Have you thanked a veteran today?

1. 61

   Randall R Greenposted 12 years ago

   Have you thanked a veteran today?
   
   I am an Army veteran and today someone thanked me for my service.  And it made me think that one of the best questions is "Have you thanked a veteran today?". 
   
   We can write on HubPages and can pursue Happiness and Freedom only because of the sacrifices of past veterans.  Shouldn't we all try to seek out veterans each day and say Thank You?

   replyreport
2. 60

   Shahid Bukhariposted 12 years ago

   Remembrance, is Not only an exclusive American, or a European Institution ...
   All "survivors" of any war ... anywhere, in the world ... Remember, with Gratitude ... Those, who "fought" for a peoples held, Belief/s and Convictions ...
   In Surviving Soldiers, being called the Veterans ... and those, who died in Action ... the Martyrs, in an elementally differing Perception, of war's Reality.
   
   For example ... The Guys, who dropped the A-Bombs, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ... that "won" the war for Americans ... are American Veterans ... Those who died in the Asia_Pacific ... are American Martyrs.
   
   But to those "on whom" the A-Bombs was dropped ... its a different story ... They treat the Nuclear Bombs, as a man-made Curse ... and those who died of the Bombing ... their innocent Civilians ... Man, woman and Children ... the Japanese Martyrs.
   
   In ... Veterans and Martyrs being thus remembered ... by warring Opponents ... Differently.
   
   In my Definition ...The "entire Islamic world" ... and the living Muslims today, are all Veterans ... and those dying, Martyrs.
   
   For ever since the invention of the "Bombs" and "Bullets" ... Sword wielding Muslims, have lost count of those Martyred by the Christian Veterans and Martyrs ... who have "Professionally" killed, since the Industrial Revolution ...
   Now its in the Political name of Freedom, Democracy, Socialism, Communism, Rationalism ... Christianity ... calling their Actions... Pre-emptive Deterrence ... and unwarranted Invasions as Acts of Defence against Islamic Terrorism.
   
   Now ... the Jews ... suffering their "holocaust" at the hands of Catholic Nazis ... have joined the band wagon of fanatic Western Politicians ... they are killing the Palestinians... who gave them refuge from persecution ... for over one thoughts years ... I don't know ... how would they define, their martyrs and veterans.

   replyreport
3. 67

   Comrade Joeposted 12 years ago

   Certainly not and nor will I ever thank an imperialist.  For there is nothing to be thankful for.
   
   "We can write on HubPages and can pursue Happiness and Freedom only because of the sacrifices of past veterans."  What absolute nonsense.  If it were true that people can only "pursue happiness and freedom because of the sacrifices of past veterans", then people in say Switzerland cannot be free by your logic since they don't go to war.  Moreover, you're American right?  When was the last time the US was involved in a defensive war where freedom was threatened?
   
   I don't know of many who owe their freedom to the US army (or my own country's army for that matter), but I do know of plenty of people who lost the most basic of freedom at their hands (their life), from Korea to Vietnam, Afghanistan to Iraq and all other minor interventions in between.

   replyreport
4. 0

   CJ Sledgehammerposted 12 years ago

   Please understand Randall, that what I am about to say is in no way meant to demean you personally or anyone else specifically. I think you are probably one helluva guy and I mean no disrespect. Having said that, I know praising people in the military is a social trend these days and people are considered to be a hero for just showing up to work.
   
   I mean, Jessica Lynch was praised as a hero for curling up in the prenatal position while her squad was getting shot up. We had tanks rolling through Baghdad blasting out "Highway to Hell" on their loud speakers; American military personnel using torture, rampant abuse, and degrading tactics in Abu Grahb and let us not forget the soldier who just murdered 16 civilians in Afghanistan. Little wonder the world hates America. But, perhaps we all should be thankful?
   
   Randall, I think I would probably thank someone for their military service if they were forced into it, but virtually all military personnel, some within my own family, chose to serve in the military under their own free will, hoping to take advantage of job training or to get $50,000 dollars (or more) to go to college, etc..So, in this respect, they are little more than paid mercenaries, who are willing to kill people in order to get ahead - people that never landed on our beaches or invaded our country.
   
   It is also a common belief, one that I do not share, that our constitutional freedoms would have been in peril if Bush didn't invade Iraq and Afghanistan. To me, this is nothing more than war-machine propaganda and political spin. The only ones that can take away our freedoms are the very ones that sign the soldier's paycheck and they are the very ones that will order the American military machine to start rounding up its own citizens when the "police state" has fully emerged.
   
   You stated "We can write on HubPages and can pursue Happiness and Freedom only because of the sacrifices of past veterans." Really, how so? Did the war in Iraq make writing on Hubpages a reality? Do you want me to believe that If the American war machine didn't invade Iraq or Afghanistan, that I could no longer have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
   
   Tell you what, Randall, you prove to me that America's military conquests overseas helps me to pursue freedom, happiness, and gives me the ability to write on Hubpages and I will give credit where it's due. If you can show me the error of my ways, I will gladly make immediate ammends and I sincerely mean that. :0)

   replyreport
5. 78

   American_Choicesposted 12 years ago

   When I was chairman of the employee personnel committee, the single best thing I did and perhaps the single best thing that I ever did was request from our employees who were veterans. It was their choice to volunteer the information and then we published it in our employee newsletter.
   
   What an eye opener. We had no idea. It gave all of us, a new perspective not just of our coworkers but of our world overall. All too often we take freedom for granted and worst yet we take our veterans for granted.
   
   Yes, we should seek ways to say thank you to our veterans each day.

   replyreport
6. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   I'm a combat vet too, but I think the Stratophilic practice of thanking vets is condescending to them. Also, you must remember that Americans are paying very heavy taxes for these wars against ghosts. Keeping 100,000 troops in remote Afghanistan does not "protect our freedoms". Lawyers protect our freedoms. I'm a civilian now. Let my past stay in the past. I'm not out to get attention for what I did as a hired thug. I don't thank vets, though I may chat or swap thoughts with them.

   replyreport
7. 77

   clairemyposted 12 years ago

   I have not, because I have not seen one today, however the last gentleman I met who was a veteran was in a wheelchair selling poppies, he got a donation, and handshake and a kiss on the cheek, because one day my son will be a Veteran, and I hope he will receive the same respect as all Veterans should.

   replyreport
8. 0

   Gusserposted 12 years ago

   Thank you Randall R. Green for your service to my country.

   replyreport
9. 85

   wychicposted 12 years ago

   I have not thanked one today, but I have kissed one today . My husband was a Navy corpsman with 6 1/2 years of service, and both his military service and most of his civilian life has been dedicated to helping others. Whatever one might think about the government, they taught him how to save lives, and over 33 years since he completed training he's saved hundreds, if not thousands. I do go out of my way to thank veterans when I get the chance, because their service is essential to establishing and maintaining our way of life. The really sad eye-opener is thanking a Vietnam-era vet and being told I'm the first one who ever has. I may not agree with much of what's done on the federal level, or much of how the federal government chooses to use the military, but I do love my country and am eternally grateful to those who serve and have served.
   
   (Hehehe...got to love how the "vote down" everyone has gotten on here shows up within 10 seconds of publishing the answer. Good thing I don't say what I say for the sake of having someone agree.)

   replyreport
10. 80

    Becky Katzposted 12 years ago

    I have thanked one for the 26 years of my marriage to him. He is the most courageous, loving person that I have ever met. I have even written several articles featuring him. Anyone who is not thankful for our Veterans is an idiot who does not believe that there is anything worth fighting for. They are wrong.

    replyreport