SPCR

Veteran's Day in the USA (November 11) originally was a day to remember those who gave their lives in defense of their country. Now it is something a little different. I have misgivings about how militaristic the USA has become. It is difficult to get elected to office if you aren't a veteran (jingoist Cheney aside) and veterans get preferential hiring, paid collage tuition, and life long medical benefits. I would feel better about that except that only ten percent of any service personnel ever face hostile fire even in wartime. There are veterans, and then there are veterans. The US will be paying for Iraq and Afghanistan for the next 70-80 years.
If you watch any football games right now there is this outpouring of what I term false patriotism. Military presents the colors, jet fly overs, and in Dallas, a flag as big as the football field. (as though to show that the bigger your flag the more patriotic you must be) And that wasn't even in honor of Veteran's Day, just the opening of the Cowboy's new stadium.
I watched the news last night and watched as people welcomed home soldiers at the local airport with things like "Welcome home, heros!" They are not heros, they are just doing their jobs. And some have told me that being called a "hero" makes them uncomfortable.
If you really want to see false patriotism, though, just watch Shawn Hannity. Talk about wrapping yourself in the flag.
The USA originally was not militaristic. There was great reluctance on the part of many to prosecute the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and even WWI.
But then things changed and William Randolph Hearst engineered the Spanish-American War. The next thing you know we have Dwight Eisenhower, of all people, warning us about the military-industrial complex. And the US Army adopting berets. Does anyone really think there will be a positive outcome for US military presence in Afghanistan? Really? So why are we there? Think about it.
In our local cemetery there are the graves of two bothers both killed in October, 1918, less than a month before the end of the war. I think of them on Veteran's Day.

Hi Greg,

Thanks for posting this.

If you add up all the military budgets of all the so called rouge nations, its still not equal to 1% of our miltary war complex.

If you add up all the shortcomings of the states with current budget woes, it still does not equal our war budget.

Real patriotism would mean putting the last commander in chief on trial for his treasonous lies, that led to the death of over 5,000 service members , and also attempted to systematically destroyed our economy.

xan_user wrote:Real patriotism would mean putting the last commander in chief on trial for his treasonous lies, that led to the death of over 5,000 service members , and also attempted to systematically destroyed our economy.

And his puppet too.

Greg F. wrote:Does anyone really think there will be a positive outcome for US military presence in Afghanistan? Really? So why are we there? Think about it.

We're there because Obama wants to stay there for as long as it takes to win, that's why. He's the best president in the history of the United States and has an IQ of 150 - how DARE you think that he is wrong in wanting to stay in Afghanistan! He's a Nobel Prize winner for crying out loud, I don't see YOU winning the Nobel prize in anything. In fact he's going to prove you wrong when he makes the troop increase permanent as is widely expected to be announced soon.

http://www.wwl.com/CBS--Obama-to-grant- ... st/5635179

Stop with all the Obama and America hatred, it's totally uncalled for.

You forgot to mention he was born in Kenya

I saw him training in a terrorist camp.

During breaks Elvis was there singing Hound Dog.

Xan - If you recall bin Laden's goal was to cripple the US economy. At first it seemed he did a substantial job if it, but then somebody came along and really crippled the economy - the banker.

Seriously who's the real terrorist of the average US citizen?

Also, not having a problem killing (raping/torturing also works) thousands of innocent people (whether civilians, contractors...) but daring to include in the health care bill some stupid amendment not funding abortions for women who need it the most is kind of ridiculous...
But what do I know, I live in a socialist-fascist-communist country...


To get back on topic :
warning : french rant :
I wish more pro-war people came to France... to Verdun, or the D-Day beaches... Let them see how all those "heroes" died... let them see all those nameless graves (lots of nameless heroes I guess)... To me this shows the absurdity of war. Thousands killed for a couple of yards, thousands of dead people who never came back home, just buried where they died. Going to those places is always a shock for me. And don't get me wrong I am VERY greatful, but I think all those idiots "advertising" war should realise what they are really advertising : a bunch of white tombstones, neatly lined up, in the middle of a perfectly trimed green field, filled with people who are now dead.
I guess this is what you get for being a heroe.

It's those unammed people I will think about tomorrow.

Hi,

qviri wrote:You forgot to mention he was born in Kenya

This is a joke, right? He was born in Hawaii -- he has a birth certificate and there two separate announcements in the local newspapers. Those are the facts.

aristide1 wrote:
Seriously who's the real terrorist of the average US citizen?

Corporate greed.

qviri wrote:You forgot to mention he was born in Kenya

I refuse to believe in Jesus or Abraham Lincoln until I see at least 3 notarized birth certificates for each.

NeilBlanchard wrote:Hi,

qviri wrote:You forgot to mention he was born in Kenya

This is a joke, right? He was born in Hawaii -- he has a birth certificate and there two separate announcements in the local newspapers. Those are the facts.

Hi,

Yes, this was a joke.

Sincerely,
--Jarek

Hi Jarek,

qviri wrote:Yes, this was a joke.

I'm glad -- and relieved.

NeilBlanchard wrote:Hi,

qviri wrote:You forgot to mention he was born in Kenya

This is a joke, right? ....

someone needs their sarcasm detector recalibrated...

Hi,

Well, there are a lot of "birthers" out there...and they seem to take themselves seriously.

Sarcasm itself is an art and hard learning art... The problem for the sarcasm is that also audience needs to understand the sarcasm... And written sarcasm is extremely hard as over 80% of communication is non-verbal...

thejamppa wrote:written sarcasm is extremely hard as over 80% of communication is non-verbal...

"thermaltake fans are some of the quietest ever made!"


On just about any forum but this, that sarcasm would be missed completely.