"Lionizing" or "Demonizing" our Soldiers?

[warrprayer]

I have noticed a few threads on D.U. from people who feel put upon that this country is "lionizing the military". This seems to me to translate into a resentment of the recognition/benefits rightfully reserved for those who put their lives on the line to defend our constitution.
It also seems to presuppose that all who "support the troops" (and yes, I'm tired of that catch phrase too) are jingoistic, magnetic yellow ribbon buying, chinese made flag waving hypocrites.
IMO nothing could be further from the truth.

From Thomas Ricks, author of "Fiasco", an excellent book on the Iraq war:



"Tom Ricks on reinstating a draft:

The Vietnam approach is not the only approach to a draft. The reason I think we should have a draft is there is a basic disconnection now in this country between the population and the wars we’re fighting. There are two 1 percents in America. There’s the 1 percent that is grabbing all the wealth in this country right now, and then there’s the 1 percent — a different 1 percent — that fights our wars. … And the 99 percent is not affected by [those wars] at all. That is no way for a democracy to conduct itself."

http://nprfreshair.tumblr.com/


HOW SOON WE FORGET

Anybody remember this guy? Son of famous Marine Commadant Chesty Puller, hero to all Marines. Far from a right winger, he championed liberal causes, handicapped rights and even ran for office as a democrat.



"I have felt the jagged fingers of Lewis Puller, Jr., as he shook my hand from a wheelchair. He was an advising lawyer on the General's Staff back then. When he wheeled out from behind his desk, I was shocked. He was missing both legs from the hip. The Marines in his Platoon told me that Puller stepped on a booby-trapped Howitzer shell. It was from these Marines that I learned the value of a corpsman. And the value of a man who is thrust into war on a half-asst whim. Sent back a fragment. And is expected to get on with his life. Puller gave it a shot. Gave it all he had. Then he shot himself. (photo from the handsome Webmaster @, http://1stmarines.org/)"

http://pearsonpayload.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Some people just don't remember, or just plain don't get it, I guess.

For me, there is one song in particular that stands for the reason we should not demonize or cast aside our returning veterans. The song is exactly the opposite of the flag waving, warmongering love it or leave it country songs that are so popular today. It is a quiet song about a real man who answered when his country called, and the pain he lived in after his return.

Guess that's all I wanted to say... perhaps some of you can say it as well as I wish I could.

[beemer27]

1. Thank You

warrprayer,
Thanks for this post. It brings back a lot of memories, and reminds us all what can happen when we let the wrong people lead us on the wrong path. I stepped on a buried howitzer shell too, and have walked on crutches since 1970. The yellow magnetic ribbons got real old real fast. If people really wanted to help, they would go down to the local VA clinic, and look at the overfilled hallways. We have returning troops waiting over a year just to get rated, and then the appeal takes longer. If we ever send troops to war, or to enforce our foreign policy, we should plan far enough ahead to care for them. And to add insult to injury, we are included in the 47% that some politicians look down on, as if we wanted to be messed up for life. We can not give billion dollar tax cuts to the 1% and pay for any new wars. This election is too important to sit out. We must vote, and get everyone we know to vote too. There is too much riding on it.

[warrprayer]

3. I can't thank you enough

... for what you have done and lived through.

[HereSince1628]

2. If we really loved veterans, we'd not be nearly so flip and jingo'd about making them.

I served. Wearing a uniform doesn't make heroes.

[warrprayer]

4. That is Thomas Ricks point

about reinstating the draft. Thank you!