Choice Words on Hot Button Topics
Veterans Speak Out
Recent events look like decades old history come to life: blacks beaten in the streets, peaceful protesters overrun by police.
Racist leadership. Colin Kapernick took a knee during the NFL games after consulting with a Veteran who advised him that it would be more respectful than sitting it out.
Now we’ve returned to Mr. Kapernick’s mission with the last straw murder of George Floyd. Lots of things are being said in the name of the flag, in the name of Veterans, and in the name of law and order. But what do Veterans, who know a thing or two about violence, think about our rights as Americans?
From Comments Made on May 4th – Before Mattis Spoke Up
The unfiltered opinions of Veterans, solicited anonymously on the Internet, reflect a unified group of humble but clear eyed men and women who wish you ‘d stop listening to people who use them to sell you something.
Warning: R-rated language.
It’s funny…some of the most ‘patriotic’ people never served, nor do they volunteer to help our elderly veterans, or put flags down at national cemeteries. But gottdamn, bubba sure luvs his country!!! ‘Murica, fuck yeah!! If I need street cred, here it is. I am not just a veteran, I am a combat veteran, a military retiree, and now a DoD civilian and a member of military/civic organizations. Kneeling during the national anthem is a protest – it never had anything to do with veterans until bubba and cletus and fox news got involved. At which point, apparently, I was supposed to be highly offended. I wasn’t. Our national anthem is our national anthem, and our flag is our flag. Both have traditions and ceremonies, but let’s not get carried away here. Did Apollo Creed disrespect the flag in Rocky IV before getting his ass whooped by Ivan Drago…?? What is more detrimental to our nation and our freedom….a football player kneeling during the national anthem or a cop kneeling on the neck of an unarmed, handcuffed civilian – what is the bigger threat to you?
It’s a free country so they can do whatever they want, either side. They don’t need my permission. What does offend me is when veterans are used as a political tool by either side or by any social movement. Nobody cares about me or what I think until it benefits them.
10000% THIS
Exactly how I feel! I especially hate when the military gets used by people who never served.
I joined and suffered for their right to do whatever the fuck they want. It actually pisses me off when I see people get uppity about proper respects and shit because it’s a free country right?
Exactly this. I don’t care what ppl do as long as they are respectful to others who are doing what they want.
As a Vietnam Era Marine, I share the attitude of most younger Marines that we were in Vietnam to defend the Right of Americans to disagree with the Government and to peacefully protest.
No one is offended on our behalf (enough to do anything tangible that is) at suicide rates, drug and alcohol abuse rates, inadequate health care, etc. “oh that’s such a shame” *keeps walking.
No one seems to care about what plagues veterans unless it can somehow be used to benefit them.
No one was offended enough on our behalf to truly protest the Iraq War. Sure, there were some protests at the beginning in big cities, but they were tame and then they were over…even after we were certain the whole thing was BS.
Most of us would
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Run inside or stay inside if we knew the flag was about to go off.
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Rush off post to also avoid the flag
Our reverence for the flag and any ceremonial effects to it are highly overrated by the general populace.
Shit, that brings back memories. Also observed the higher the rank the faster and more inventive the duck out.
The only time I don’t mind the Anthem at a sporting event is the Olympics, or something similar, because those are representative of the countries as a whole and I get the meaning. Otherwise I couldn’t care less about it played before every game from youth leagues up to professional leagues.
I also am far from ashamed of my service, but I feel weird when teams trot out someone in uniform for recognition and/or ask all the vets to stand. Fuck off and play the game so I can enjoy my $900 beer in peace.
Ding ding ding! The fetish-ization of troops/veterans by the big sports leagues over the past 20 years has always made me a bit uncomfortable. They’ve spent that time basically tribalizing fanaticizing the fan base because patriotism sells well in our post 9/11 sports culture. Now those chickens came home to roost. They made their bed and now they don’t want to sleep in it.
Shit no. They could wipe their ass with the flag. Its their right as a citizen. What does offend me is nationalists turning a mild protest into propaganda for racism and treason. Patriotism good. Nationalism bad.
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I have to respectfully and profoundly disagree. I am only National Guard, I do not equate myself to you and your service (never deployed overseas). My husband is a Marine, father a Navy Seabee and son an Airman. We are all extremely incensed by using the American flag and/or the National Anthem as a form of protest. I cannot be “ok” with kneelers and flag burners. Yes, they have a right to free speech but so do I, and I completely and utterly disagree with that method of protest. And, not to toot my own horn, but to compare myself to the “bubba’s” that you refer to, I serve, I volunteer in multiple veteran causes (very involved in the one that takes vets to DC). I won’t name any organizations because my views are not reflective of their views, but I do put a lot of my own time and money into veteran causes and that includes singing the Anthem at events in uniform.
Hello Suzy,
Thank you for taking the time to comment and for your service to others.
I am a veteran of naval service. During my time I came to know one thing, I was serving in the military to protect freedoms, not select freedoms but all freedoms. I have no disrespect those who wish to kneel as that right is presented in the document I swore to defend.
