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Saturday, October 26, 2013

One Person Does Not speak for All Veterans

I read a letter –to- the- editor  from John Caldwell of Goliad with sadness and some contempt for someone would use military service from the past to make a political statement based on their ideology. The title of his letter was "Veterans watched country they served decay"

I thought about submitting this blog to ViCad but I didn’t know if that would be right.

As an American Mr. Caldwell’s certainly has a right to state his opinion and he has sure earned that right but please don’t drag our veterans into the present day political battles. And please do not think that all veterans buy into those partisan beliefs.

I’ve seen our country go through Iran-Contra, Watergate and survived. I have also seen us attack a country that had nothing to do 9/11,witness a Wall Street financial crisis which took $8 trillion of capital out of our economy leaving many without jobs and have yet to see a letter from another veteran complaining that our country was decaying. I guess it’s on what side of the fence some veterans sit on.

I know “ our government has provided weapons to al Qaeda who have used them to kill Americans” is a talking point that insinuates that President Obama is helping the enemy. There’s no proof of that. I know I didn’t like the idea of us actually paying Sunnis who had killed our soldiers the day before to join us in Iraq. Caldwell will never read of what actually happed during the troop surge in Iraq and about a tactic called “the Awakening.”

I’m 68 years old and I have not seen the government try to control my thoughts or actions. You know with health insurers getting rich, the stock market at record highs and businesses recording record profits; President Obama has to be the worse socialist ever.


It’s funny how some people spout conspiracy theories and some outright lies and then they call for God to help America.

12 comments:

Von Prien said...

Maybe they're upset for fathers and sons who have died so men and women might enjoy Freedom.

Why on earth would the Obama administration spend money to barricade open public places like Mount Rushmore and war memorials during a Government shutdown.

Not speaking for all veterans. But I would say you're one of very few veterans who aren't ashamed how they are treated by the Obama administration's sordidness.

Mike said...

First As I wrote in a blog answering the VA editorial about incidents between park rangers and tourists,I would hate to see the parks after two weeks of no clean-up or supervision.

The National Park Service may have overreached but they have also reacted to " Jul 26, 2013 - Vandals splashed green paint on the base of the Lincoln Memorial's statue overnight.....The park rangers on duty were not getting paid durning the last shutdown.

I can only express my feelings and I won't pretend to know how other veterans feel...I know they would not have liked if the debt limit was not passed and they had a delay in their benefits payment.

A lot of people suffered over the unnecessary shutdown.



The shutdown cost $24 billion.

born2Bme said...

I second what Mike said. Weirdo's look for opportunities to deface something that is important to America.
If some of you would once stop listening to the FOX spin about everything, you might realize that there are other angles, and/or reasons for doing things OTHER that denying Americans access to public places.
Get a grip and THINK!

The sad, sad thing about this issue is if the places wouldn't have been shut down and something would have happened, these same people that bitched about it not being opened would have bitched about it being open.

born2Bme said...

I forgot to add. Since the area schools are paid for by public taxes, do you think all stadiums, schools, etc. should be open to public access at all times?

Sometimes common sense trumps certain freedoms.

Those open public places are paid for by more than veterans, so it's not just a veteran thing. Remember, common sense!!

Legion said...

Hmmm, who exactly voted to shut down the government because of a law that was passed and approved by the supreme court?

Then tell me what a government shutdown means? Everything except critical services? Or just what the people that voted for the shutdown want shutdown?

I'm sorry but national parks and monuments are not high on my list of critical services.

No ones bitched about the border patrol furloughing people, but damn it secure the border! The southern one that is.

No ones bitched about Federal Marshall s, FBI support personal, Military support personal and ect. ect. being furloughed, but DON'T CLOSE THE NATIONAL MONUMENTS or all hell will break loose.

Again what exactly did the people that voted for the shutdown think what they voted for meant?

Mike said...

I understand politics,durning the initial sequester cuts the GOP was angry because the WH tours were canceled. Remember when the congressman were getting delays at the airport,they quickly passed a bill to get the airport workers back to work. It's all about what can make the next newsfeed or what personally hurts the politicians.

