I Support the Troops. Do You? Walk the walk, don't talk the talk

When Illinois Senator Richard Durbin apologized for his characterization of the interrogation methods used at Guantanamo Bay as being akin to those of the Nazis, Pol Pot, and Soviets, he said something that has always struck me as being odd coming from the likes of faux liberals. He said that he thought our troops were the best in the world, which is a variation on what anti-war faux liberals say when cornered with their attitudes about the war: "I support the troops."

"I support the troops" is a nice, touchy-feely statement that few people can disagree with, but there is a vast difference between saying you support the troops and actually supporting them. Going back to Durbin for a minute, I have a question to ask. Where was this support for the troops when you made the statement on the floor of the Senate condemning their interrogation tactics? Where was your support for the troops when you blamed the story blowing up in your face on the evil right wing media?

Go up and down a list of Democrats currently serving in office or in some party capacity and I guarantee a good number of them have taken rhetorical shots at the efforts in Iraq. Ted Kennedy calling Iraq "another Vietnam" is a great example of this. And, of course, the media are doing their best to give nozzleheads like Kennedy attention while ignoring the fact that we've actually done some incredible things over there. It's also interesting to point out that our soldiers are coming back and telling us that the media aren't telling the truth about what's going on in Iraq.

Demoralizing the troops goes beyond attacking them personally. Attacking the President, also known as the Commander In Chief, can also demoralize our troops. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid calling George W. Bush a "loser," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi saying that the President lied to get us into Iraq, John Kerry talking about the Downing Street Memo which he claimed proved the Bush Administration cooked intelligence, and Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 911" have all eroded the image of the President. And this stuff gets back to the troops fighting for us. Moore even went so far as to publish book of letters from soldiers who questioned the President's motives.

But Reid, Pelosi, Kerry, Moore, and the whole Hee Haw Gang on the faux left say, "I support the troops."

I've seen chatrooms of faux liberals lambasting the President and our troops, some going so far as to call our troops "terrorists." One even posted a government definition of terrorism (which, surprise surprise, he didn't provide proof for) that said essentially that terrorism was using violence or the threat of violence to enact change in government. Then, he asked, "Isn't this what we're doing in Iraq?"

The silly thing is that most people in America already do support the troops, even if they disagree with our actions in Iraq, and it's really easy to say. But when it comes to actually doing something about it, that's when we see the real supporters shine through. It goes beyond putting a magnetic ribbon on your car or a bumper sticker on your car. It's defending the troops against the slanders of Dick Durbin, the namecalling of Harry Reid, the false maligning of the President by Nancy Pelosi. It's doing your homework so you know that John Kerry's full of it when he says the Downing Street Memo proves Bush lied to get us into Iraq. It's seeing through the tactics of Michael Moore and realizing that his "documentaries" have little to do with the truth.

But most importantly, it's treating them with the utmost respect. Sure, we screw up, but the few who do don't represent our military as a whole. If you truly support the troops, take the time to remember them this Independence Day, whether they be living or dead. The men and women in our military are some of the finest individuals that we have to offer, and they're defending us so our enemies don't get a foothold here. They volunteered to fight on our behalf if called upon to do so, and far too often we overlook that fact. I'm sure they'd love to be at home with their loved ones and not have to worry about fighting terrorists, but they above all others recognize this simple truth: if the terrorists win, the world loses.

So, I say to you people so quick to say "I support the troops," you've flapped your gums long enough. It's time to put your support where your mouth is. Stop using it as a shield and start using it as a rallying cry to get your fellow citizens behind the efforts in Iraq, even if you disagree with the reasons for war. I'm not saying we should unquestioningly support the military, but we should definitely leave no doubt in anyone's minds that we mean it when we say, "I support the troops."

How many support the troops rallies has this writer been to?

How many has he organized?

How many letters has he sent in support?

...Sorry, just not in the mood to read someone rightly call someone wrong, but just where have these people been when it comes to their own actions?

I support the troops, boy you hit it.

Having spent the better part of a year hoping, praying, packing boxes, writing, crying, and all around keeping our troops a priority it pains me when I hear someone flap, "I support the troops."

Last person who had the gall to say that to me got called on the carpet for it. They got asked when was the last time they wrote to military person, sent a package, etc. If their jaws flap those words and those words have no works, I'll be there to shame'em. How dare they...

I am curious if I am the only one who is seeing fewer American flags this 4th of July weekend. Some stores have their buntings/flags; but I did not see as many flags as I traveled through several good size towns. The ones that hang from utility poles down Main Street which often give room to festival flags. Just the typical Fire Dept, McDonalds, tattered one at a gas station which is up 24/7. Mentioning it to others today they agreed. Thought it was just me. Maybe tomorrow they will materialize. Mine is up!

Durbin no more supports the Troops than Bill Clinton (Whom I served under for 8 years) or his POS Partner Hillary does.

Why even ask

If they don't know the meaning of "is" you will have a tough time pinning them down on "Support" or "Patriotism"

You would think that supporting your countries troops would be a given. Every time I see one of those magnetic ribbons on a car trunk stating "I support our troops" I think that the moral equivalent would be "I don't beat my wife".

I am an aspiring amatuer still photographer, and I carry my camera wherever I go. This weekend, I thought that I'd get some good pictures of "Americana" as I drove around the area. I thought I'd spot some nice patriotic displays on old houses, etc....

....But nothing. I was hard pressed to find even one flag displayed outside a house. Maybe tomorrow there'll be more. Personally, I just repaired the flagpole holder attached to my house so I could display my flag.

I spent my day today thinking of what we are today and what we used to be like. Once I had my thoughts down on paper, I picked up the guitar and wrote my little patriotic song for today.

I added some drums and some bass and well, it's called Baseball Apple Pie And Mom
Just click on the link if anyone wants to check it out.

Then it's not my imagination. One excuse I got was.."well has been a slow start to the summer blah blah blah..." then she preceded to tell me how many of our troops had died in the Middle East and I responded more the reason for the flags, don't ya think?

Just I was surprised the towns had not put up their displays. Did see some early homes with the old early flags. There is one early period cape (early 1800's I would guess) with set of old buildings out in the country that has had an early flag (big) over their entire front door since 2001 (Sheepscot, ME). That is a great picture.

In another hamlet was this small home where you knew living day to day was probably a struggle; and they had up a new flag, so colorful, it contrasted with the disrepair of their small home. I thought those with so little can raise the flag and those with so much decide it distracts from the grandeur of their home.

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