Some who have served are back from Iraq, and feeling bitter

[ECH1969]

At home in Newnan, there is no war. "It doesn't cross their minds. To them, everything is fine," Reuter said.

The United States that Iraq veterans are returning to is indifferent, many said. One that, without fear of a draft, seems more interested in American Idol than the bombings in Baghdad.

The country is at war. People are fighting at this very moment. Don't these people know what's going on? Don't they care?

No, he decided. They have no appreciation for their easy, gluttonous lives. He wanted to yell, "You don't know what you have! You don't appreciate it! You don't care!" But he didn't. He was only home on leave. Soon, he would be going back to the war.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3868401.html

[ECH1969]

1. I meant to put this in the general forum

[DainBramaged]

4. It look good to me. Maybe some Reich wing bastit will catch it

surfing the forums. And if the article doesn't make you break out in tears, well........

[saigon68]

2. Yes they don't care

Anymore than they did when I and my friends came back 36 years ago.

But these people have yet to experience the total disregard for their injuries from the VA in the future.

Or seeing another war 25 years from now to enrich CORPORATE amerika

Or guys like President Ralph Reed, who will kill the rest of the Islamics and cleanse amerika for Jayzeus.

[Skittles]

8. when I was a teenager

I would ask Viet Nam vets, what was it like, what did you do, what was a day there like for you, how do you feel about it now......they'd always tell me I was the ONLY PERSON WHO EVER ASKED THEM THESE QUESTIONS - not even their families wanted to know. These poor guys would talk their hearts out. *sniff*

[donheld]

3. That's the way they are with their whole country

They don't care about the war, they don't care about the constitution, they don't care about anything except their TV shows and Sporting events.

[NorthernSpy]

5. apathy kills

:think:

Unthinkable things happen every day, and people barely notice.

[Pierre.Suave]

6. I wish...

I could make them all notice and perhaps care enough to take action.

[Skittles]

7. no, they don't f***ing care

and yes, they care more about garbage like Idol than what is happening to our troops and the people of Iraq. Sickening? Yes. But then, look who is our leader......do people get the leadership they deserve? It would appear so.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Fifth vote and no they don't care

the American People DO NOT CARE

[Liberal Dose]

10. Two of my brothers were in Vietnam, and both of them said that the worst

part about coming home was the fact that all their friends and even family members were uncomfortable around them. Nobody knew what to say, so they said nothing. Of course there was the draft, and everyone was watching the war on the TV news every night so there was a high level of awareness. Both brothers would've felt a lot different if someone - anyone had just plain acknowledged what they had gone through.

:hi:

[M155Y_A1CH]

11. More from the article

Might I add another quote from the article?


snip < Nearly 400 soldiers returned as amputees and had to learn to open doors with metal fingers, walk on prosthetic legs. Senior Airman Brian Kolfage came home to sad, strange stares and spontaneous charity. As he sat in a wheelchair after having lost both legs and his right arm in a mortar explosion, a stranger handed him $250.
Another stared at him and then "just started crying." > end snip


Is it guilt or powerlessness or pity that we feel?
It doesn't feel so good when we are greeted by a reminder.
We can't hurt these soldiers feelings by letting our discomfort show,
yet we can't ignore our own feelings.

Let's not displace the emotions that surface on someone
who may have had no other real choice.
Other's chose to prosecute this war and all our anger belongs to them.
These soldiers need to feel our solidarity because they, like us were led by the nose.

[undeterred]

12. Don't they see all the "support our troops" stickers on cars?

What more can they expect? :sarcasm:

[leftofthedial]

13. most Murkans are well trained to "care" about whatever

the media tells them to care about

the media don't cover Iraq for fear of slowing the profiteering money pipeline enjoyed by their corporate owners and being accused by the fascists of dwelling on only the bad news.

[magellan]

14. This is terribly sad

But oh so predictable.

May I suggest that we make the effort, if possible, to visit our local VAs. Shake a vet's hand. Thank him or her for their service and sacrifice. Because you know, even if by some miracle they weren't injured physically or emotionally by serving over there, they still sacrificed something for this country: the normalcy of life and the freedom to experience it as the rest of us do. Many will have missed children's birthdays, baby's first steps, the death of a parent or grandparent. Some will have suffered estrangement or divorce, lost their jobs, or returned to face the financial impacts on their families caused by their deployment. Whatever plans they had for the future will have been pushed back by years.

These vets deserve our respect and gratitude. Give them the benefit of the doubt and a smile. Offer them advice and help if you have any to share. But most important, impart the knowledge that there are Americans who appreciate and think of them beyond yellow ribbon magnets; who know that SUPPORT THE TROOPS means all the way.

[genie_weenie]

15. The Regime learned an important lesson for Vietnam

keep as much imagery away from the public, keep consciousness low on what is happening and anything becomes possible from the most egregious human rights violations to the most mundane theft of taxpayer money.

2400+ Americans dead. So it goes...
18000 Americans wounded. So it goes...
45000 Iraqis dead. So it goes...
A new generation ripped asunder by the politics of Imperalism. So it goes...
The Constitution shredded by the finding of New-Old Presidental Powers. So it goes...

[Bandit]

16. The country is at war....What total bullshit

The only war going on is between Republicans and Democrats and DUers with other DUers.