akflightmedic

Are you implying there is only one sole authority on morality? Are you saying one can not have morals independent of religion?

That high speed guy is currently in Qatar. Anywho, shoot me a PM and we can chat. If you are ready to deploy, I will have you gone in 30 days or less. There are about 15 guys over here currently working that can attest to that fact.

OK, a soldier told this one to me and yes I found it funny... Obama was greeted at the pearly gates by St Peter who asked him as he approached...What have you done in your life that is deserving enough to allow you to enter this kingdom? Obama spoke up and said " I was influential in changing the world, for I was President of the United States." St Peter said "What, really, when?" Obama looked at his watch and said "Oh, umm about 20 seconds ago."

Re read Dust, the article was more about the chaplain being there for the providers, not the patients...although I am sure they would happily oblige. As for the Iraq and the good work they do, that is subjective but no need to argue that one. After all, this is a religious war and we need to know we are right in the eyes of god to do what we do. I love the commercials over here...Be Army Strong, Be Chaplain Strong, Be God Strong Invoking the higher powers for death and destruction against a faith that believes in the same god, not a real compelling argument despite Palin stating us being there is a mission from god....LOL. Sorry for the tangent...they just do not belong on the box as there are a thousand other ways to get their services to those who REQUEST it.

If I need a social worker, I will call a social worker. The chaplain title remains because that is their agenda. I do not see any social workers feeling the need to come tend to our needs; again that is because when they are needed, they are called; they know their place and do not feel the compulsion to impart their skill set on everyone in sight. They do not need a CAPTIVE audience. You can not ignore the religious aspect of this scenario, as it has everything to do with it. It is BECAUSE they are chaplains that they feel the compelling need to go forth and offer their services with a nice side order of Jesus, hold the ketchup. If chaplain services have been available so readily and for such a long time within police departments, why has the suicide rate not decreased? And again, no they should not be an integral part of a system that deals with trauma and negativity that comes from our jobs. Not unless you are willing to accomodate EVERY single faith/belief or non belief that is out there.

Wow Brent. I think you missed the point many times, over but maybe now you understand. ANYONE is welcome on my truck at any time to explore or learn about what we do. You are allowed one ride along, maybe a second one if I am liking you, but on a regular basis...NO, no matter who you are (Unless you are on the county council and voting for my next raise/which never happens) Students are welcome always and as much as they want provided they are not an idiot, not only in medical skills but personality as well. Chaplains have no business being on my unit at any time. The one comment from that article that visually bitch slapped me was when the chaplain said " I could see the look on that man's face and knew he needed a chaplain immeidtaely" or some BS to that effect. Yeh whatever buddy, I am sure I have made many contorted, hurt, or even sad faces over the years. Never once did I think, damn I wish I had a chaplain here. I have always had a nice bond with my partners as well, and they never once mentioned the need for one either. It is quite presumptious to think someone needs your religious assistance, simply by a look on their face. It is even more pathetic that you think only your assistance is the right one. Why are we assuming all of our providers (EMTs/Medics) are Christians? Why is this chaplain assuming this? Let's not stop just with Christian preachers, lets get someone from every faith and belief on standby and ride along as well. I mean what if I encounter a truly horrific scene and decide I need a Wiccan goddess to assist me with what I have witnessed. Do you think that would go over well? Do you think we could do an incantation and ritual on the side of the road to help me? It was made to seem harmless that these guys would only ride a few times a month, but it is a pilot program. As someone mentioned, if it is "successful" (we could argue by whose standards), it will grow and become more permanent fixture. This is unacceptable as religion and specifically a minister of any belief, has no business riding along to offer services. Little encroachments lead to big encroachments and then we either have to rear our "evil" heads and fight the establishment to reverse it, or we roll over and suffer at the persecuting hands of the holy, yet again. As for chaplains on payroll, be it police department or fire department, again it is a horrible idea. You are establishing preference of one belief or faith over another and thereby forcing a rift to exist on some level, no matter how small between the members of different beliefs or no beliefs. It is just another backdoor approach to reach out and maintain a stranglehold on the masses.

www.jems.com just a hunch...

Yes its true, Dust and her hooked up after an all night drunken fishing excursion, during which they debated her pot smoking (which is legal in AK), and her strong family values which she wishes to impart on the nation since she can not accomplish it in her own home. Damn it, I did not mean to hijack...back on topic. I honestly thought I was in a different thread...

