A moment...
Within the soul of each Vietnam veteran there is probably something that says "Bad war, good soldier." Only now are Americans beginning to separate the war from the warrior. --Max Cleland
So on Friday, it's Veteran's Day. I won't be here...I'm going to Chicago early that morning. However, as today is officially "Vietnam Veteran's Day," I wanted to say my piece for today and for Friday...
My parents met while both in the Navy. Before them, my paternal grandfather was in the Army and my maternal grandfather was in the Navy. Before them, the great-grandfathers were also military. I don't say this to brag, but only to set up a certain portion of how I was raised.
I have a tremendous respect for the members of our military. I may not agree with what the administration and/or legislature asks the men and women of the military to do...but I respect the fact that these individuals realize they are doing their job..and a dangerous job at that.
Flashback two years...I was getting ready to move to Sweden for 1/2 year right when things were heating up in the Middle East. My father started to worry that I shouldn't go because of everything that was going on. I was all, "Hello...it's Sweden." Then he told me about his experience in Norway in the 1960s...right around the time that the Vietnam Conflict was "heating up." My father got a fellowship to practice medicine in Oslo, Norway for 1/2 year. Being 200000% Norwegian, my father jumped at the chance. When he got over there, he was yelled at in the streets and spit upon because he was American and those people disagreed with what America was doing over in Vietnam.
Now, these are Scandinavians...and if you don't know how Swedes and Norwegians are on their home turf...they are very passive and polite. They don't like to bring up topics of conversation that may cause a debate or...gasp...scene. (Sidenote: Obviously, we Norwegian-Americans have not carried that quality over to this country). It was a big deal what was happening to my father, and he was crushed.
He later told me that he wasn't so much worried it would happen to me as worried what would happen to people in Sweden who attempted to spit in my general direction. I agree with him...I would have probably busted some ass. (Sidenote: I just felt really tough saying that).
The sad connection to this story is that while my father was being spit upon in a foreign country, returning soldiers from Vietnam were being spit upon by fellow Americans. Spit upon for doing their jobs.
Luckily, for the most part, I believe we as a society have matured since then. We can now better separate the employers from the employees...the politicians from the military-citizens...
But, in my opinion, we haven't gone far enough. We need to thank people for making sacrifices. I'm a strong woman, but I know I'm not strong enough to sign up for a job where I know not where I'll be in a year...and whether I'll be "practicing" drills or having to defend my own life and the lives of the people around me. That takes guts...so no matter if a person served during peace time, or during times like these, they deserve our thanks and props.
So for all the veterans reading this...thank you. To everybody else...oddly enough, I think most things (freedom, love, liberty, other pursuits) are based on sacrifice in some form. Don't forget that, and don't forget to thank your veterans.
--Skoggle
"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." — Orwell
So on Friday, it's Veteran's Day. I won't be here...I'm going to Chicago early that morning. However, as today is officially "Vietnam Veteran's Day," I wanted to say my piece for today and for Friday...
My parents met while both in the Navy. Before them, my paternal grandfather was in the Army and my maternal grandfather was in the Navy. Before them, the great-grandfathers were also military. I don't say this to brag, but only to set up a certain portion of how I was raised.
I have a tremendous respect for the members of our military. I may not agree with what the administration and/or legislature asks the men and women of the military to do...but I respect the fact that these individuals realize they are doing their job..and a dangerous job at that.
Flashback two years...I was getting ready to move to Sweden for 1/2 year right when things were heating up in the Middle East. My father started to worry that I shouldn't go because of everything that was going on. I was all, "Hello...it's Sweden." Then he told me about his experience in Norway in the 1960s...right around the time that the Vietnam Conflict was "heating up." My father got a fellowship to practice medicine in Oslo, Norway for 1/2 year. Being 200000% Norwegian, my father jumped at the chance. When he got over there, he was yelled at in the streets and spit upon because he was American and those people disagreed with what America was doing over in Vietnam.
Now, these are Scandinavians...and if you don't know how Swedes and Norwegians are on their home turf...they are very passive and polite. They don't like to bring up topics of conversation that may cause a debate or...gasp...scene. (Sidenote: Obviously, we Norwegian-Americans have not carried that quality over to this country). It was a big deal what was happening to my father, and he was crushed.
He later told me that he wasn't so much worried it would happen to me as worried what would happen to people in Sweden who attempted to spit in my general direction. I agree with him...I would have probably busted some ass. (Sidenote: I just felt really tough saying that).
The sad connection to this story is that while my father was being spit upon in a foreign country, returning soldiers from Vietnam were being spit upon by fellow Americans. Spit upon for doing their jobs.
Luckily, for the most part, I believe we as a society have matured since then. We can now better separate the employers from the employees...the politicians from the military-citizens...
But, in my opinion, we haven't gone far enough. We need to thank people for making sacrifices. I'm a strong woman, but I know I'm not strong enough to sign up for a job where I know not where I'll be in a year...and whether I'll be "practicing" drills or having to defend my own life and the lives of the people around me. That takes guts...so no matter if a person served during peace time, or during times like these, they deserve our thanks and props.
So for all the veterans reading this...thank you. To everybody else...oddly enough, I think most things (freedom, love, liberty, other pursuits) are based on sacrifice in some form. Don't forget that, and don't forget to thank your veterans.
--Skoggle
"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." — Orwell
posted by Sarah at 8:45 AM
5 Comments:
Beautifully said, Skogg. Thanks for it.
where are they sending you Johnny?
You dont have to go back do you?
Johnny...how did that happen?
Wrong post, Skleeve. Bad Helper Monkey!!
I like what James Carville says, "Aside from love, the most precious gift one person can give to another is their labor." I think that goes double, or triple for soldiers.
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