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Atomic-Clover β They found jokes to tell
Published: 2009-11-12 02:12:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 4218; Favourites: 211; Downloads: 59
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I apologize in advance for what will probably be a very long AC, when i get passionate about a subject it's hard for me to stop myself xD;;I recently read the short story "The Things They Carried" by Tim O' Brien for my humanities class, and i was overwhelmed by the sense of humanity and fragility of soldiers, and the 'terrible softness' of life--as phrased by O'Brien. I was insanely inspired, and drew this today in-between classes; it is also veteren's day in america today.
I don't care what you think about the war, or what you think it's for, all i see are men and women fighting for what they believe in, i see people who love freedom and justice, and are doing what they can to help the oppressed and those who have had freedom robbed from them. Believe me, i hate war and death, but i am so passionate about freedom, and believe every human is entitled to it, to rob another person of their freedoms is the greatest evil.
now dont think im talking about lawlessness, that is negative freedom, when ppl use their freedoms to encroach and hinder other's freedoms
Today is veteren's day here in America, and the disrespect people have for our soldiers made me cry. People were talking about how our soldiers in iraq are heartless bastards and former president bush is a villain. HOW RETARDED CAN WE BE?? SERIOUSLY?? How do these ppl not realize that their ability to complain about their government is one of the freedoms that these soldiers fight and die for?? I wouldnt be surprised if the ppl who complain about the war are all just ignorant, uneducated, media-brainwashed people who know nothing about the rest of the world. Yes i understand where they are coming from, and i greatly respect their love for life and peace, but the world isn't simple, and evil megalomaniacs arn't stopped by loving on them.
Here, if you still dont understand, how about an analogy:
So you have this neighbor, and you see him beating his wife and children, abusing and kicking his dog, and it's a horrible situation. You have been greatly blessed and have a lot of money and resources, and so you have the means to stop him, ending the cruelty and saving his family. Oh, and btw, he hates you. if he had a gun and a clear shot to your head, he would not hesitate for a second to blow off your face.
so... what do you do?
a) ask your friends and see if any of them would be willing to help put away your psycho neighbor?
or
b) say it's not any of your business, and continue living your life, knowing that he has already killed a couple family members, and wont stop any time soon.
there are people my age risking thier lives in the service, far away from home and loved ones, and are gonna spend thanksgiving away from family and friends this year. I just want them to know that i have such a great respect for them and an undying gratitude toward what they're doing.
--
pencil, edited on photoshop, will scrap later
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Comments: 66
Absolutely beautiful picture, and your rant about moved me to tears. As an army wife, there is nothing more infuriating to me than the utter disrespect people have for the military. I'd like to see them make the sacrifices my husband has made so that they have the right to be so ignorant.
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this picture is amazing and your writeing is the truest thing ive read.
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I like this picture, but just a small detail U.S. Male soldiers can't have hair even close to that long, other than that I love it. Also thank you, I am a U.S. soldier (Army) and this picture brings back a lot of memories of lost friends.
P.S.
Life is just too short to hate people. And for those people who call us names, baby killers, or spit on us, or what ever the reason why they hate us are just thanking us in a weird way because they are using the Rights and Freedoms we are willing to defend with are lives to protect.
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Oops, Sorry for the doubles post I didn't think the first one went through and was deleted so I tried to rewrite it from memory.
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I am a U.S. Soldier (army), and I really like this picture, it brings a lot of memories back. Just a little detail U.S. Male Soldiers cannot have hair even close to the long, other than that I love it.
P.S.
Life is to short to hate people trust me. And people who call us names, baby killers or spit at us or hate us for what ever the reason are just saying thank you, because they are using the freedoms that we are prepared to defend with are lives, when ever needed.
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Oh and one more thing! I've been playing around with the idea but now I think I'm sure! When I finish high school I'm going to med school! This picture has made me decide to go into some branch of the army as a doctor! I wasn't sure before but now I am! 
