Today is Veterans Day, where is the Jobs for Vets bill.

[Thinkingabout]

I have been writing my representative and senators about getting this bill passed. This is a shame the Senate voted this bill down, a group of people who have volunteered to serve our country, risking their lives and watching while others lost their lives and the repubs saw fit to vote this down, what are they thinking. And they brag most military are republican, give me a break. Our infrastructure is in need of repair and replacement and our veterans needs jobs, it is a win win situation and they sit dragging their feet mostly because it might give credit to Obama, he is not looking for credit, just to get a job done.

[Scuba]

1. The Republicans killed it because it "wasn't paid for".

[Thinkingabout]

2. And who do they think should be paid for their service to our military, another lying excuse.

[glacierbay]

3. And thats where they lied

it was paid for with the blood, sweat and tears of our Veterans. I honestly don't understand how any service member can be a Repuke.

[ReallyIAmAnOptimist]

4. I pissed off my GOP cousins over this topic...

Yesterday I put together a graphic, it not pretty, but the point is personally I'm REALLY REALLY tired of my flag-waving relative's constant FB posts with a graphics that says "If you support the troops, Like this." Seriously, I wonder what they would say if asked what it is exactly that they mean by "do you support the troops"? In my case my annoying cousins are racist, and religious. I guess they are probably really pissed about the election.

Apparently, posting this on MY page really pissed them off--
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47398137@N02/8176219162/" title="RealPatriotism500x366 by Dorene1959, on Flickr"><img src="" width="500" height="366" alt="RealPatriotism500x366"></a>

Here's a copy of my cousin's post of her FB page:
"My first verterans day as a Soldiers Mom. I read some posts that made me proud. Unfortunatly there were a few politically directed individuals going as far as posting their democratic party slams on vets and republicans on one of my thank you for your service posts. Just so you know...I was highly offended by this and promptly delete thar comment and link from my post. Have alittle common decency to keep your views off my page. I once again would like to thank my family members who served this country Richard xxxxxxx USCG, Rodney xxxxxx USN, Dane xxxxxxx USN, Vance xxxxxxxx USMC, Terry xxxxx US Army, Chris xxxxx US Army, Olin xxxxxxxx Us Army, and Zak xxxxx Us Army. I love you all."

I guess I hit a nerve. Was I bad and wrong? Or what?

[Victor_c3]

5. I have a theory about why most veterans are republican

most veterans, like most people in the military, aren't in direct combat functions in the recent wars. It's one thing to be involved in a war from miles away from the actual action, but it is totally different to be within small-arms range or closer to a person that you are being asked to kill. It's totally different when you actually hear the sounds and see the sights of a person that you shot dying when you find their mangled bodies after the firefight is over and go search the area for dead and wounded. It's easy to feel proud for what you did in the war when you don't have any real connection to what you did.

I've never seen or met a combat veteran who supported or liked war. As a result, the most vehement anti-war folks tend to be combat veterans. They've been there, they've done it, and they completely understand how messed up war is.

I post a lot on a conservative forum and usually my post lean hard towards the anti-war direction. I get called out for being unpatriotic and, it is often said to me that I should be like most "honorable" combat vets and keep my mouth shut about what I did in the war. To me, that is dangerous and is misleading. It gives people the false impression that I did something glorious or some great patriotic service to our country by doing what I did in Iraq. The veterans who have never experienced combat first hand (and who never developed a distaste for it) stand up and waive the flag like they are some sort of hero and proclaim how glorious war and military intervention is. The media and our government officials focus on terms like "surgical strike" to mislead the public into thinking that nobody is unnecessarily killed in combat. Our government bans the media coverage of caskets returning from the war and images of war mangled bodies being thrown into the spotlight on the news.

It's easy to believe that war is a glorious and patriotic function when all you see are impressive images of military strength, shiny uniforms, and high-tech equipment. The only images of the Iraqis that you see are those of smiling and cheering children and harmless looking adults. The American public doesn't see the mangled children and heartbroken parents that this war produces.

Again, I've never seen or met a combat veteran who supported or liked war. Those who have actually been there and experienced it want to be the furthest they can be away from it.

I hate being thanked for my service when anyone finds out that I'm a veteran. If people knew what I did, I doubt they'd be thanking me for anything.

My wife and kids did something that really upset me yesterday (veterans day). My wife meant well, but she had my oldest daughter (who is 4) come over to me and say "happy veterans day, daddy". I have a lot of mixed feelings about the war and what I want my kids to know. Actually, I don't think they are mixed at all. I don't want them to know a thing about it. I would prefer that they never knew I was in the Army I and I don't want them to make the connection that I was ever in a place where I shot and killed anyone. I don't want to have to explain any of that to my kids and I don't want to hear their questions about why I did what I did. It wasn't justified and the people of Iraq weren't a threat to us. I don't want them to think that I was some sort of a murdering machine or a monster and I don't want their perception of me as a kind and loving person spoiled by what I was a part of in the past. Fortunately, at age 4, my daughter has no concept of what war is or that someone could be capable of killing another person. I'm not ready for that one and I have no idea how to deal with it when she figures it out.