Memorial Day Reflections

[Ted Hoppe]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

I was not censuring you - if you thought i was that was not my intention. It was an open dialog about what we share as common understanding.

The thread title was..

Memorial Day Reflections


We both are old enough to remember Memorial Day when it was called Decoration Day, as it has origins in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. We know the war was fought in the rebirth of the spirit of freedom and liberty in a nation full of flaws and horror. Aspiring to our better human nature is clearly the goal but with a firm hand and dedicated purpose in achieving peace, freedom and security. I still have the ribbons from my great grandfathers and uncles who served in the Grand Army of the Republic in numerous large deadly horrific battles. Their stories folded into the family bible printed in 1617 and carried from that time.

I commend you on your service despite your rejection. Moreover your thinking and my points are not incongruent or incompatible to each other. Veterans certainly should remind us the awareness, cost and consequences of being militarized and discharging those orders of war. No doubt a full accounting needs to be done

I have personally seen the tyranny of evil men here and abroad. I know many broken men because of war and sacrifice in the fight for peace, freedom and prosperity in the years before I was born right up to the men and women (veterans of many conflicts of the last 30 years) serving with my son right now. I also recognize where there is a void in strength and deadly power - the void rarely remains stable because the greed and ego of others will fill it with their own despotism.

[Osborne Russell]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Y’all are so illuminating.

1. some are not.

2. and it might not.

3. hearts and minds, kisses and hugs, thoughts and prayers. Be strong on defense!

Details matter more than platitudes.

What details?

What platitudes? Being prepared for war is the people's duty to each other.

Are you a pacifist?

[sandtown]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Being prepared for war is the people's duty to each other.?

If a country prepares for war, it gets war.

The US is exhibit A (if y'all will pardon a lawyerly sort of phrase)

[chas]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Being prepared for peace is the peoples duty to each other. War is the result of not recognizing your duty to each other. Imho / Jim

[John Smith]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

What details?

What platitudes? Being prepared for war is the people's duty to each other.

Are you a pacifist?

Being prepared for war is one thing. Invading countries sans a sound reason is another. Young men and women dying or getting severely injured behind lies by a president is not a good thing, is it?

Was legalizing torture a good thing? Is it a good thing that we're still holding people in Gitmo who've not been charged?

Being prepared for defense is one thing, which may mean being prepared for justifiable wars. Going to war just because we can makes no sense.

[sandtown]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Both the Trump and Biden admins have blocked Cuba from making its highly effective Covid vaccines available to the world.

The totally foreseeable result was the unnecessary death of hundreds of thousands.

Who can feel good about serving a country that does these things ??

(WaPo article today - behind paywall - called my attention to this earlier today)

[Osborne Russell]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

If a country prepares for war, it gets war.

The US is exhibit A (if y'all will pardon a lawyerly sort of phrase)

If a country doesn't prepare for war, it gets war.

Are you a pacifist?

[CWSmith]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Being prepared for peace is the peoples duty to each other. War is the result of not recognizing your duty to each other. Imho / Jim

I don't think it's quite as simple as that.

Yes, foreign policy can be very short-sighted and profit-driven to the point that it creates the foundation of war. That can actually explain at least some of the radical Islamic behavior today, but probably not all. We supported the Shah too long, and we supported Hussain too long.

I don't think that explains North Korea. Some evil is home grown.

[sandtown]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

We supported the Shah too long, .

What are you talking about ??

The US (and UK) overthrew a democratic government in Iran and INSTALLED the Shah - who ran a massive torture regime.

[John Smith]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

I see it as necessary versus unnecessary wars. I also like to think those who enlist know what they are getting into.

Our treatment of vets, as a nation, has been lacking. The ease with which young people are sent into meritless wars is disheartening.

[LeeG]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Don’t forget the Fijiians and Nepalese who died for our freedoms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_contractor_deaths_in_Iraq

https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/...nd%20elsewhere.

The military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have also produced fatalities among large numbers of private contract workers. A full and accurate accounting of contractor deaths has not yet been done by the Pentagon. Over 8,000 contractors working for the U.S. have been killed in the two war zones. This number is an estimate: the majority of U.S. contractors are the citizens of other countries, many of whose deaths appear not to have been reported.

Seems to me the large number of contracted personel losses are ignored in our honoring of American veterans yet these people are vital to the mission.

[Osborne Russell]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Having car insurance means you are preparing to get in a crash, and you will get in one. You should instead be preparing not to get in a crash, and you won't.

[John Smith]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Having car insurance means you are preparing to get in a crash, and you will get in one. You should instead be preparing not to get in a crash, and you won't.

I think there' a reason we call the accidents.

[Breakaway]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Having car insurance means you are preparing to get in a crash, and you will get in one. You should instead be preparing not to get in a crash, and you won't.

It may simply mean you are complying with state law, a clause in your finance or lease contract, your car rental agreement, your condo parking garage contract, appeasing your spouse, or all of the above.

Kevin

[sandtown]

Re: Memorial Day Reflections

Don’t forget the Fijiians and Nepalese who died for our freedoms.
Seems to me the large number of contracted personel losses are ignored in our honoring of American veterans yet these people are vital to the mission.

The countries that rely on mercenaries come to regret it.