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c: im happy to have been of any help at all <333333
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Thankyou!!! It's about time someone put those ungrateful unrespectful b******* in their place! It makes me sick to see these people putting down the very people who give their lives for them! And sure Bush wasn't a great president but he was a heck of slot better then Obama will ever be! And about your picture! It's amazing! Love the detail when I saw it I just had to get a better look!
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A double comment just to say tha,t I talk about the art, ^^'
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I agree to you O.O It's the same here in Canada >.>
And i must say something... IT'S AWESOME!
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Honestly its unbelievably great (dont think i could do better). I think it could be improved with the eyes and the eyebrows - just minor details, but they make all the difference. But otherwise its just
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oh, okay! how so? you think their expressions should be a little different? o:
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no - just tiny details like guy who is smoking, his eyes are in slightly opposite directions and one eyebrow seems unusually long. But the details are so small it doesn't actually matter. Just me being critical I guess. Overall its insanely great.
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oh yeh and the ears are a bit off - but to be fair its between lessons. So great overall. Your mega talented - even though I hate to admit it.
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Representational democracy always has that risk. What if this guy I'm electing doesnt do what he says he will? What if the rumors aboutt his other guy arent true? I think the whole idea of putting our choices for ourselves regarding laws and such in the hands of people we dont even know is stupid, but what can you do? So about Bush, yea he was a sucky president, but YOU (america) did elected him after all, you cant really complain.
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FFFFFFFFF i would take bush over obama ANY day... >_>;;
haha it's totally true, yeah, WE (the majority) voted Obama in, unfortunately, the majority is STUPID and doesnt do their research on the canidates before voting. when Obama first started his campaign, i was ttly excited for him, and was ttly planning on voting for him; but then i did some research, and learned what his ideals were and his plans and morals and opinions and experience... and decided that he was actually the LAST person i wanted to be president >.< but, well, majority rules... even tho I didnt vote for him... uhg. it's so easy to complain, i know i shouldn't. His my president and i gotta respect him, im sure he has the best intentions for America, i just hope he doesnt screw us over in the long run cuz he's inexperienced and a backbone-less wishy-washy idiot c:
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Yea i wish more people did their research, i just take in what my parents say to each other about it (i hate wathcing the news) most people probably only watch the news and thats all they use to make their decision?
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This is incredibly beautiful! Not only the sketchlines were neat, it's full of real emotion. I really loved this!
That's to show how patriotic you are to your country, my friend! I prayed theat the soldiers would fight with their bravery hearts and lives and go home safely.
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Thats horrible that people say that! Really, all the people who are like "Yeah, war, whatev. Psh Its not like people are really geting hurt." should go and fight on the front lines and then see how brave soldiers are.
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amen
bless our troopers, they're incredibly brave :3<3
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Beautiful picture lady, this is really really just so amazing!
Seems like you're passionate about more than just pepper moths
xxx
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LMFAOOOO
haha yeah xDDD
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Ah it's a great picture. The feeling behind it is so strong and even though I've never read the book I can somehow feel it... It's kind of sad. But I like the actual drawing, hehe
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thank you! yeah... when death surrounds gentle people, it is terribly sad D,:
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Wow. You really put a lot of thought into his drawing didn't you? Amazing work, especially on the clothing folds and the bricks. I'd love to see how this looks in color.
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This is some amazing art, and I love the idea behind it, but I must argue with your comment.
There is a big difference between your analogy and the war in Iraq: in Iraq, it's not just the "bad people" dying because of the war, it's also ordinary, innocent people who just don't want to see their country being under the control of foreigners. Honor and respect to those who fight for what they believe in, but that doesn't mean we need to respect the government who sent them there and then didn't manage the situation correctly and pretty much "wasted" (I don't want to use this word talking about lives, but...) their sacrifice.
But now again, I'm not American, so you can say whatever you want.
By the way, thank you for drawing for Veteran's Day. Let us remember all the soldiers who died, no matter where they came from and no matter what they were fighting for.
