving advice for newbies on DU that could be very helpful. If you want me to dig up some links, let me know.

Once again, welcome, and enjoy!!!

:hi:

[MIScott87]

12. Yes, could you please dig them up?

Thank you. :)

[never cry wolf]

19. Here ya go!!

This is the one on wrestling, i hope it helps:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=145435

i am sorry, this is all i could find for newcomers, i seem to reacll that this had a link to an archie=ved thread that had TONS of wonderful advice but I can't seem to find that, maybe some veteran can help me.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=143621

there is also this link:

http://dug.seattleactivist.org/

[Booberdawg]

8. Welcome MIScott87!

:toast:

[proud patriot]

9. Welcome Underground

I hope you enjoy DU as much as I do.:hi:

[corarose]

10. Welcome to DU

Good luck with your new School Year.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. Welcome

I have no military advice but it is great to see high school folks getting interested in the process and paying attention to politics.

:toast:

[Droopy]

14. Welcome to DU

I am amazed at the intelligence of the young people here at DU. I was telling another 15 year old how impressed I am earlier today. I'm sort of comparing myself to you guys when I was your age, I guess. I knew nothing about politics back then and I couldn't come close in writing ability and self expression. A warm welcome and I hope you stay. There are a lot of smart people here and I think the flow of information and ideas will keep you intersested.

[HEyHEY]

15. This won't start another brawl will it?

Welcome aboard youngblood!

[newsguyatl]

16. oy vey

seeing folks with "87" in their screenname and KNOWING it's when they were born is just sad :-( ugh, i feel so old...


nonetheless, welcome to du :hi: (kiddo)

[JackDragna]

18. Run away!

We want to eat you. Yes, it's true. DU is nothing but a facade for cannibalism. You poor wretch.

[rock]

20. Welcome apprentice evil DUer

Perhaps we can teach you to be as sinful as the worst of us. Enjoyed the post. Here's to many more!

[XanaDUer]

21. Welcome!

Wave!

[Breezy du Nord]

22. Hi!

Nice to see another young face! :hi:

[MIScott87]

23. Thanks, everybody.

Again, it's great to be here.

Thanks for welcoming me, and thanks for the military advice.

I understand we have a DUer running for Congress! I wish him/her the best of luck! Do we have any other candidates/elected officials?

Anything else about DU I should know about?

[Breezy du Nord]

25. When you go in the fridge stay away from my motherf***ing apple juice!!

J/k. Enjoy yourself!

(The subject line was from the movie "Barbarshop", you know, which was a good movie)

[never cry wolf]

31. The husband of another Duer is running as well

I believe it is Mr. eyesroll. William Pitt is a wonderful writer who has his own site at truthout.org. There are a number of writers here as well as a number who host their own web sites and radio shows. Bev Harris, DemActivist and others (sorry, i am TERRIBLE with names, no one left out intentionally) are doing some great research on suspected voting fraud tied into the new touch screen voting machines, look up threads with BBV or Black Box Voting in the title.

There is a wealth of talent and intelligence on this site and generous poeple willing to help and share resources.

[UrbScotty]

32. Hey, fellow West Michigander!

I live in Kentwood.

Maine Mary (real name is Monica McGlocklin) is actually a State Representative in (where else) Maine.

JCMach1 (Jerald Cumbus) ran last year for Florida Legislature.

[JohnKleeb]

24. welcome I am a little older than you

Its great to meet people my age, wait a sec you are in the class of 2005 woohoo I am not the baby of the class of 2005 at DU anymore. Booyah, on the military I cant serve because of a heart condition, that said military history mostly WWII interests me.

[MIScott87]

29. Sorry to hear about the heart condition.

Too bad you can't serve.

[WillParkinson]

26. Welcome aboard!

Great to have you with us.

[AnnabelLee]

27. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

My stepson was a Marine recruiter, & he requested a transfer out of that job because, as he put it, "I just can't lie the way the rest of them do". My advice about joining the military is this: If you really want to join, do it because you want to protect this country & its Constitution, not because of whatever pie-in-the-sky story you will hear from a recruiter. If a recruiter tells you that you can pick the job and/or training you will get, (s)he is lying. It just doesn't happen that way.

Also, you might want to wait to see who is occupying the White House before you join up. There's no point in joining if you're going to be sent off to fight imperialistic resource-control wars for the benefit of a small clique of repubs.

[MIScott87]

28. I don't plan on listening to the recruiter, lol.

BTW, I notice a few of you have those person-like icons next to your names. Does that mean you are moderators, discussion leaders, or what?

[Breezy du Nord]

30. means they moderate the forums

A blue one means they are the ones who run the site. (that's Skinner, elad and Earlg

[TrogL]

33. Isn't thayt sweet

He's gone to all the trouble of spelling everything right and coherent grammar and real paragraphs and stuf.

trust me, you spend any mont of time here, you'll end up posting like th rest of us

[Rhiannon12866]

34. What a great and refreshing post. There are several others on DU

who are around your age and you all never cease to amaze me. You have only 20 posts and are already adept at using the HTML prompts. It took me around 200 posts before I ever had the courage to start a thread!:D

You are very welcome here, MIScott87! I know that you will find yourself among kindred spirits. I agree that you should think long and hard about joining the U.S. military, or at least until the Republicans are out of office. Even reservists are placed in harm's way, just now.
:scared:

I hope that you will find what I found here, an education, well-informed discourse, information, support and the unique brand of camaraderie that is DU. Welcome, MIScott87!:-)

:toast: WELCOME TO DU! :bounce: MIScott87! :party: ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL DUer! :wow: WELCOME TO DU! :toast: CONGRATULATIONS FOR JOINING THE BEST COMMUNITY ON THE WEB! :bounce: THIS WAS A GREAT POST! :toast: HERE'S TO MANY MORE! :toast: WELCOME TO DU, MIScott87! :kick: