Everyone knows Aretha Franklin, right? The First Lady of Soul had a hit song some years ago, name “Respect”.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
Wandering around the oxygen-breathing Earth, I happened upon an interesting writer. The Liberal Jarhead spent 20 years in uniform and when he retired he took up the proverbial quill pen. He’s got some interesting commentary on what we’re being driven to by certain unmentionable people up there in the Nation’s Capitol, with some special attention to the image of respect.
Bush took a swipe at his congressional critics and opposition Democrats, saying that although he respected a healthy debate on his Iraq policy, it was discouraging American forces in Iraq.“For our men and women in uniform, this debate can be unsettling," Bush said. "When you're risking your life to accomplish a mission, the last thing you want to hear is that mission being questioned in our nation's capital. While there may be a lot of heated rhetoric in Washington, DC, one thing is not in dispute: The American people stand behind you," he said.”
After being one of the troops for 20 years, I think I can talk about what really demoralizes the troops.
When you’re in uniform, the things most likely to demoralize you are apathy on the home front and the awareness that the decision-makers don’t value or respect you. One thing that is painfully obvious is that the President and his people don’t give our military people credit for being very bright or very observant. Message for them: we pay more attention than anyone else to how their actions actually affect the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines that have to walk their talk. We pay attention to how much attention they pay to us when we try to give them input or feedback based on our experience. These guys keep making the classic boot lieutenant mistake of thinking it’s a sign of weakness or something to get the advice of their subordinates who are the experts on the task at hand.
Am I the only one who thinks that putting a bumper sticker on your car makes you pretend you’re part of the war effort? Flying some little flag from a rear window isn’t patriotic; it makes you look like some frickin sports team booster. There is no war effort in the Bush view of America, other than “shop till you drop” and “pay attention to my left hand and don’t look at what my right hand is doing.”
Being used as toy soldiers and crowd extras for dog-and-pony show photo ops – e.g., being lined up in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner or getting served plastic turkey by a plastic turkey - is demoralizing.
Mr Bush’s predilection for stage managed camera events has finally been noted by the allegedly liberal mainstream media and commented upon. The secret is out. Public appearances only in carefully prepared locations, with audiences guaranteed to produce a favorable reaction: Party faithful who will cheer any announcement, uniformed military who KNOW they had damned well better applaud. A papier mache’ tiger, a papier mache’ Presidency, a kabuki theater presented not for entertainment so much as for distraction and diversion.
Comments
I have to stand up and rant for a moment. Please bear with me. My son is a Marine lawyer, stationed with the 8th Regimental Combat Team in Fallujah. He frequently must go outside the wire for various reasons. I just found out that the AP is reporting 10 Marines from his unit were killed today by a roadside bomb which wounded 11 others. I do not know, at this moment, whether my son is alive, dead or badly wounded. I can't get through to his email because the regiment always shuts down its internet capacity whenever there are KIA, until after relatives are notified. Meanwhile, the AOL homepage, which has a category for alleged news stories, is identifying these "news" items: (1) March of the Penguins is out on DVD; (2) Beware of identity theft you online shoppers; (3) French face transplant patient thanks doctors; (4) Christmas Gifts for the guy who has everything; (5)"Does your baby need new bling?" This is news? What about my son? What about the Marines and Sailors in his company, his battalion, his regiment? What about the fucking war!? I listened to the President's speech at Annapolis and decided he is brain-dead. I heard Rumsfeld tell General Pace that, basically, torture happens, and we should definitely report it to somebody, but we shouldn't physically interfere with the torturers. General Pace--thank you, Sir--pointedly told Rumsfeld he was nuts, and that our Marines and soldiers should physically intervene if they see torture happening. Rumsfeld makes McNamara look good. I heard an imbeclic right wing nut woman in an American flag track suit tell a decorated Marine Corps Colonel/Congressman that he was a chicken because he wanted to "cut and run..." (whatever the hell that's supposed to mean). John Murtha makes us look good. The chickenhawks and other assorted fascists running this country and this war have completely exhausted their moral authority, and we have got to take all steps necessary to rescind their legal authority. We have got to turn this around. I was a Marine Corps rifleman in Vietnam. 135 people in my company were killed between 1965 and 1969. I know what a dead Marine looks like, which is more than I can say for Bush, Rumsfeld and the rest of their cabal. I was shot during Tet, in 1968, and my best friend in the Marine Corps, Gunnery Sgt. Zeigler, died when he was shot in the face on May 15, 1968. We have got to turn this around. We have got to stop this war. Thanks to all of you for being here, thanks for listening, and please keep up the good work. Terry Kindlon
Christ, Terry..... all I can say is that I offer my hopes, prayers and best karma for the health and safety of your son. May he come home in one piece and enjoy a long life of peace and happiness with his loved ones.
Terry:
No one wants to intrude, but if the news is good, how about posting and letting us know?
Mr. Kindlon, I hope your son is OK. I was in 8th Marines in '65-'66.
Lurch, that was an excellent link. Thanks.
Terry, I echo Lurch's sentiments. I'll be thinking of you and your son tonight.
Lurch--Thanks, Brother--sorry about all that freaking out...I didn't mind being in a war when it was just me and I was 21, but I can't stand it when it's my son. I really, really had to vent, and I truly appreciate your kind words. My son emailed a little note to his wife, his mother, his sisters and brothers and me about 20 minutes ago. He assured us he was fine and his advice to all of us was that we should just stop watching the news. He may have something there. Semper fi, tlk
Well, all right, Terry! That is great news. I am really happy for you. It's bad enough being in the pot yourself. I don't have children of military age, thank the deities. It's got to be horrible for the parents, wives, children and siblings of the 160,000 Americans stuck in an unpopular war.
Please tell your son your brothers at home send their best to him.
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