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I understand where you're coming from, i heard that argument a lot when i lived in europe, and i ttly respect where you're coming from, this is just my response:
the media hated bush, he wasn't very charasmatic, he didnt have flashy, trendy commercials like obama, and he wasn't a good public speaker. So the media did all they could to make him look bad, and one of the ways was by completely twisting the purpose of our being in iraq into some ridiculous evil-republican agenda. If people do their research and don't just let the news and media brain-wash them, i would be very surprised if people still think the war is wrong. Yes, war is unfair, innocent people die, families loose thier loved ones, families are broken, homes are destroyed: it's war. and it's terrible, and i wish there was a way around it, but there isn't. I dont know what your filtered media tells you guys, but we didnt go to Iraq to take over, we went there to get Saddam Hussein out of power. Sadam--a man who chopped people who offended him into little peices and mailed them in a boxes to their loved ones. A man who enabled and funded the psycho terrorist group, the Taliban, and happily supported and enabled the death of thousands of innocent americans on 9/11. A man who murders his own people for fun, for fucking shits and giggles, and had no intention of leaving from power any time soon, and all his sons, his successors, were just as fucking awesome.
that's why we went to Iraq. To remove this psychopath and his sons from power, and save an entire country of oppressed people who have never known what it is like to live a life without fear, without having to watch what you say, to be a woman and not fear going out in public and getting spotted by someone in power and getting raped and possibly killed, with no hope of any sort of justice or entitlement to rights that would save them and end the crimes.
We're not taking over the country, we're just there to make sure another corrupt man doesnt rise to power, we're trying to make it so the people dont loose their freedoms again.
It's easy to loose sight of the purpose of the war, because it isn't traditional, we arn't gaining ground or anything, and we arn't directly effected by the outcome, but we are fighting for justice. like ~Nakakuro said in his comment, ppl now believe that freedom is a GIFT that was fuckin' given to them on a silver platter, and dont realize that it was bought for them at the cost of blood, pain, and life.
I have three friends who have all gone and served in iraq with the marines. they served their terms, came back home, and then chose to go back. They told me that the work they're doing over there is so needed, and the Iraqis there are so appreciative. They realize the good that they're working to obtain, and they realize the need that is over there, and they return to the battle. risking it all for justice and freedom, because they realize that there is nothing more valuble in the world.
of course, you wont get this on the media, i have no idea why. it frustrates me to no end, you have no idea, to hear first hand accounts of the good that is happeneing from soldiers who served, and then hearing the media trash it and hate on these incredible men and women, and completely taking for granted the freedoms and rights they use to bitch and moan.
ugh, and Obama is no better than the worst of them. he doesnt give his general in iraq the time of day. Bush met with his general ONCE A WEEK and would make frequent visits to the troops in iraq: Obama hasn't talked to his general for six months. he fucking ignores him. and because of it, he doenst give the troops the attention they need, and they're exhausted and need to come home, but obama wont replace them with new troops, cuz he's not doing ANYTHING. he's too busy trompin' around america like some fucking celebrity. ugh.
s-sorry about the rant, i know what you're saying, and i totally understand, i do. thank you so much for the comment and your thoughts on the subject <3
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"I dont know what your filtered media tells you guys". Hey, I'm sorry, I live in China, so our media doesn't actually tell us anything (especially not anything that I'd trust about the war in Iraq). I've formed an opinion from reading the news from CNN and such, and listening to some of my American friends. I know what the war was about. I know why you guys went to Iraq. I don't know why you decided to get involved there when there are so many other countries (in Africa, for example) who are in exactly the same situation if not worse. But I don't blame you guys for going. What really pisses me off is that we don't hear about anything getting
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no hey, i wasn't bashing ur media or anything, CNN and NBC and all those guys tell everyone the same empty bullshit. i hear it everyday. Its so political, and so stupid, and yet, the people who actually have truth to speak of, they never get heard.
We chose to take action against iraq and afghanistan because we were attacked. We were bombed by the Taliban, their leader lived in afghanistan, and they are taking refuge with Saddam in Iraq.