As I typically do, my opinion will be reserved for a few postings or even a day or two while the topic develops. My opinion is firm on this subject and my thoughts will not be swayed whichever way it is that they sway. http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx...0d-216b6b1496e7 Chaplains in Ambulances Reported by: Ewa Roman Email: ewaroman@cbs21.com Last Update: 9/02 8:03 am Print Story | Email Story They already have chaplains in place with police, hospitals, at bars and now with EMS. Starting Monday, four local chaplains will now also begin riding along with ambulance crews! The chaplains are with the Bethel Assembly of God Church in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County. Reverend Chuck Kish got the idea, after being on the scene of a fatal car crash. " I remember driving up and seeing a blue tarp, it's usually one that covers a certain area, until they remove the body. I was looking at that and I noticed an EMT had walked over and pulled back the tarp and the look on his face was familiar to me and I thought, he could really use a chaplain right now," said Reverend Chuck Kish, Bethel Assembly of God Church. There are no set schedules for these chaplain ambulance ridealongs. Reverend Kish says each of them will volunteer to go out with an ambulance when they have time, or as they're called upon.

Fair enough, I appreciate the response as that is what I wanted. Why individuals make the decision to continue whether it is based on solid evidence or more superficial reasons. If it is purely superficial, then admit it and stand behind it. That is well within your right and there is no need to try and support it with other illogical reasoning. (This is not aimed at any poster in particular). Now if I may, let us address the hygiene issue. Several have mentioned it is cleaner or they would not know "how to teach" their child the proper cleaning method since they do not have foreskins themselves. Hmmm, let's think about this for a moment. When in the shower son, pull the skin back and appply soap and water, just like you do your ears, hands, butt crack, behind the knees and all the other 2000 body parts. WOW, not too hard! Seriously, this is not rocket science, you clean while bathing. Disclaimer: These are not attacks nor are they arguments to tell you what you should or should not do, it is merely an exercise in the art of debate. And when excuses/reasons or support are provided for an opinion, those reasons must be dissected and more closely examined. Therefore, I am destroying the "I couldnt teach him cause I dont know myself" hygiene myth.

Yeh that was a great post aimed at me, but in no way satisified what I was after. I do not need validation or justification for what was done on my "generic" son...LOL. My post if you reread it, wanted to know why people felt the way they did and why they did what they did as opposed to what studies say. I am just digging deeper into the psyche of everyday people such as yourselves in order to better understand the world around me. For the most part, I think the issue boils down to comformity. No one wants to be "different", yet it is being different that has advanced us to the level we are at as a human race. The little differences add up over time. I am just insanely curious as to why we feel it is ok to perform such a senseless procedure on our infant boys based on ....what? This is the answer I seek, not an ok that what I did was right or wrong. I am circumcised, I have never missed my foreskin, but I have wondered what it would be like. if it would be different at all. Have not thought about it enough to lose sleep, but I have indeed wondered. As for my son, I do not regret having it done to him, I regret not being more educated and more firm in my convictions at that time and standing up for what is right (in my belief) on behalf of my "mini me". Unlike the appendix which seems to no longer have a useful function, the foreskin does have one. Yet we just toss it to the side and alter our bodies from birth. Why not throw in a routine appendectomy just to prevent further issues of it possibly rupturing or causing peritonitis later on in life. May sound extreme but it does make a valid point. One body part (UNSEEN), totally useless, gets to stay and play. The other body part (readily visible) and has purpose, gets chopped and sent to the wayside. Is this leading to the stereotyping early on of what is beautiful and what is acceptable in society? Do we think an uncircumcised penis is ugly therefore we want our boys to be beautiful so they will be accepted? As I said, this procedure created form an ancient tribal culture ritual, no longer vallid, yet we continue to do it day after day...and again I ask, for what purpose...conformity and aesthetically pleasing.

Ahhhh...I see the humor in your post now. Thanks!