Pat,
I couldn’t agree more with your comment and how well you made your point. Bravo and thank you. Dave B
Suzy, why are they kneeling ? Everyone is so worked up over the act that it overshadows the VERY legitimate reason. Reacting rather than listening. I cannot be “ok” with the social injustice that “patriots” fail to acknowledge.
Hi WBD,
Thank you for adding to the discussion. Once A Soldier’s position is inline with freedom of speech and taking a knee falls under that category. As a fan of football as played in other countries around the world, they have racism issues as well, but they don’t play their national anthems before matches. That is pure marketing and to think that the Armed Forces show up at the invite of the NFL is false. They pay millions of dollars every year to market to the audiences, just like Coke and Charmin. Whether it’s a football field-sized flag opened up before the game or a fly-by, tax dollars pay for it. I think this needs to be a part of this discussion.
I have to say that I agree and disagree with the above article.
Hello Sean,
There’s a lot here to bolster what you say. Some people, like you, don’t really take sides, but can see both of them and be okay with that. It is something that we have let ourselves get talked out of. I appreciate your view and welcome.
Hello Suzy,
I was on here to review another comment posted, and re-read yours. It’s great that you do volunteer, you can be proud to be one of the few, but I wanted to clarity something to you: I didn’t not refer to anyone as a “bubba.” Funny though it may be, it is not a term I would use in any case. I believe it was a comment made by a veteran poster.
Dave –
Navy vet, Gulf War 1 and Somalia. What you said is right the spot on. I’m really tired of the NFL trotting active duty troops out at games to cover themselves in patriotism. Pathetic. If I ever wanted to be thanked for my service, which I don’t, it would be a bunch of millionaire owners forcing people to stand is NOT the way I’d want it.
Hi Brent,
It’s always a good feeling to hear feedback, especially on a subject as engaging as this one. Your voice will now join the “get real” chorus and sooner or later, the laggerds will hear it. Thank you.
I seriously LOVE the part about people who have never served getting completely bowed up about all this. I know a guy who graduated from High School in 1974 which would have made him prime meat for Vietnam. But he ran off to college, graduated, made babies and now he pontificates from his …………………………. Just yesterday he was mad because he went to a baseball game and the family a couple of rows in front of him didn’t stand and salute. He said ” If you teach a child not to respect the flag when they are young will they defend what it stands for when they grow older?” He never thought for a moment about skipping college, and going off to Vietnam and he never told any of his kids or grandkids that they should join the military. I GUARANTEEE it. I asked him if he, his kids or his grandkids have ever served a single tour of duty. Sure did set him and his bubba friends off.
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to comment. We’ve written a blog about our feeling on bumper sticker patriotism and how buying a flag made in China doesn’t sit with us. This falls into the same category. I’ve never served. My dad served for a short time in the Navy, but was single at that time, so I’m not a Navy brat or anything like that. Still, I don’t get where people feel entitled or get ownership of Veteran service they have no rights to – and by your example – put their ideas of how to be an American on them. Also, as the Veterans have said in their own words, they fought so people can be free to do whatever the heck they want during the anthem. I also feel that playing the national anthem before any sporting event outside the Olympics or other international sporting event is nothing more than marketing of war and veiled support for it. Thanks again for your comment. Remember to keep us in mind for a Facebook fundraiser so we can keep giving out to those families of Veteran suicide.
I was active duty Navy, separated in November 1960. I saluted the flag, but my oath was to the Constitution. I served to protect the right to do what one wants with the flag. Is the symbol more important than the freedom it stands for??? Get real!
Hey, hypocrite–If kneeling before the flag pisses you off, what about the riotous shut down of the proceedings U.S. Congress, and assault on a Capitol Policeman with a pole bearing the American Flag?
Hello James,
Thank you for reading and commenting. Where you said…”I served to protect the right to do what one wants with the flag.” Bingo. The hypocracy is rampant these days. Please keep us in mind if you want to do a Facebook fundraiser for us. Its very easy to do. In any event, your comments are echoed throughout this post.
Taking the knee in front of the flag and during the national anthem is disrespectful and disgusting. My father fought in WWII and taught me to love and respect the flag. He would be horrified if he were alive to see these people show total disrespect for every person who defended the flag and our country and who gave their lives for our freedom. Shame on all you people who take a knee or think it’s ok!
Hi Laura,
Research shows that most people like you (older Baby Boomer who did not serve but had a family member who did) hold the same view. As you read, your views are not reflected by those who actually served. Do you have an insights as to why you feel completely different that those who matter?
Dave at OAS
Nobody seems to care that most Amish ,Mennonites and Jehovah Witness members do not stand or salute the flag …I have never heard one person complain about that in my 62 yrs. …You know why? Because suddenly everyone is a patriot because of a black man peacefully kneeling and an Orange man turning it into disrespect and polarizing it into hate
Couldn’t agree more. Good to remember that politicians, most of whom are not Veterans, don’t speak for Veterans. They use them.