Uhg, the civil wars in Africa are terrible; but srsly, if America wanted to go into Darfur and liberate it... the media would explode and distort it into something political and selfish on the american side with some twisted hidden agenda. And the irony is--it's like we NEED a reason to help out around the world, it's like we need some ulterior motive to want to see a better world and universal peace.
if we hadn't been attacked by iraq, we probably would have never done anything.
also, in the eyes of the world, it seems like america can never do anything right anyways. When WWII was going on, we didnt want to get involved, and then everyone got pissed off at us. Now, with Iraq, we're actually fucking DOING something to help out, and everyone is bitchin' and moaning and complaining about how america is getting into other ppl's business.
srsly. wtf everyone.
well, as of now i dont know if anything is getting done in iraq right now either--with obama refusing to acknowledge the issue and all.
yeah, i just wish i knew what the media's agenda was and why they refuse to focus on the good thats going on instead of the negative, because the good definitely outweighs the bad from what i hear from my friends, and... ugh its all just so freaking retarded.
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Don't worry about the media comment. I was bashing my own media.
There's loads of very true things in what you said, like the fact that the world never seems to be happy at what the US does, but I guess that one of the inconveniences of being one of the most powerful countries around. But I guess for WW2, Britain had actually asked the USA's help, hadn't it? That makes it different from the war in Iraq. I guess people are afraid, I mean, the war in Iraq shows how willing the US is to get involved in regions away from its territory without having been provoked by the country itself. I mean, yeah, there were talibans in Iraq, but weren't they based in Afghanistan? So people start to talk, and they don't want that to happen near them, so they blame the US.
Honestly, I don't really care how the war started anymore, I don't think you were wrong to start it. But I've been thinking, and I'm not blaming anyone or saying that about Iraq in particular, but also other countries, maybe sometimes it's better to let the country find its way towards democracy by itself. I mean, it's not the perfect example, but in China if any foreign country had tried to make China into a democracy fifty years ago, there would have been chaos. No one was prepared for it. Even in 1912, they had a revolution and tried to create a democratic government, but what's the first thing they have to do? Make the emperor abdicate! And then? The new president tries to become an emperor! And most people wouldn't have minded, if it wasn't for the fact that he was rubbish and making humiliating deals with foreign countries. "Democracy? What the hell is that?" ... sorry, now I'm ranting... My point is, the Chinese people weren't ready for democracy, but they're getting there their own way, changing bit by bit. Now the French, they wanted democracy, they had a revolution or two, and they had it. They fought for it, of course they'd be ready for it. Maybe we should only fight for democracy in places where the local people are asking for our help. (That doesn't mean not promoting democracy.) Hmm... Just some thoughts...
By the way, for the media, I personally think that their only agenda is to SELL more, which means have shocking news and tell people the stuff that they think is more "realistic", which means bad news.
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no, what finally got us involved with WWII was when Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor, and we were like, fuck it. we're going to war
but yeah, i totally understand your argument and i completely agree. not all countries are ready for democracy, Afghanistan is a perfect example. we put everything in order, and left, and now it's all just falling apart back to how it was. but we're not gonna go back in and try to put it back, we went in there to get rid of the crazy al queida and taliban groups that attacked us, and then left. Iraq is a ttly different animal though, and democracy MIGHT have a chance there, but i dont know. It's not without trying though. We couldnt just take out thier psycho leader and then leave, so setting up a people's government was the best solution.
but yeah. war is crummy, and it pisses me off. but evil pisses me off more... uhg idk.
thank you so much for your comment and sharing your views with me, i appreciate it c: <33
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I totally understand. A lot of things are messed up in this world.
Nah, thank you, I feel like I've seen a whole different side of things. ^^
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Well, you've now given me interest in a new book and a new perspective to try to think in. Thank you.
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This is a lovely piece you have. I had to read "The Things They Carried" for my AP English class, and though I didn't think we went as far into detail with it as we should have, I loved the novel overall. It had a wonderful theme of playing off of "truth" and "fiction" and, as you so rightly phrased it, played the characters as gentle men plagued with the ability for great violence.
