The Esteemed Congressman from New York City speaks:

I want to make it abundantly clear: if there’s anyone who believes that these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits. And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment. If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq.

Here is a link to the video of Mr. Rangel in action. Watch his face say these words yourself.

As a former soldier, let me explain this to you who have never been in service. As with any stereotype, there is a grain in truth. There are some who did join for the ability to get the heck out of their homes, and the college fund is a big draw. There are some who have come to a crossroads in their lives, and signed up for a tour to get into a new environment to sort out things. Some did find their niche, others finished out their tours and were discharged. Still, others thought they were Spicolli at Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and got chaptered out, and forfeited their college funds.

For the many who got out of their dead end areas, this gave them a chance to grow up, and be a man in the old fashioned sense of the word. To leave the ghetto and gang culture, and belong to something bigger than themselves to which they could be proud. To not be a wandering drunk in a town where, once the sawmill closed, the town packed up and died. Same as when people flee to Hollywood to be at the epicenter, if their dream is entertainment, or to Alaska, to be on the last frontier. For these, joining the service vs. staying behind and wallowing in their own misery is proof of higher intelligence. Someone moved their cheese, and instead of drifting the streets of Flint, Michigan or Gary, Indiana, they grabbed onto something universally esteemed and appreciated across the country.

And there were many who joined the army because they wanted to be soldiers. Because when some people were looking to go to the auto plant, and others were going into some other field, they had the dream of being Airborne, or being a tanker, or a sailor, or flying or repairing jet aircraft. Or just in general, being a part of the few who dedicated their lives to the defense of this country.

And of those who joined for their change of scenery, or to use their service to better themselves for once they returned to civilian life, did they have this as their only option? Was this all there was to choose from? I've known many who also came from hardscrapple beginnings who worked midnights to put themselves through school because they chose not to go to the military. The point being, no one has the military as their only option in life.

Rangel is right - no one signs up to fight just for the money. Whether they are smart, or whether they are stupid. And no one goes into the service where they think for a moment that they aren't joining up with something that may involve their fighting in battle for their country.

But to say that no one smart would join, to insinuate that the military is the last refuge for the pathetic miserables who can't even qualify for the most menial jobs in the private sector, that the job is, by extension of this logic, the toilet of professions in America, is an insult to the many dedicated soldiers who have made the service a career. They want to fight, if the country sees a need for them to go into action to defend it. All the while, there are many who probably can beat a good part of Congress on the Mensa test if there was ever a smart-off.

By the way, what good is it to go into the service for college money if you're as dumb as a rock? Kind of an oxymoron, Mr. Rangel? They're too stupid to do anything else but fight, yet they joined for college tuition.

In conclusion, for those who don't think someone wants to fight for this country in spite of their being able to found successful businesses, or be hired for productive careers, I offer you the Reserves. The thousands who answered the call to arms and left behind their firms, their jobs, and most importantly, their families. The most famous example of someone who had something great going in his life, and who raised his right hand for he felt that America was at risk, and he wanted to do his part? I offer you Mr. Pat Tillman.

Dear Mr. Congressman Sir, you're party has been listening a little too much to Cindy "This country is not worth fighting for" Sheehan, and not enough to the soldiers. The heroes, like college graduate (Rochester Institute of Technology) Brian Chontosh. And as far as the desire to fight, go look up Michael Burghardt.

Hat tip Hot Air.