I weep for the future of the US Navy

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

On this past Friday we decided to head up to Annapolis to go and see Pan's Labyrinth. IT was a very powerful movie and it achieved the effect that it was shooting for. It was a tear jerker towards the end.

My wife had tears in her eyes (as well as a lot of other people judging from the forums on IMDB.com) as we were leaving the theater.

Enter the sucky people.

There were also six Midshipmen (cadets from the Naval Academy) who were in the row in front of us. Now during the movie they were pretty quiet in spite of the constant checking of text messages (phones WERE silent...I'll give them that) and they did squirm a bit as they seemed to realize that the movie wasn't what they expected (wasn't what we expected either but we enjoyed it anyway).

They lowered themselves to the level of suckage when these future naval officers and gentlemen in training decided to make mockery of the fact that my wife was crying.

Again I say that my wife had tears in her eyes but to say that she was full out crying was a bit of an exaggeration and even if it wasn't, it was not their place to mock someone for immersing themselves into a movie and letting it stir the emotions in the way that the writer and director intended.

And to think that these six are part of the future of the United States Navy <shudder>

Mongo

[Writer Cath]

Wow, that's a batch of classy gents. Are you sure they were headed to the navy? Maybe they were out on a school field trip. I went on those all the time in the fourth grade.

[Imogene]

Ooo, Pan's Labyrinth... I went to that, expecting it to be more light-and-fluffy stuff...

Whoops! Nope, not even close!

I didn't cry, but I DID have to shield my eyes in a few spots, cause it was just too gruesome...

As to the Navy boys...
Hmmm... don't they teach them better in the Navy? I thought...?

[zeoquean]

I saw Pan's Labyrinth as well...wasn't what I expected at all either. Still good though..

[ditchdj]

Yeah but, thanks to a war we got going on right now, the military's pretty much taking anyone that can sign their name on the application.

[chainedbarista]

yep, all the miltary has laxed its standards for recruitment; they take anyone who hasn't committed murder these days, from what i've seen.

combine that with the great examples graduating high school *note, i don't think they're all this bad, but i seem to run into the bad ones repeatedly* and i weep deeply for our future.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Ugh, I hate phone people in the movies. Even if the sound is off, the light is still distracting when the rest of the lights are off.

[hecubus]

My former theater manager once worked at a theater that was located close to a local Naval base. I used to hear story after story about how rude and stupid the Navy guys were at her theater.

I don't know what it is, but most military customers are pretty good, but, in my experience, Navy guys seem to be the biggest jerks around.

And, according to my father (who was in the Army), it's always been that way. I don;t know what it is, but it seems that the Navy draws an inordinant share of jerks and idiots.

[Anthony K. S.]

I have always had great respect for anybody who serves in the Armed Forces, because I believe that these people have a courage that I will never have.

With that said . . .

A good friend of mine has a seven-year-old niece, who is quite possibly the sweetest little girl you could ever hope to meet. And if she saw anybody behave the way that those Navy cadets did, she wouldn't even hesitate to tell them, "Hey, that's not very nice . . ."

It is truly sad whenever any adult (never mind people who are supposed to represent the honor of our country and are being entrusted with its defense) would need to take lessons on manners from a seven-year-old.

[Librarybabe]

Here's what you do...

Those "gentlement" were ACADEMY CADETS. Write a letter to the head of the school describing the conduct of these boobs. They're supposed to have sworn to a code of conduct, so HOLD THEM TO IT.
The Naval Academy Commandant would like to know of this. Bet on it.

[ebonyknight]

yep, all the miltary has laxed its standards for recruitment; they take anyone who hasn't committed murder these days, from what i've seen.

combine that with the great examples graduating high school *note, i don't think they're all this bad, but i seem to run into the bad ones repeatedly* and i weep deeply for our future.

Just about.

You should see who they are calling back. I helped this one guy (direct tech support) who had been retired for a while and put back on the uniform. Hair all white (what of it there was), so many age spots he looked like his hands were tanned and a cane.

Sixty, easy.

I wish I could say that was the exception.

[chainedbarista]

sadly, that's true, eb; suckiness knows no age/race/religion-it can pop up anywhere, anytime. i just wish we had an early warning suckiness detector, so we can all put on our best bared teeth smiles and be ready for the fallout.

[tollbaby]

Just about.

You should see who they are calling back. I helped this one guy (direct tech support) who had been retired for a while and put back on the uniform. Hair all white (what of it there was), so many age spots he looked like his hands were tanned and a cane.

Sixty, easy.

I wish I could say that was the exception.

dude, my parents are sixty, and they look like your normal middle-aged adults LOL You're probably closer to 75-80. (granted, my FIL's 80, and he's not white-haired or liver-spotted, but he's the rare exception).

[repsac]

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comics/20021121.jpg

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comics/20031004.jpg

[Rahmota]

Where they Plebes? If so then they will probably get themselves straightened out sooner or later.

yeah it is sad that the standards in the military overall have had to slip thanks to the way things are going. But there are still quite a few guys and gals in the uniforms who understand the responsibility and visibility that uniform brings with it.