I think his point was an interesting change of pace, even if I don't agree with some of it, but the thread got more and more uncharitable as the comments went along. When "thank you for your service" gets taken as an insult, there's a disconnect going on somewhere with the listener, I think, not with the person just trying to mean well.
I think its a biproduct of the political polarization we've landed at. GFT attracts a fairly left-of-center crowd (mostly folks who moved over there after Phil Carter's "Intel Dump" blog ended), and the "thank you for your service" people they're deriding probably are more centrist than they are. If it wasn't this, the commenters would likely find something else to get upset over; lot of that going around, these days...or maybe I'm just noticing the tendency towards tribalism more as I'm getting older. Probably the echo-chamber effect of Internet boards doesn't help any, either, not that trying to break those up is much better.
I think his point was an interesting change of pace, even if I don't agree with some of it, but the thread got more and more uncharitable as the comments went along. When "thank you for your service" gets taken as an insult, there's a disconnect going on somewhere with the listener, I think, not with the person just trying to mean well.
I think its a biproduct of the political polarization we've landed at. GFT attracts a fairly left-of-center crowd (mostly folks who moved over there after Phil Carter's "Intel Dump" blog ended), and the "thank you for your service" people they're deriding probably are more centrist than they are. If it wasn't this, the commenters would likely find something else to get upset over; lot of that going around, these days...or maybe I'm just noticing the tendency towards tribalism more as I'm getting older. Probably the echo-chamber effect of Internet boards doesn't help any, either, not that trying to break those up is much better.
I frankly didn't bother reading the comments for much the same reason I don't make loud pronouncements in bars or on street-corners and then expect rational discourse to follow: there's no point.
As for suggesting that the yellow-ribbons-on-your-SUV crowd are centrist, that implies a great deal more political introspection than I think that crowd actually subjects itself to. I certainly don't mind people supporting the troops, but hell, to think that hanging a yellow ribbon or waving a flag is a worthy substitute for thinking things over? That does rankle.
The key question is, what's an adequate/sufficient way to support the troops? I think things like Books for Soldiers and Spirit of America are two approaches that actually help.
There hasn't been nearly enough sacrifice on the part of ordinary Americans, compared to what the troops have been asked to do. I include myself in that, but I think I'm in the vast majority as far as that goes. I don't think either the flag waving, ribbon-hanging, protesting, or 'thinking things over' is nearly enough: none of it actually helps the people in harms' way, and I figure that's the measure that matters. The folks volunteering at places like the USO, Walter Reed Hospital, etc., sending care packages regularly, and giving tangible support can sleep with their consciences' clean. The rest of us? Not as much.
Wait just a second here: "not enough sacrifice on the part of ordinary Americans, compared to what the troops have been asked to do"?
We do not have a draft. We have a volunteer military. What the troops have been asked to do is what they signed up to do, and I'm grateful they volunteered to do it. My part of the bargain is to fulfill my civic duties as an American: pay taxes, become informed, stay informed, and offer my informed advice to my duly elected officials by voting, writing, and, when necessary, peacefully assembling and exercising my right to speak out on the current policies. My part of the bargain is to sound the alarm when politicians cut veterans' benefits or allow Walter Reed to become an unsanitary dump; my part of the bargain is to offer rational, informed discourse when the CinC wants to put the troops in harm's way for no good reason. My part of the bargain is to honor those people who have volunteered to join our voluntary military and welcome them back when they finish their mission and come home.
I sleep with a clean conscience, and I sleep soundly.
Addendum: What I wrote above is the bare minimum that we owe the fine folks in our military.
Care packages and volunteer time at the USO are above and beyond the call of duty, and those who assemble and send the packages, and those who volunteer their time, are certainly to be commended. They certainly are superstars.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-05-25 06:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 06:20 pm (UTC)I think its a biproduct of the political polarization we've landed at. GFT attracts a fairly left-of-center crowd (mostly folks who moved over there after Phil Carter's "Intel Dump" blog ended), and the "thank you for your service" people they're deriding probably are more centrist than they are. If it wasn't this, the commenters would likely find something else to get upset over; lot of that going around, these days...or maybe I'm just noticing the tendency towards tribalism more as I'm getting older. Probably the echo-chamber effect of Internet boards doesn't help any, either, not that trying to break those up is much better.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 06:22 pm (UTC)I think its a biproduct of the political polarization we've landed at. GFT attracts a fairly left-of-center crowd (mostly folks who moved over there after Phil Carter's "Intel Dump" blog ended), and the "thank you for your service" people they're deriding probably are more centrist than they are. If it wasn't this, the commenters would likely find something else to get upset over; lot of that going around, these days...or maybe I'm just noticing the tendency towards tribalism more as I'm getting older. Probably the echo-chamber effect of Internet boards doesn't help any, either, not that trying to break those up is much better.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 07:49 pm (UTC)As for suggesting that the yellow-ribbons-on-your-SUV crowd are centrist, that implies a great deal more political introspection than I think that crowd actually subjects itself to. I certainly don't mind people supporting the troops, but hell, to think that hanging a yellow ribbon or waving a flag is a worthy substitute for thinking things over? That does rankle.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 01:09 pm (UTC)There hasn't been nearly enough sacrifice on the part of ordinary Americans, compared to what the troops have been asked to do. I include myself in that, but I think I'm in the vast majority as far as that goes. I don't think either the flag waving, ribbon-hanging, protesting, or 'thinking things over' is nearly enough: none of it actually helps the people in harms' way, and I figure that's the measure that matters. The folks volunteering at places like the USO, Walter Reed Hospital, etc., sending care packages regularly, and giving tangible support can sleep with their consciences' clean. The rest of us? Not as much.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 01:47 pm (UTC)We do not have a draft. We have a volunteer military. What the troops have been asked to do is what they signed up to do, and I'm grateful they volunteered to do it. My part of the bargain is to fulfill my civic duties as an American: pay taxes, become informed, stay informed, and offer my informed advice to my duly elected officials by voting, writing, and, when necessary, peacefully assembling and exercising my right to speak out on the current policies. My part of the bargain is to sound the alarm when politicians cut veterans' benefits or allow Walter Reed to become an unsanitary dump; my part of the bargain is to offer rational, informed discourse when the CinC wants to put the troops in harm's way for no good reason. My part of the bargain is to honor those people who have volunteered to join our voluntary military and welcome them back when they finish their mission and come home.
I sleep with a clean conscience, and I sleep soundly.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 01:54 pm (UTC)Care packages and volunteer time at the USO are above and beyond the call of duty, and those who assemble and send the packages, and those who volunteer their time, are certainly to be commended. They certainly are superstars.