‘Is Thanking Our Veterans on Veterans Day Just Lip Service?’
by Jack L. Key (11/12/08)
Yesterday, November 11, 2008 was Veterans Day.
There were the usual local parades and visits to National Cemeteries, speeches of thanks for service, and wreath-laying ceremonies for those who served, and the many who gave their lives for their country. Many still lie in far away lands under white crosses.
Military units drilling in full uniform thrilled our children, bands played, families prayed and wept for those loved ones serving now and for those who had served long ago.
Yet, as a nation, we had just finished an election one week earlier for President of the United States in which this country defeated Senator John McCain, one of our most heroic and recognized veterans and seemingly repudiated his long military service. McCain’s entire family has dedicated themselves to lifelong military service.
Instead they elected a young black socialist with questionable background, no experience for the position, and who had never served in the military, never would, only taken from his country, and has joined those voices in contempt for America and her veterans many times. And most of his supporters—and non-supporters—seem to recognize that as well.
The day before Veterans Day, on Monday, I had visited my local VA Outpatient Medical Clinic for my normal 72 year-old physical check-up. The entire staff were worried about continued funding for veterans medical care under the incoming Obama Administration, and of course for their own job and personal welfare. Many of the staff are veterans themselves.
As I spent the day conversing with, and interacting with many old veterans who were keeping their own appointments at the Clinic, as well as the staff, I sensed an anger, a resentment that they were soon to be ignored. Many could not seem to fathom the loss by Senator McCain, and simply said Americans had changed, and were not the same people as they had known and supported by their own prior military service.
One young Iraq vet, minus a leg, said thanking vets was “just lip service” and leftist politics had demolished our country. One old-timer, a WW II vet, said he’d “never fight again for a country like this.”
I have been extremely disappointed by much of what I saw and heard during this election. I had hoped for a different outcome, to be sure. My own vision of my country has changed drastically in the past 14 months. Please don’t give “just lip service” to our veterans. They deserve much more. Remember what they have done for us all, not on just November 11, but all the years since 1776 they have protected us and our liberty.
They will need your help and full and unwavering support in the coming months and years, of that you can be absolutely sure.
Jack L. Key, Ph.D.
http://www.authorsden.com/jackkey/
|
Pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. 107, other copyrighted work is provided for educational purposes, research, critical comment, or debate without profit or payment. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for your own purposes beyond the 'fair use' exception, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Contributors, authors, columnists and editor are not paid.
Views are those of authors and not necessarily those of the USA Sentinel.
Content is Copyright ©2006-2012 the individual authors.
