Preparing for Memorial Day...

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer


funny i thought the pics where a pretty good representation on how some American spend there memorial day.

Quote:

Originally posted by A.B.D.

if anybody would actually take the freaking time to read every word i posted.. you would see that i never once said i praised the military but rather the veterans who served. it was somebody else who mentioned military worship, not I and that happened on page 3, 2nd post !

That's why I only replied after the discussions started.
I have nothing against your first posts in the first place even though I have not the same feeling (mainly because of culture differences), I understand your point and respect it.

I still think it's better in the panel (even though I'm not a mod here) because as all those discussions shows, the topic is subject to current affairs discussions

Also I disagree with the end of nemisis02 posts as EL pointed out : nowadays, soldier are not protecting countries, they mainly serve elite (either political or commercial) private interests. If the US hadn't attacked Iraq, the US would still be as safe as now. Same for France and Afghanistan for example.

Edit : I actually liked some pics by the way. Especially the one standing in the wheelchair.

The Memorial Day Service at the steps of the county Courthouse is a long standing family tradition. So long that I can't remember the beginning.

Thanks, Dad.

Also, it might be a little unrelated but it's also a day off work monday in France for old religious celebration. Do you also have this in the US or is it "just" memorial day ?

That is the point that aggravates me the most. We invade Granada, Panama, Iraq...etc. to defend our freedom ? Someone tell me how any of those protected our freedom !

How can anyone say that with a straight face ? Such idiotic, reflexive belief only means trouble for our values. Over the last 30 years we have truly proven ourselves to be a war loving nation.

Even my friends in my industry of choice ( defense) laugh in private at how often we go into another major R and D exercise overseas. Our soldiers have morphed from defenders of freedom to simple instruments of foreign policy.

[reply=omuh
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Also I disagree with the end of nemisis02 posts as EL pointed out : nowadays, soldier are not protecting countries, they mainly serve elite (either political or commercial) private interests. If the US hadn't attacked Iraq, the US would still be as safe as now. Same for France and Afghanistan for example.

[/reply]

Quote:

Originally posted by F1098

That is the point that aggravates me the most. We invade Granada, Panama, Iraq...etc. to defend our freedom ? Someone tell me how any of those protected our freedom !
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Over the last 30 years we have truly proven ourselves to be a war loving nation.

Well, not only the last 30 years. The US are built upon wars and conflicts. First, native invasion (because whatever the western movies show, it was an invasion and I'm not sure anyone should be proud of that). Then independence war, civil war etc. until now. Of course those wars didn't meant the same as now but it's still a fact you have to take into account when considering your country (I'm not criticizing, that's just history here). And that's one of the reasons fear works so well in the US and people can be blinded enough to believe such things.

No one should be proud of a native invasion be it France's invasions of EVERY continent except Australia, or the USA's as we have discussed here. And Civil wars make no point here, because all nations have them.

The point is that some nations just can't get invasion of other countries out of their blood. Teddy Roosevelt notably said that it was good for the nation to go to war to improve it's animal spirits. Thus we whacked Cuba, the Philippines and got that off our chest for a while.

But post WWII it has been a big joke. Dominican Republic, Cuba.....Vietnam.....everyone here knows the long list. We sadly buy into this shit every time it is presented to us and we toss the word freedom around without defining it. We defend no freedom when we invade other countries. We toss freedom around as a romantic concept.

I'd be a lot happier if we would sell these foreign invasions with some clearer language not involving the word freedom, because it just doesn't wash if used in the same sentence as the defense of our nation.

Quote:

Originally posted by omuh

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Well, not only the last 30 years. The US are built upon wars and conflicts. First, native invasion (because whatever the western movies show, it was an invasion and I'm not sure anyone should be proud of that). Then independence war, civil war etc. until now. Of course those wars didn't meant the same as now but it's still a fact you have to take into account when considering your country (I'm not criticizing, that's just history here). And that's one of the reasons fear works so well in the US and people can be blinded enough to believe such things.

I so agree with every point that your making, we need to keep our butt's inside our own borders and only worry bout the things that directly affect our people. I remember a conversation I had with my mom when Afghanistan started I told her that I thought another Vietnam War was starting, I think that I was right.....

luv ya.... Lia

Quote:

Originally posted by F1098

That is the point that aggravates me the most. We invade Granada, Panama, Iraq...etc. to defend our freedom ? Someone tell me how any of those protected our freedom !

How can anyone say that with a straight face ? Such idiotic, reflexive belief only means trouble for our values. Over the last 30 years we have truly proven ourselves to be a war loving nation.

Even my friends in my industry of choice ( defense) laugh in private at how often we go into another major R and D exercise overseas. Our soldiers have morphed from defenders of freedom to simple instruments of foreign policy.

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