About that old man, the one the Republicans called a "taker" ....

[Scuba]

[malaise]

1. Beautiful

so appropriate

[liberal N proud]

2. The shadows we cast

[Thinkingabout]

3. K & R

I wonder if they think before they speak. Sunday while dining out a gentleman was sitting at the next table, he showed another gentleman his hat, had Korean Veteran on it, said he was in WWII and Korean, he was older and frail but he is one of the heroes, a taker now. Thanks for the service of our veterans.

[billhicks76]

46. Brainwashed By FOX

Destroy FOX and the mindless idiots will be marginalized.

[TexasProgresive]

4. For the shadow a different image would be more appropriate

Something like this which is how the old man would have looked in WW II

[johnp3907]

5. I'm sure it was a deliberate choice by the artist.

It's not supposed to be about just that one guy, or just his generation, or veterens from just one war or one time period.

[TexasProgresive]

6. OK

When I looked at the pic my immediate take was that the modern soldier shadow was protecting the old man. It seemed to diminish the old man, to make him more of a taker, if you will.

We could ask the artist but I was taught that the artist, writer or poet had their say in the work and so the interpretation is up to the viewer or reader.

[WinkyDink]

8. You do know what a SHADOW is, do you not? And WTH is "more of a taker" supposed to mean? MORE?!

That cartoon went right over your head.

[wandy]

11. As we age, the shadow we cast tells the story of our life...........

The things we have built.
The things we destroyed.
The battles we have lost.
The love we have won.
We go on, until we no longer cast a shadow.

[Enthusiast]

17. +1!

[gordianot]

35. In a mere decade that shadow will be accurate.

[WinkyDink]

7. Not necessarily. There weren't close-up battles constantly. My father was with the heavy artillery,

e.g.

[HereSince1628]

12. The tooth to tail ratio is forgotten in most representations

of veterans' experience.

Logistics and communications don't garner many glorious representations or stories.

During Vietnam the ratio of combat to non-combat troops for the Army was roughly equal.

In WWII the ratio was something nearer 3 support troops to every 5 in combat arms

[jmowreader]

23. The really good stories are still state secrets

One thing the infantry has over the rest of us: REALLY cool war stories. "I cleaned out an enemy bunker with one grenade" really draws the listeners at the local VFW in ways "I wrote this bitchin' spot report that kept 3rd Brigade from jumping into a nerve gas-contaminated drop zone" never will...even though in the greater scheme of things the spot report did more to win the war than the grenade ever could.

[HereSince1628]

25. I'm qute skeptical of stories told in canteens/bars

That's largely a consequence of me knowing my older brother who is a master at spinning stories to one-up everything he hears.

Which is sort of odd because he spent 69-70 as a helicopter pilot with the 222th at Bear Cat and probably has real stories to tell.

[HubertHeaver]

30. You need really good listening skills.

The combat veterans tend to report what was going on around them leaving themselves out of the story while the story-spinners tend to be the center of the story and, of course, are very heroic.

[bhikkhu]

32. My dad was a Marine in Vietnam

He designed bridges and roads and things, never saw combat. His one "scary" story was heading out to survey a site once and the driver noticed after awhile that it was unusually quiet, no locals on the road for a couple miles - a bad sign. They got spooked and went back to base.

[leanforward]

34. Story noted

I was there. What he told is true. One of the guys transferred to a line unit. He mentioned doing something similar. When the kids up ahead are holding their ears, stop go back. Send the mine sweepers. He's here now.

[MrScorpio]

22. It could be the modern soldier as an old man in the future. nt

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Is this a Rorsarch test that the Republicans failed?

[sarge43]

10. Just another useless double dipper.

(just in case)

[Half-Century Man]

13. My take on the shadow.

Old style m16 (full length barrel, sling appears to be knotted around fore grip, no rail accessories on fore grip, old non-collapsing stock, etc), Old style tin pot helmet, shadows at belt level appear to be of a mag pouch (R) and a duck (canvas) grenade pouch (L)., Squarish shadow opposite shadow of rifle stock looks like it might be a compass or field dressing pouch on suspender style harness.......I'm thinking mid to late 60's Viet Nam.

Shadow wise, I'm more bothered by the lighting on the big wall and the small wall on the right appear to be coming from the front; while the lighting on the small wall on the left appears to be coming from behind.

[Scuba]

14. Noted that you seem to have missed the point entirely.

[Half-Century Man]

16. Merely a technical discussion of the shadow Scuba.

There seemed to be some debate as to the era the soldier might have come from (not that it makes any difference).

