I'm too old to shoulder a rifle in any meaningful sense myself. [15]
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker states that due to his age, he cannot meaningfully participate in combat himself.
- In plain terms
- He is too old to fight in a war.
- What can you take from it?
- Age limits physical participation in combat.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does age affect service?
- What defines meaningful participation in war?
Another view
It is a brief personal statement without broader context.
More from Christopher Hitchens
And if I didn't know better, I'd say they [the U.S. marines] were doing God's work. Let them fear us. That's the thing -- let them fear us. [14]
Permalink to quote #89 To be involved in this [the Iraq War], frankly, just makes me happy. [16]
Permalink to quote #91 I mean, for me, it's enough to be at war. The crucial thing is to be at war. [13]
Permalink to quote #88
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