What About Supporting Our Troops?
Like I said a few posts ago,
"By the way, placing a magnetic yellow ribbon on your vehicle does not convince me that you care and it surely does not mean that you have done your part. That is however, the American mentality: Support so long as there is no self sacrifice. Selfishness. The true patriot, puts down the pen, closes his mouth and takes action individually to aid the cause they support. This can occur through many ways, volunteerism and charity are two examples."
To all those who are quick to insist on supporting the troops no matter what, I ask you, what about this. Now turn away before you deal in reality with the administration and war you love.
posted by Bulldoza at 12/08/2004 02:13:00 PM
12 Comments:
My sister has some of those ribbons on her car. Her son is among the troops in Fallujah. Selfish witch? I think not!
By the way- only sickos "love the war". Some of us understand that it is a necessary thing to do. Were you as pissed off at Clinton when he did virtually the same thing in Yugoslavia (without UN approval)?
Yes, we need to help those homeless troops. I have volunteered time and money. What have you done Mr. self righteous?
I don't think there's anything wrong with putting a magnetic ribbon on your truck to show your solidarity with the young men this administration has placed in harm's way in Iraq. However, I can understand 3GL's frustration with the sort of easy self-satisfaction with which the things can be slapped on a fender. Especially while some of these young patriots are coming home damaged physically and mentally, and finding nowhere to turn. Maybe they should look for driveways with magnet-adorned trucks and go knock on the door and ask for help. Just a thought. I don't doubt that many of the folks would be glad to have them in for dinner.
As for whether the war in Iraq was necessary, I can't believe people are still saying that. Necessary for what? Afghanistan was necessary. Iraq was not.
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Yo Rocky, relax, deep breath. Alright. First, I do not align myself with the party of the self righteous, I am with the other party. I do my volunteerism through different groups and I do not help veterans groups. Mainly because I only have enough time to spend helping my local food shelter. You obviously are a little too dense to understand what I was attempting to point out. Where did I say that I volunteer for veterans groups in my passage....waiting, waiting.....uh......right nowhere. I pointed out that support with no actions is self serving.(i.e. As long as I believe in this support for our troops idea and put magnets on my car, I can feel better about all the unnecessary deaths of our young men and women.) No more no less, that was my point and it has NOTHING to do with what I do or don't do. This issue is not about me. As for your sister's son, I respect his honor and courage, but did your sister choose that sacrafice or is it a result of her son's decision. The magnetic ribbon that she displays, which is a SYMBOLIC example, is great, but what true chosen sacrafice do people endure? Thats my beef with supporters of this war, no other agenda as much as you would like to make me out to be "self-righteous". I would argue the Kosovo issue with you, but you are blinded by partisanism. Read the Atlantic Monthly consistently and you might base your beliefs on knowledge and not emotion. Zero, my good friend Rock, 0, the number of troops killed in Kosovo under Clinton. Res Ipsa, Res Ipsa.....The "Self Righteous" has spoken now carry on......
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"stopped rolling my eyes and feeling better than those who do" says my good friend MT Jen, who is somewhat in line with my politics and therefore hot beyond belief. Just for the record, I edited my earlier response not to take anything out, but to fix a few typos. Credibility, credibility credibility. The magnetic ribbon is symoblic of my complaint...we, me included, do not sacrifice for this war. Tax cuts, oil consumption, self interest, pursuit of wealth, etc. is all we care about at this time of concern for the great USA. Reminds me of Orwell's 1984 when, I believe Oceana and Eurasia are at battle, but nobody in the story has any feel of connection to it. Thats it, not about ribbons.....folks, not about ribbons.....
