Memorial Day. A cynical take?

[Roland99]

Memorial Day. A day to honor America’s fallen soldiers over the years.

Current take is “Freedom isn’t free” jingoistic bs

No one has fallen for American freedom since WWII. Anything since has largely been a manufactured war where our soldiers died for “American exceptionalism”

This is how I’ve felt since my “revelation” in late 2003 when I examined my political beliefs and made a deep-seated change and left the Republican Party and became unabashedly liberal

Conservatives have hijacked many things and they do it to cover their own failings and their qultist followers lap it up

So today. In honor of all who’ve fallen, I’m smashing up a Lee Greenwood record

[TigressDem]

1. Maybe a little, but I get it.

I like to push it the other way.

Thank the farmer at the farmer's market who is still working the land for THEIR SERVICE.

Thank a nurse who has been overworked and attacked since Covid began for THEIR SERVICE.

Thank a teacher who now faces even MORE challenges teaching our children for THEIR SERVICE and for buying supplies out of pocket so their kids can complete assignments.


When you think "Thank you for your service" about someone in the military or police force who will lay down their life to protect yours (or so most of us believed for many years) it is that dedication and that willingness to put others first that makes people who serve a good example for the rest of US.

NOW, no one is perfect and we have a lot of people attracted to the armed forces so they can go shoot something. Or so THEY can be the authority figure that seems to have all the power. That mentality doesn't make the best police officer. Maybe if soldiers are just supposed to be pointed at an enemy it works, but it isn't good for the soldier or humanity.


I still think there are good police and military out there and gun owners in general aren't blood thirsty killers.


But the bad apples are spoiling the supply quickly so it's worse than it was and will continue in that way until we find real solutions.


I'm big on gun insurance to bring guns in line with cars as potential deadly weapons. If used according to safe and rational standards, guns are only deadly to animals hunted for food and intruders breaking in where they don't belong.

When someone goes off the rails and starts planning to use their guns to kill people (and can't help but post it on social media) then they will get a time out from their weapons until they can show they have returned to their senses and maybe even taking the proper medication to keep their mind out of psychosis.


Freedom isn't free -- is true, but the cost is different these days.

Those children and teachers in Texas paid the price for the freedom of people to buy weapons that are designed to kill people en masse and have no business being sold without some sort of permit process and/or extensive background check.

[demigoddess]

2. from a military brat, those teachers are braver than soldiers. No weapons, no training, nobody

by their side, no backup. Children to protect.


my father fought in WWII and Korea
My stepfather fought in Korea
Uncle in WWII, other uncles in Vietnam

[TigressDem]

3. Right?

My Dad was in Korean Conflict (lead up to Vietnam) and got shot up his spine while hanging in a tree from a parachute.
Had 2 spinal fusions. Was in a body cast for a year and a half.

My Grandpa came over from Norway.

[demigoddess]

4. my stepfather was wounded with schrapnel while coming down in a parachute in Korea.

carried the schrapnel for the rest of his life.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. Maybe we need a separate Memorial Day for victims of gun and...

other forms of internal civilian violence.

At 74, the only freedom I now want is freedom from fear of my neighbors.


KY...... ........