Durning the shutdown Social Security applications were not being processed and other vital government services were not being received. IMO,The closing of the monuments and parks did not really hurt anyone...Unfortunate yes.

When I visited Illinois in 2005, I wanted to see the Capital in Springfield and see some historic things associated with Abraham Lincoln but due to state budget cuts I couldn't.
It does not compare to a war memorial but nevertheless disappointing after driving that long distance.

I think we still have a little less than a million WWII veterans left and several veterans from other wars but were the few who attended the WWII durning the shutdown representative of all those veterans? Texas is not the only state in the union.

Edith Ann said...

If they don't complain about the national monuments being closed, we might just want to talk about all the folks who were furloughed and those who were in jeopardy of not getting a paycheck, like those in the military.

If all you have to complain about it a national park or a memorial being closed to veterans, they you are in great shape, so STFU already!

Sugar Magnolia said...

Edith Ann - who is complaining only of a national park or memorial being closed? I read the LTTE referenced, and there was a plethora of cognizant points made by the author; national parks and memorials being just the tip of the iceberg for many citizens who are reacting by, yes, complaining about the shameful actions of our government not only during the shutdown, but by the disregard of the American people by the Obama administration over the last several years.

Understand, I'm not taking sides here; many are disgusted by our entire government, both parties included.

But even if one were to complain ONLY about national parks and monuments (which I haven't heard a single soul singling out as the ONLY affront to citizens), then I would hope that they would REFUSE to "STFU", since, as an American citizen, the right to free speech is indeed a precious thing, whether you want to hear what they have to say or not.

Edith Ann said...

Good morning Sugar Magnolia--

Through the entire shutdown and up until the chatter died down, the bulk of what I saw was folks bitching about folks being denied access to the national parks and monuments. Now, granted, I was watching a variety of sources including, but not limited to Twitter, Facebook (folks are amazingly vocal on FB) and several news sources. Even our local paper did a follow up story after a letter to the editor about the guy getting ticketed at the Wildlife Refuge in Aransas County.

With that said, I stand by my assessment that the bulk of the bitching WAS about access to public places. I rarely saw anything about concern that the military families might not get paid. I saw very few furloughed workers complaining about their predicament. But I did see a couple of folks who spoke out very vocally FOR the shutdown seize a photo op at a military memorial, which I found very disingenuous after they were all over the news promoting that shut down.

I could not agree with you more--the First Amendment is a precious right for all Americans. So once again I will exercise my First Amendment right and suggest that those who have little to complain about STFU.

But that's just me.

Mike said...

I’m still an invisible commenter at VI Cad. My comments are not counted or displayed and there is a huge delay overall or a lagging refresh rate. But I can live with that.

There is Eloy Luna does get to make inflammatory comments which get counted and posted because he uses his real name.

To say that someone does not know what true Americans values are what our veterans fought and died for is a classic “wrapping yourself in the American flag” and deeming anyone without your political point of view unpatriotic and of course un-American.

Obama is cramming ACA and immigration reform down our throats? ACA is for the 15% who do not have insurance and immigration reform has not and very unlikely to pass.

I have no idea of what Eloy is listening to, but I don’t want any part of it…If that makes me un-American in his eyes, I’ll just have to live with it.

Sugar Magnolia said...

Yeah, Edith Ann. That IS just you. But certainly not the you that I used to know. Though I've not always agreed with you (and vice-versa), I've always respected your opinion and your intelligence. I don't remember you ever taking the easy way out of a discussion by directing others to "STFU". How disrespectful and shameful. I don't want to make this personal, though. I'm just surprised and somewhat taken aback.

I guess things change, right?

Edith Ann said...

I thought I always called it like I saw it. At least I thought I did.

It's not personal unless you fall into the category I am addressing. I haven't seen you particularly complaining about the closure of the monuments and the memorials, but like me you haven't written a blog in a while.