Conflicted on Memorial Day

Saturday I attended the White Squirrel Festival (small town festival in Brevard, NC). As we walked past stands selling all kinds of crafts and carnival food, a loud squelch rang out from the stage in the center of downtown. Everyone turned to look as a young man started singing the National Anthem. People stopped where they were, some took off their hats, others placed their hands over their hearts. Everyone stood still during the song and afterwards people went about their business. As we progressed through the street fair, a highly decorated officer began speaking about people with local ties who had lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan "defending our freedom". I listened for a few minutes as nothing was said about WW1, WW2 or other wars, but only the "war on terror" was mentioned. The speaker preached about the "single biggest threat we have ever faced". He was referencing Terra, Terra, Terra. People stood their waving their plastic American flags.

I feel so bad for the soldiers who lost their lives and their families to a war that didn't have to be fought, but instead of feeling patriotic, I felt mad that we have all been lied to about the "war on terror", "islamic fundamentalists", and the other code words that the speaker was using to stir up the crowd. My stepfather who served during Vietnam began to mutter the same things under his breath that I was thinking. We realized that we needed to leave before we ran our mouthes off. The police of Brevard were present in all of their buzz-headed, pot-bellied, taser-totin glory, and I didnt want to say or do anything that would give the little piggies a reason to get a hard on and zap a liberal.

I do appreciate the price that some have paid for our freedom, but I am even more pissed at those who know they sent kids off to die for a lie or a dividend check from their military contractor holdings. I have just got to try to not get mad at the sheep who wave their plastic flags while they choke on hotdogs and nationalism propaganda.

Forgive my lack of form and style, but I just wanted to get this out in the event that there were others who were feeling conflicted or angry this Memorial Day.
For those of you who have served, in peace time or war, I thank you for your service and dedication to this country. For those of you who profit from the deaths of our young men and women, I hope that there is a special hot place in hell just for you. I just wish that you could get yours while you were still alive.

"The single biggest threat we have ever faced" resides in a big house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia.

I just hate those that cause them to serve in unneeded conflicts.

the brave soldiers who "defended the fatherland" by invading Poland, France, the Netherlands, etc.

is just a recruiter looking to fill a quota. Not so much about honoring anybody as playing on people's emotions as a means to an end.

repbulics along with their flag pin - it no longer stands for a great country but a disgrace of torture and murder - in my own mind, I do remember the wwII vets and those who were forced to go to Vietnam but not this BS war - I am sorry for the children killed but on both sides, I am sorry for those who believe the lies and are too freakin ignorant to know the truth -

During vietnam, I never understood how people could protest and not be patriotic - I was stupid - not this time - so I think of me then and them now and realize they are just stupid