Originally Posted by
magiciansampras
I don't think anyone is arguing they don't have that right. I'm arguing that it is distasteful, however. Not everyone who flies CO agrees with USA's politics or sees US military in a good light.
It is perceived as distasteful to you because it is plainly obvious that you are trying to argue objectively and failing. YOU are the offended party, and you clearly do not agree with the political happenings surrounding the armed forces, nor do you see your own country in a good light. It's OK, you can admit it.
Originally Posted by
magiciansampras
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry: BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)
What difference does that make?
You're serious? Come on now. If you truly believe that, I sincerely hope that you at some point need the police and they fail to arrive in time to save you.
Originally Posted by
Plus1
Please explain just how buying a service member a beverage equates with support of "USA's politics" or or giving the "US military" a pass on its performance?
Buying a service member a drink merely shows the company's appreciation for the sacrifices a service member makes by simply choosing to serve.
How on earth is that distasteful?
One can certainly support our troops without supporting the polices of our government. I'd wager that a good number of those how serve don't support all of the polices of our government. You'd kind of hope that a thinking person will always have certain reservations about their government; our form of government gives us that right, duty and privilege.
What is distasteful is equating choosing to serve with some sort of lock step agreement of the politics of one's country. That's the kind of thinking that got folks returning from Vietnam spat upon.
I am very proud that CO made a very small gesture to support those who support all of us, even those who find that support distasteful.
Well said, sir.
Originally Posted by
magiciansampras
Would CO give free drinks to a French soldier?
Only if they surrender first.
Originally Posted by
channa
It could be a rogue FA, rogue pursor, rogue captain, or a legitimate company policy.
Yes, because rogue behavior is immediately assumed to be patriotic behavior. Another hater who can not comprehend that there are people who are willing to make sacrifices to ensure that your freedom to say such asinine stuff remains in tact. If anyone should be the most thankful for the things military members do to fight off those who would do us harm, it should be the people who hate the military the most...free speech would be the first thing to go out the window should the bad guys take over. Your very freedom to speak the dreck that you speak is in part upheld by the very same class of people that you profess to despise... it's really quite ironic, isn't it? And before you say that my language is too strong, watch out. You have a history of anti-military sentiment in this forum.
Originally Posted by
magiciansampras
Of course not. But I would be against thanking doctors with free beverages just because they're doctors.
Not to be crude, but how do we know exactly what these soldiers were up to? What if they were Abu Ghraib types?
Following your non-logic, if your job was such that it entitled you to some goodies here and there that the average person did not receive, you would refuse said goodies? Why do I not think so?
How dare you stereotype in the way that you do. I'm sure the families of the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients that have resulted from these last few years of conflict would love to hear you lump their deceased family member's exploits of valor and heroism into the same pile as the idiots at Abu Ghraib.
Originally Posted by
magiciansampras
Um, what?
Who said I do not approve of the US military? What a ridiculous assertion.
Uh, no. It's blantantly obvious that the assertion that you find ridiculous is indeed accurate.
Originally Posted by
magiciansampras
I'm fine if you want to buy a military person a drink. I'm fine with every passenger on the plane pitching in 10 cents each to buy someone a drink. What I'm not fine with is CO making political statements to a captive audience and privileging a certain segment of the passengers based on their (chosen; we do not have a draft remember) profession.
You are in the minority. Suck it up and deal with it. I would pay to see you stand up on a flight with a sizable military presence and say that you think they do not deserve a drink on the airline because of who they are or the job they do. Were that to happen, you can rest assured that your survivors would thank you for not passing on whatever amount of money CO charges to ship a dead body.
Originally Posted by
PhlyingRPh
I will preface this post by stating that no personal offence is intended in the paragraph that follows, and that if anyone feels offended by my comments regarding this topic, they would do well to remember that several viewpoints exist on the subject, and perhaps that is precisely what your soldiers might think they are protecting when they do what they are being paid for...
I am sick and tired of having to endure all manner of praises for soldiers on board aircraft. It's a plane, not a Republican Party rally. In fact, I have reason to believe that some of the gentlemen in uniform seem about as thrilled as I am about all this thanking, gushing and unnecessary applause too. I mean so what if some kid sod's off to jolly ayrab land for a few weeks of target practice and sitting on his backside pointing guns at people, getting a sun tan and guzzling beer all day long.
I admit, my stance on the subject is about as popular as David Duke opening at the Apollo, but a few weeks ago, I did detect some rumblings at the gate when a couple of gentlemen did not seem too thrilled that a group of three soldiers were upgraded by a GA while these individuals presumably with top tier status were left in the rear of the aircraft. They were too nice to complain or even mention it directly to one another, but I knew what they were thinking.
Support of the US military is not limited to the right side of the political aisle...though to me at least it is obvious that some people in this thread are those who probably did spend a little time spitting on returning vets or hoping that the POW's were getting beaten even harder.
It's also vastly different when those "few weeks of target practice" include time spent being the target.
Originally Posted by
belynch
Sure, and while we're at it -- let's stereotype and classify large groups of people based on the actions of a few. I guess all pilots are drunkards, all police officers are bigots, all politicians are adulterers, etc.
Man, why didn't I think of this before -- life is so much easier panting with a very broad brush!!
Sarcasm aside, whether or not you agree with the agenda of the US military,
the mental and psychological duress these individuals are subjected to is nothing short of astounding and horrific. I, for one, will go out of my way to help soldiers assimilate back into a normal routine and let them know that their sacrifices did not go unappreciated or un-noticed.
Well said. Someone might not agree with the mission, but it does not mean that in turn you refuse to support your fellow human being who chooses to sign up and at some point engage in that mission. To assign political hatred to the grunt on the ground is unspeakably wrong.