This is a stunning piece on it's own and a wonderful rendition of O'Brian's expressions on human nature. Wonderful work. ^^ And a definite favorite.
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thank you! i was afraid i wouldnt do the literature justice, and i still don't think i captured all the dynamic emotion of the peice, but at least i was able to maybe make people more aware of the cost of our freedoms, and what our soldiers go through (:
thank you for your comment <3
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Oh, but there were so many different themes and tones! I think that you went for that human tenderness that we all would love to witness in others and represented it through O'Brian's characters very well.
You are very, very welcome. ^^ Thank you for your work.
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There's an italian poem that would kinda fit this entry. I would translate it for you but I'm not even sure you'd be interested.
I don't wanna get into the details of what I think of war because it wouldn't probably be pretty, but I like the way you portrayed those two, the frail smile on the smaller guy, I really like it. You've got some talent, seriously.
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sure! i would love to read it, if it's not too much work for you 
war is absolutely horrible, but sometimes, unfortunately, there's no going around it
thank you so much for your comment darling, i didnt do the dynamics of the literature justice, but i'm happy you like it <3
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Nah, it's short, and I could use some distraction from history of elections in western Europe. (WTH was I thinking when I signed on for political journalism at the university??? DX)
"What regiment are you from, brothers?"
Shivering word
in the night
newborn leaf
in the quivering air,
involuntary rebellion
of men, aware of their own
fragility.
Brothers.
I fucking slaughtered it but translating poetry is damn diffucult, and I'm kinda sure that quivering is not the right word, but you get the general idea.
Also, since for some reason I will never understand you guys on that side of the ocean tend to find Italian so fascinating, here's the original version
Β«Di che reggimento siete
fratelli?Β»
Parola tremante
nella notte.
Foglia appena nata
Nell'aria spasimante
involontaria rivolta
dell'uomo presente alla sua
fragilitΓ
Fratelli.
Ps yes, that is latin.
And pffffffffffffffft you do, it's really good. Not to mention as you know by now I have a thing for traditional, and I confess I have a weakness for sketches as well. >.> So you got all my 'artistic kinks'. ^3^
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aw, that is such a beautiful poem! ;A; i bet it's a bajillion times more gorgeous in the original italian, so pretty... thank you so much dear for sharing it with me!
<33333
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oh gosh, i read that short story just last year ;A;
You're commended on your passion on the subject, and this image is a tremendous tribute and pays incredible respects to the courageous ones waiting to come home safe and sound.
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There is so much emotion in this picture, Kiki .. it's fucking amazing. And I'm going to have to read this story, too, because it sounds like something that might quite possibly be relevant to my interests.
Have I mentioned lately that I love you? NO? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?
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thank you! and omg i wasn't able to catch NEARLY the amount of emotion that is in the literatur,
AND OMFG I LOVE YOU TOOOOO~!!!!!! <3333333
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Hokay. So. Shaded picture made me cream my jeans. Your amazing works will never cease to impress the shit out of me, you truly are a gifted artist!
Also, the freedoms and rights of the American people have always been protected by our guardians within the Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Corps. These men and women, our veterans of all ages and locations, have been shunned by recent society. Many seem to have gone far too 'goody two shoes' when it comes to the sad facts of territorial democracy... war will happen, people will die from it. It is an unavoidable fate, for it has been programmed within our bodies since birth...only the strong survive. Those who despise and make a mockery of our service men and women have clearly been led to believe that all of their freedoms have been gifts simply GIVEN to them on a silver platter, rather than privileges granted to them at the cost of life, limb, and love.
Honor and respect those who fight for us, because they are the only thing standing between between our free country and a shallow grave.
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i can only whole-heartedly agree <3
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Gorgeous and touching - I appreciate the feeling that went into the authors note.
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I would just like to say that your drawing and title brought back one of my finer memories while I served in the Army. It is true that society today no longer welcomes the service members. And they certainly don't understand the psycological effects that war has on those who fight in war. But again I do like your drawing alot.
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