Michael, your link was forbidden to me. Richard, I am aware of the Jewish/religous history behind it, but again these were tribal people who came up with this, and removing foreskin was a way to show solidarity in private as most do not go around waving their penises in public, but if challenged as to their belief, they could "prove" it immediately. There is no faking a circumcision. If they had decided to tattoo themselves to display their covenant with god, then they would have been more readily identifiable and persecuted even more easily. Wendy, the same applies to girl's ear piercings. Neither of my daughters had their ears pierced until they decided they wanted it. My first daughter was 9 and the second one was 7, when after a discussion of what it involved, if they were ready and then I took them to get it done. It was all brought up by them and never forced at birth, was never even offered until they asked. Arizonaff, how does your quip apply to circumcision? Are you stating because they are not circumcised they have infections or are you stating because the parents do not bathe their toddlers properly regardless of fix or no fix that they get an infection? So why does this procedure continue? Is it a matter of aesthetics? Do mothers not want their little boys looking different, or does the uncleanliness myth permeate? I have yet to even begin to speak on the sexual aspects of the foreskin removal. An intact foreskin assists later in life with sexual functions as it does aid in lubrication of the glans to aid in penetration. It also protects the head constantly which also increases sensitivity. Yeh, yeh go ahead and tell me...males do not need any more sensitivity in that region. However, we are making decisions that could or could not impact what they may desire for themselves at a later point in life. Choosing haircuts are irrelevant to this debate. Choosing gender when ambiguous again is not applicable as that is not a common occurrence and when that decision is to be made, it is a difficult one and it is made based on many tests, physician input as to which the child is "more of", and from watching many years of Maury Povich and Montel Williams, it seems more families chose incorrectly. No, I will not lose sleep over this; yes there are more important things to ponder out there, but I do get extremely curious as to why this procedure continues to exist.

I do not think any of us can say we have or havent suffered more or less, as we do not know what we do not know...right? I am just overly curious as to why we continue this trend and how peopple feel about it today even with all of our advanced knowledge of medical care and hygiene.

I see medical references, etc. I see "some would argue"...but what would YOU argue. I want to know people's personal feelings, if they are willing to share that is...

If I need to remove the reference to keep it on track, let me know. Let's not get distracted from the original question.

I am against it as there is no reason for it. It is not a matter of hygiene. It is not a matter of religion for the majority. So why do we do it? As for the difference between the clitorectomy and the removal of foreskin, I do appreciate the difference and the circumstances under which they are performed, I was merely trying to convey the point of genital alterations without one's informed consent.

Ok, I am looking for serious input here, save the jokes. My question is why do we still do this? Why is it still encouraged by doctors and the general public? When my son was born, I did not want him to be circumcised. I caved into his mom's desire to have him done. She stated she did not want him to be different looking than his daddy, friends and also commented that future romantic interests may not like it either. WHY?? I wish I had stood stronger in my conviction then, but I relented as at the tme it did not seem a battle worth fighting. Over the years however, my feelings against this procedure have grown and now I regret not being more vocal when I had a chance. What are your feelings about this? For or against? Why do we do it? We are aghast when they perform clitorectomies in Africa, yet we perform genatalia altering/mutilation every single day in the thousands here in this country.

This is a warning to all.... As we do on another site dedicated to flight, if anymore discussion takes place on what may have happened based on mere speculation, the thread will be closed and offending posts removed. It is customary within the flight circle to not discuss these things until preliminary findings or even the official report comes out as a matter of respect to our fallen brothers and sisters. Feel free to offer condolences, speak of how you feel, but anymore certification listing, thereby making me better informed than you to say what happened needs to stop. If you wish to discuss safety issues and overhauls within HEMS, please kindly start another thread.

I happen to own a few pairs that I wear on occassion for similar reasons.

I would be so tempted to stir the pot on that one... If I did wear underwear, I would ensure I had some thongs and I would make sure others knew about it "accidentally", but I am one of those that does that sort of thing. I hate rules that have no logic or are full of double standard, whichever way it may swing.

Females can't wear them but the men can??? Interesting work environment....

Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. Frank Zappa

I have already been in contact with Acadian as I did a 30 day contract with them during Rita. At this time, they are not hiring short term contractors like they did last time. They will let us know if and when they need us. They did advise calling the state EMS office and offering assistance as well. Here is the number.."You may want to contact La State also 225-763-5700" If you do not get to go on this disaster, use this as a spur in the saddle for you to prepare yourself for the next one. Take whatever classes you can and join a DMAT or some sort of disaster response team. The people who have trained and organized months and years prior to responding are always the ones that will be called in first. Joe Blow come help us now will not be called until resources are overwhelmed or shit hits the fan as displayed during Katrina and Rita. There was way too much cowboying/freelancing going on during those storms. I spent 63 days there and was amazed at the people that were turning up.