"The true patriot, puts down the pen, closes his mouth and takes action individually to aid the cause they support" This quote from your previous post is part of what my response was all about. I said that I volunteer (through VFW and other orgs.) to help the troops. I never said that you had to (and am happy you help the less fortunate through other orgs.) volunteer to help the troops. I suggest that you are self righteous because you suggest that those of us who display these magnetic yellow ribbons are doing little more than that to help. We "Support so long as there is no self sacrifice. Selfishness" according to you. That may be true of some people, but for myself and my family (with five men and one woman serving in the military) that is VERY untrue. We DON'T turn away and DO deal in the reality. We might have to be hit with the ULTIMATE sacrifice! If that day comes, will you be here telling me how wrong I was for my views? These fine service people are not only fighting in Iraq. They are also defending your sorry ass!
You are entitled to be against the war and hate the President all you want. We obviously disagree on these points and no amount of debate will change either of our positions. Just don't sit there and say we who are on the other side do little or nothing to support the troops beyond displaying a yellow ribbon. That is totally untrue and uncalled for! You owe many an apology sir!
"The true patriot, puts down the pen, closes his mouth and takes action individually to aid the cause they support" This quote from your previous post is part of what my response was all about. I said that I volunteer (through VFW and other orgs.) to help the troops. I never said that you had to (and am happy you help the less fortunate through other orgs.) volunteer to help the troops. I suggest that you are self righteous because you suggest that those of us who display these magnetic yellow ribbons are doing little more than that to help. We "Support so long as there is no self sacrifice. Selfishness" according to you. That may be true of some people, but for myself and my family (with five men and one woman serving in the military) that is VERY untrue. We DON'T turn away and DO deal in the reality. We might have to be hit with the ULTIMATE sacrifice! If that day comes, will you be here telling me how wrong I was for my views? These fine service people are not only fighting in Iraq. They are also defending your sorry ass!
You are entitled to be against the war and hate the President all you want. We obviously disagree on these points and no amount of debate will change either of our positions. Just don't sit there and say we who are on the other side do little or nothing to support the troops beyond displaying a yellow ribbon. That is totally untrue and uncalled for! You owe many an apology sir!
Again Rocko, you missed my point. Nice job that you do your good deeds, America needs more folks like you. Sure, I was generalizing about those that do nothing and I bet you are a minority. Can I prove that? No, I can not, but I think common sense and observation points me to that conclusion. So that post was not directed at you, but why the guilt....are you lying to me? You might need an apology if your feelings were hurt, but you are not getting it from me because my "sorry ass" stands by what he says. Too bad you had to name call to get your feelings out, that is the lowest level of debate btw, at this point I am expecting this sort of behavior from you. I think any soldier in Iraq who loses his life or is permanently injured does so wastefully. That is not taking away from the individual who is bravely following orders and serving the USA, I respect those guys as men or women. When are guys like you going to understand that? Its like the whole Kerry coming back from Vietnam and speaking against the war issue. The argument you attempt to frame about supporting our troops is where I was in 3rd grade. We are now in post graduate studies buddy, to use a metaphor. Lets get past the obvious, no American in his right mind would criticize the individual soldier. Your bitch is tired and gets us nowhere because your attempt to make one feel guilt, which is all it is, fails with me. Now go read the Atlantic Monthly before you comment again, you are not enlightening me anymore......
So you want some "post graduate studies"? Those men who were angry at what Kerry did had good reason. Kerry gave up for free information that our men who were prisoners refused to give up under daily torture. Maybe if you read more publications besides the beloved Atlantic Monthly you would better understand them.
I have no "guilt" about anything nor do I lie. Where did that come from? As far as calling you a name- gee, is that the worst (sorry ass) you've gotten? I've been called much worse and didn't cry about it.
In the end, it's not about you or me. You don't owe ME an apology. You do owe good people like my sister and other parents of troops and good people who help out an apology. Are there some who do no more than put a yellow ribbon on their car? Sure. That may not be as much as they can do- but it's probably more than a lot of liberals will or have done. I won't castigate them for it.
Hey, tone it down, fellas. Back to your corners until both of you can play nice.
--the enforcer
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