Originally Posted by csb
On an individual basis, I have no problem with showing respect for individual military members. It may come as a shock to some, but I, after talking with him and getting to know him, upgraded a young soldier on a DFW-RNO flight last year.
The negative reaction to your post, I believe, was because it suggested a blanket condemnation of our military, and further suggested that any recognition of returning servicemen and women was a bad thing to be avoided. Perhaps that is not what you intended, but it certainly came across that way.
What I have a problem with is the mass fetish that this country has developed for the military--an unthinking, unquestioning worship in which "support the troops" has become code for "don't dare question the policies they are being asked to carry out." Just because somebody is carrying out the duties for which they have volunteered does not automatically make him a hero and object for uncritical worship.
Honoring those who serve their country and have died for their country is hardly new or a recent "fetish." This country has a 200 year long tradition of publicly and privately thanking those who put themselves in harms way, either voluntarily or drafted to do so. These are ordinary men and women who not infrequently exhibit extraordinary valor when called upon by their country. Far from being some kind of pro-war code, "support the troops" is a recognition of the sacrifices these men and women are making to answer the call of their country. You may not wish to make this sacrifice, and that is your right, but to denigrate those who do rings terribly hollow.
The very notion of blindly calling every troop a hero is nonsense. What about those "troops" involved in the ever growing catalog of abuses--from minor and petty bullying on the streets, to full-blown crimes, to actual war-crimes? The perpetrators may not be a majority but they certainly are proving to be a noticeable minority within the ranks of our beloved troops.
Every campaign since the beginning of time has produced absues of some degree. That is the nature of war and the nature of man. All we as humans can do is try to identify abuses when they occur, and correct the situation when possible. The abuses that have occurred in the current conflict hardly compare to some of the horrific abuses that have taken place in past conflicts. Just ask the veterans of WWII. To be dismissive of all our servicemen and women because of current abuses does them a great disservice. How do you identify the handful of those who have gone over the line from the overwhelming majority who are serving with honor and integrity? I know of no currently available "abuse detector" so that you can say thanks to some troops only and not to others.
I only wish that the "support our troops" crowd would devote the same energy that they put into shouting down anyone that questions the role of the military in our society towards protesting the cuts in VA hospitals, soldier benefits and counseling services for returning soldiers.
This statement suggests you don't believe the military
HAS a role in our society. I would posit that no one wants to have a military in any society, but that reality offers little alternative. And I would further posit that the "support our troops" crowd
IS working to improve the lot of our servicemen and our veterans. Perhaps this work does not make the news headlines, but that does not mean it isn't ongoing.
Flyingmama
... very proud mother of a twice deployed U.S. Marine