Well, that made me cry.
I just am so happy to see our nation come to its senses after the horror of what we went through with national policy and national cuckoo-headedness toward our military during the Viet Nam years. We are finally atoning. I know we are not a nation given to a lot of overt public display of emotion, the way some cultures are, but we OWE this to our fighting men and women. They pay for our cheers, our humble applause, with their blood, sweat, and tears.
There was an article posted on FR the other day by a non-American, I think a Brit, who got a few things wrong but said that the average British soldier would be very envious of the way the American soldiers are treated at airports, given upgrades to first class, etc. He was kind of griping about it but IIRC was also saying that only Americans could understand what is going on now with our military being treated so well at home.
I never thought the reversal back to a true honoring of our military would come in my lifetime. I am so happy to see it.
Well said, Gretchen. Well said!
Your comment brought forth tears once again, for you see, it was 23 years before I heard the words, "Thank You for your service to our country." That was at the end of the Gulf War in a church service honoring our Armed Forces. The speaker asked Veterans to stand and be recognized singling out the different eras WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, and Desert Storm.
A dear lady in the congregation came up to me after the service and said those very words. I went home that night and reflected on what she said. It finally hit me and I sobbed as never before.
To this day, no recognized veteran or member of our Armed Forces will escape a heartfelt thank you from me. I vowed that night after the tears subsided that none will have to wait that long to hear those words.
May God indeed Bless and Protect our Armed Forces - Past and Present.
'I never thought the reversal back to a true honoring of our military would come in my lifetime. I am so happy to see it.'
Reagan started it and 9/11 completed it.
Here's something nice I read on another thread from a blog:
"You see, unlike many liberals, and not a few conservatives, I don’t hate President Bush. On the contrary, I admire him very much. And I think what Kerry said about him is absolutely disgusting. Furthermore, I take offense: because if you insult a person that way — so crass, so vulgar — you insult his admirers as well.
I don’t think Kerry told a “botched” joke; I don’t think he was issuing a “criticism” of the president; I think he was incredibly nasty. Kerry didn’t have to mean the troops, rather than Bush, to be an SOB.
You know?
And Kerry’s response — his initial reaction to the uproar — was as nasty as anything. I will focus on two points: He referred to Rush as “doughy Rush Limbaugh.” It says a lot about Kerry that he would mock another man’s physical appearance. Kerry may be thin, but that doesn’t make him good, or smart, or admirable."