It is an excellent visual representation of "do not put aside the elderly, as you know not their history" meme, with a dash of Veterans Day thrown in.

[Scuba]

18. OK, thanks.

[gcomeau]

15. Wall's curved...

All light on the wall (with the exception of whatever is causing the man to cast a shadow) is coming from the same direction. The right face of the wall just curls into the light.

(And yes, not the point...)

[HockeyMom]

19. My husband (Nam Vet) said the same

The shadow is of a Nam solider based on the equipment, and should have been of a WW2 shadow based on the age of the old man. Still the thought is very nice.

[sarge43]

21. The old man can represent three wars.

Enlisted at 17 or 18 in 1944. Got out, but when the Korean War started, enlisted again and stayed in. 1965 and yours truly cut the order sending him to Vietnam. "Third goddamn war and I was this close to retirement."

[Dr. Xavier]

20. See the forest for the trees

Oh Please? Arguing shadows? No wonder we got our hats handed to us last week! I am paraphrasing here: a critic knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

See the forest for the trees.

[Half-Century Man]

27. Be calm

If we didn't understand, we would have passed the post over with a quiet "Meh".

[lpbk2713]

24. The GOP idea of "Support the Troops"

... is to take away their benefits.

[Kalidurga]

26. My great grandfather on my mother's side was in WW1

one leg was shot off the other had shrapnel in it and eventually he lost that leg too due to a gangrene infection. So, when he came back it was a little more than difficult to get a job, he was taken care of by his entitlements and family up until his care required him to be in a nursing home. Yeah, he was one of the takers Republicans go on and on about.

[Rozlee]

28. "Support Our Troops." When you're sending them out to die.

Soldiers and vets are always an inconvenience once home again. Sort of like bright shiny toys on Christmas that you got bored with or are broken now and you just want to forget about. I didn't even bother going out to any of the restaurants today that were offering free meals for vets. Why? I live in one of the most conservative areas of the Texas Hill Country. Why should I hear people thanking me for my service when all I did was make the oil companies richer from it? Besides, I'm a taker. Do they know how much their tax dollars are paying for my VA care and service connection?

[Ilsa]

29. I knew a tea party woman who was aghast at the 47% number

That RMoney spewed were takers. I reminded her that anyone on a military pension (her) would be in that group. She didn't like that.

[bhikkhu]

31. Great graphic - some people give the majority of their life

until they can't any more. I'm glad we're not a society, generally, that just turns its back.

[Skittles]

33. that chickenhawk asshole Romney and all his chickenhawk sons can f*** themselves

yes INDEED

[kairos12]

36. Chicken hawk teathugs are the lowest form of life.

[Skittles]

38. the Romneys thought their boys "served" because they were Mormon missionaries

Last edited Wed Nov 12, 2014, 05:52 AM - Edit history (1)

the hypocrisy of repukes is mind-boggling

[kairos12]

41. It's also amazing that so many people buy their b.s.

The only explosions Rmoney's sons ever felt was the profanity spewed at them for knocking on people's doors who wanted nothing to do with them.

[Skittles]

43. HAR!!!

OMG you are SO correct

[pinboy3niner]

44. And Mitt said they served the country by campaigning for him

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended his five sons' decision not to enlist in the military, saying they're showing their support for the country by "helping me get elected."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/romney-sons-serve-country-by-campaigning/

[kairos12]

45. You are more likely to see Rmoney's sons on the back of a Unicorn counting money before you

see them uniformed like this.

[NotHardly]

37. We were young once and soldiers

We were young once and soldiers … old now, some politicians say we are takers. They are correct. We took the hills, the swamps, the tree lines and the skies … we took those because we were told to do so, because of our buddies, our own needs and desires to do and be the right thing at the right time, because we believed in the American dream and the American promise and lastly because of what we had been told and lead to believe, we did it because it was the right thing to do. We took the risk, our families and friends took the pain … we earned every ounce of support, assistance, and respect some call their begrudging charity toward us … they have pitifully short memories, less ethics and passingly small or absent moral standing.

[Skittles]

39. excellent post, NotHardly

welcome to DU

[kairos12]

42. Kipling Nailed It with his poem "Tommy"

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

[tiptonic]

40. Repugs.

Just wondering how many of the repugs. ever served or did anything, for anyone, other than themselves. Or had 'other priorities' like chaney