Here, in this military town, the local paper seems to go with family friendly and patriotic themes.
About a year ago, their hometown pride was running high when they posted:
“For the past couple of years, the Whidbey News-Times paid the insurance for the Veterans Day Parade, about $200, because it was a small way of saying thank you to the men and women who sacrificed so that we may have our liberties, including our Freedom of Speech.”
Were US troops sent to Vietnam so that Americans could be free to send letters to the editor?
Is there any case in which the US Armed Forces have been sent to distant lands on a mission to protect freedom of speech?
Is protecting freedom of speech even part of training scenarios?
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
Why do we pretend that the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our physical security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms- The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
Many veterans claim to have served to protect American rights & freedoms.
How does this work?
Black people were still riding at the back of the bus after the big WWII victory.
Women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI.
Until July of 1971, 18 year old adults did not have full voting rights. Why didn’t US Military operations conducted in the 1940s, 50s & 60s get the job done on this?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
Why, in 1967 was an interracial couple sentenced to a year in jail for violating Virginia’s ban on marriage between people of different races? Where were The Troops?
With all this talk of American rights and freedoms can I take my 20 year old girlfriend (a responsible adult) down to the bar to order up a few beers for freedom?
Should we check with the Joint Chiefs of Staff first?
More here:
Oak Harbor Veterans Day Parade – Lack of Interest
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