Veterans Day...God Bless our Military..

[Henry Hawk]

I personally am grateful for our soldiers who sacrifice and to the one's who have sacrificed....may God watch over them...and bless them...

[Locutus]

Agreed HH.  Although I am against the war in Iraq, and what I feel were the lies and deceptions that led to it; I support the necessary invasion of Afghanistan, and all of our troops that have been called on now, and in the past, who selflessly defend this nation

[tallulahdahling]

I hugged a veteran today--did you? 

[followsthewolf]

I'll go somewhere private and hug myself.................NAH.

I would embarrass myself. In front of myself.

[Henry Hawk]

i find it kind of sad, how this day is so overlooked.. ...it get's very little attention....it seems the media, is afraid to give it much attention....why is it, the left is afraid if they praise the military, they think they are praising the war?.....there is NO connection.

[Gryphon]

i find it kind of sad, how this day is so overlooked.. ...it get's very little attention....it seems the media, is afraid to give it much attention....why is it, the left is afraid if they praise the military, they think they are praising the war?.....there is NO connection.

Henry, you are a rare bird. So many people dont see the lack of connection.
I didnt see much national attention yesterday, but locally, there as a good bit of coverage and events, including the ribbon cutting ceremony for a shelter to  house homeless vets.

[Palehorse]

I'll go somewhere private and hug myself.................NAH.

I would embarrass myself. In front of myself.

I get this. Is that a problem? 

[tallulahdahling]

i find it kind of sad, how this day is so overlooked.. ...it get's very little attention....it seems the media, is afraid to give it much attention....why is it, the left is afraid if they praise the military, they think they are praising the war?.....there is NO connection.

I agree--if ANYTHING we need to put our veterans out front in the media to remind this and coming generations of how this country wouldn't be anywhere without them!
They should be lauded and praised DAILY.  Instead all we get is whether or not Britney ran a red light 
WHO CARES????????
Grrrrrrrrrr

[followsthewolf]

I get this. Is that a problem? 

To answer you seriously -- I never really cared if anyone ever said "Thank you."

I went into it with my eyes open and no romantic notions about war. My call. (Of course, at the time Uncle Sam might have made me cannon fodder anyway.) But, anyway, I don't expect anything special from the government or anyone else. I don't require special care or any other services from the government (Don't need the GI bill -- went to college first, duh!)

Only wanted the government to take care of my brother. They didn't.

Personally, though, when people seek me out to thank me, I appreciate it, but, honestly, it embarrasses me. So many others gave so much more. So much more.

Wish there was a way to thank them.

[Henry Hawk]

To answer you seriously -- I never really cared if anyone ever said "Thank you."

I went into it with my eyes open and no romantic notions about war. My call. (Of course, at the time Uncle Sam might have made me cannon fodder anyway.) But, anyway, I don't expect anything special from the government or anyone else. I don't require special care or any other services from the government (Don't need the GI bill -- went to college first, duh!)

Only wanted the government to take care of my brother. They didn't.

Personally, though, when people seek me out to thank me, I appreciate it, but, honestly, it embarrasses me. So many others gave so much more. So much more.

Wish there was a way to thank them.

your response is very typical.......most soldiers are humble and are not seeking personal attention.........God Bless you anyway PH....

I seriously am very disappointed in the way we do not show the proper respect for our military............it should be one of the most celebrated holidays of the year.............but, is for the most part is just another day.....

[Y]

I hope no one is offended by this, but Veteran's day and the respect for veterans in general has been cheapened and diluted by so-called 'patriots' and veterans that came after WWII. 

The 'patriot's' try and prove their 'patriotism' by claiming their 'respect' for veterans and making that entire silliness an issue of 'patriotism.'  It's no more than a twisted form of the logical fallacy an Appeal to Authority (Veterans are supposed to automatically have respect by virtue of their 'veteraness', a tie to the Der Fatherland totem, a non-veteran associating oneself with veterans then gets that authority/respect imparted to him by virtue of that association). 

WWII was the last time any veterans were actually defending this country.  WWII was the last war declared in response to attacks on this country, every conflict in which veterans have served since that time has been neither legitimate, just, or in response to an act of war by another country, and veterans who weren't involved in those conflicts were basically employed in a (government) job just like every other poor employed schmuck in America.  In other words, there's no special respect to be imparted by service since those citizen soldiers who responded in WWII.

The governmental abuse of the military in using them as cannon fodder in foreign policy experiments (conflicts) since WWII has created the situation where many of those veterans became jealous of the respect and deference afforded WWII vets that wasn't afforded them.  Some have even gone so far as to make a 'career' attempting to place themselves on equal footing with WWII vets, are continually reminding us they never received that respect, and have even developed an entire mythology concerning their treatment upon returning from overseas.

The underlying cause here can be laid at the feet of Der Fatherland totem mentioned above.  In order for Der Fatherland totem to impart the respect that people will sacrifice their lives for, it has to be an unassailable totem of all things good, and therefore worthy of that sacrifice.  The problem for these veterans comes when they cannot reconcile their abuse by government with all the totem of Der Fatherland is supposed to represent.  This dichotomy leaves them with two choices.  One, the people are at fault for not lavishing the respect and adulation due them by virtue of their service to the totem.  Two, the totem is a false idol.  Therefore the alternatives wind up being a choice between the veteran being wrong in everything he's based his life on OR other people are simply unappreciative and lack understanding, in other words 'unpatriotic'.  Cognitive dissonance then kicks in and the choice becomes simple. 

Which choice do you think that is?