Can we (BLEEEEEEEP) stop honoring the military now?

Besides, we all know freedom costs a buck-o-five.

 

Veterans Day, in its original meaning, was meant to honor those who died while in military service to our country. It was not conceived as a time to honor all veterans or those currently serving.

 

Or have sales?

 

Yes and no. Memorial Day is the holiday to honor the deceased veterans.
Here's a primer
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/10/living/veterans-day-memorial-day-difference/

 

As a veteran, I would much prefer someone saying "thank you for your service" than "can we fucking stop honoring the military now?"

Nothing at all wrong with paying tribute to a group of individuals who, regardless of their motives, agreed in writing to take a bullet, or a grenade, or mustard gas, or any other kind of weapon, on your behalf.

In this country, you have the right to voice displeasure with this. In doing so, however, you're revealing your jackassitude much more than you're enlightening anyone about some perceived jingoistic overkill.

 

My guess is he's talking about how Veterans Day was originally Armistice Day, designed to honor those who died in WWI and celebrate the victory in WWI.

 

I agree with your general sentiment, but I don't think willingly being shot, blown up, or absorbing chemical weapons "on our behalf" is part of that contract

I am appreciative of those who fight for our country, but I'm also appreciative of a lot of people who undertake noble and/or dangerous ventures.

As I said before, I'm fine with Veterans Day as it is practiced by most, but I think the issue some people have is the hero worship.

Sure, heroism in military service is far more likely than in other lines of work, but just because a person chooses to join the military doesn't make them inherently better or more noble than others.

Should I say "Thank you for your service" to the asshole from high school who treated everyone like shit, went to the military, served as a mechanic and was never in any danger, then came back and continued to treat people like shit? I don't think so.

That being said, the line of "can we fucking stop honoring the military now?" is fucking simplistic and dumb.

 

This. It seems ridiculous to me that a veteran would not appreciate anyone who recognizes his/her service and signing up for the chance to give his/her life for their country. And it aggravates me that there are those who think that because their loser classmate signed up for lack of better options they should not be respected. Anyone who goes through intense military training and knows there is a very real possibility that they could die in the line of duty has nothing but respect from me. And anyone who has even gone through boot camp has been through a lot tougher shit than many of us have.

 

Fair enough. I don't see them as better than anyone, but they deserve our appreciation, as do the police, firefighters and anyone else who risks their lives to serve us.

 

I have no problem with honoring the military. I don't like it when it turns into corporate marketing, which the NFL does far too much. By and large, though, military service is a hell of a commitment and deserves a lot of respect.

My chief peeve in this regard is the use of the "I'm a veteran!" card being played in situations that have nothing to do with being in the military. It's increased dramatically lately -- don't know if it's because of the VA scandal or what -- but at least once a day my newsroom gets an email that says something like "The cable company just raised my rates. I'm a veteran!"

Yesterday we got both an email and a phone call from a guy who was pissed that he tried to get a military discount somewhere but didn't have any sort of military ID, so he was denied. He said that he now knew how the Vietnam Vets felt when they returned, and ended with "is this what I was fighting for?!?" Apparently he was fighting for 15% off his FroYo.

 

And The TSA

 

I once had someone call me about a positive story written about a coach, which I didn't write. I just happened to be the guy who answered the phone.

The reporter wrote something like "former" Marine (it might have been a different branch, but I'm not positive). Nothing I could say would satisfy this guy, who wasn't even the subject of the article. The coach didn't care. Eventually I had to say, "Hey man, I don't know what to tell you. You can call yourself and each other whatever you want. That doesn't mean the whole world has to do the same."