What Do We Want From Them?
After reading some of the comments on other blogs that were precipitated by the post here at The Blue Star Chronicles and amplified HERE at Argghhh! it makes me ask the question; "If you aren't satisfied with how the populace supports or doesn't support the troops what is it exactly that you want from them?"
Personally all I want is a variation on the Hippocratic oath, "First, do no harm." By that I mean, if you support what we are doing great, if you don't support the war that is your right but PLEASE don't give our enemies on the battlefield aid and comfort by your actions after the decision has been made to go to war. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
There are a good number of folks who generalize anyone who displays a yellow ribbon magnet as being someone who displays the emblem and calls it done. My reply is so what? So what if that's all that person has done or will do to support the war? Who does it hurt? The only thing that actually hurts the troops are protests against the troops and about the war which are covered by the MSM, and then makes its way to our enemies giving them aid and comfort. Even that is not illegal, I just don't care for it...but that's the opinion I'm entitled to as an American.
How many people actually vote out of the number people that are eligible to vote? Why should we expect a greater percentage of the population to actually do something tangible to either show support or distaste for a particular cause?
As I have said before, I appreciate and everyone I work with appreciates everything anyone has done to support the military and more specifically the soldiers themselves for almost 5 years now. But it doesn't mean that anyone is required to or has to do it, or face being called a "chicken-hawk", hypocrite or worse. What makes these actions great, what makes us (the soldiers) appreciate them is the fact that we understand that THEY didn't have to do this. Those folks in the airport in Bangor, Maine didn't have to be there at 2 o'clock in the morning. The people at DFW who greet soldiers returning for R&R aren't required to be there by anyone...and that's what makes it special.
While I can understand a soldier in Iraq feeling lonely and un-loved, this reaction of some that says you've got to do this or that or else you REALLY don't support the troops is as wrong as those who say they want to support the troops by bring them home.
Personally all I want is a variation on the Hippocratic oath, "First, do no harm." By that I mean, if you support what we are doing great, if you don't support the war that is your right but PLEASE don't give our enemies on the battlefield aid and comfort by your actions after the decision has been made to go to war. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
There are a good number of folks who generalize anyone who displays a yellow ribbon magnet as being someone who displays the emblem and calls it done. My reply is so what? So what if that's all that person has done or will do to support the war? Who does it hurt? The only thing that actually hurts the troops are protests against the troops and about the war which are covered by the MSM, and then makes its way to our enemies giving them aid and comfort. Even that is not illegal, I just don't care for it...but that's the opinion I'm entitled to as an American.
How many people actually vote out of the number people that are eligible to vote? Why should we expect a greater percentage of the population to actually do something tangible to either show support or distaste for a particular cause?
As I have said before, I appreciate and everyone I work with appreciates everything anyone has done to support the military and more specifically the soldiers themselves for almost 5 years now. But it doesn't mean that anyone is required to or has to do it, or face being called a "chicken-hawk", hypocrite or worse. What makes these actions great, what makes us (the soldiers) appreciate them is the fact that we understand that THEY didn't have to do this. Those folks in the airport in Bangor, Maine didn't have to be there at 2 o'clock in the morning. The people at DFW who greet soldiers returning for R&R aren't required to be there by anyone...and that's what makes it special.
While I can understand a soldier in Iraq feeling lonely and un-loved, this reaction of some that says you've got to do this or that or else you REALLY don't support the troops is as wrong as those who say they want to support the troops by bring them home.
posted by Outlaw 13 at 10:33
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