May 27, 2021 Los Angeles Daily News
A prayer, a salute and a thank you on Memorial Day for those who fought to secure our freedoms
Random thoughts:
Interesting that WWII is used as a justification for war, but no comment is made on the undeclared/unwon wars that followed.
The Dept. of Defense did not exist until 1949.
The free and well armed people who populate the North American continent could be forced by people in military uniforms to pledge allegiance to a flag not of their choosing?
“Gather around kids, I want to talk to you about Memorial Day.”
Interesting that the focus is on children. Maybe this is because they see the speaker/writer as an authority figure and will not question the message. Our questions appear in bold type.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can elected officials of any party or any member of the press help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
December 21st 2019 KOMO News
Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide
“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”
“…a mean, crazed man named Hitler who wanted to take over the world.”
Please see Operation Sea Lion.
FDR
Answering his call to arms? 10 million were drafted in WWII.
June 24, 2020 Jacob G. Hornberger
The “Greatest” Generation’s Refusal to Fight the “Good War”
“According to the website of the National WWII Museum, 38.8% (6,332,000) men were volunteers in World War II while 61.2% (11,535,000) were draftees.”
WWII
If the troops were fighting for American rights and freedoms-why were black people still riding at the back of the bus after the big WWII victory?
1967
Did the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?
Was it the Viet Cong that set up laws in 16 US states to prohibit interracial marriage?
Glorification of military service / total nonsense:
WA Secretary of State
“Our right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces.”
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
Men Died For the Right to Vote?
Right To Vote Linked To Military Operations/US Troops in Distant Lands?
How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our 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.
Legal marijuana, concealed carry of handguns, semi automatic rifle sales, federal minimum drinking age, sports betting, voting rights, bump stock ban, interracial marriage, gay marriage, tobacco sales, open container laws, etc.
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
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.
Just Be Honest.
Stop with the glorification of wars in distant lands.
Sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution?
What becomes of American rights and freedoms and the constitution when the US returns from distant lands without a victory?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals Re: lessons learned on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established in 1949.
Podcast 9 Defending The Constitution?
Related:
Most And Least Meaningful Federal Holidays
Do Americans have an honest relationship with the US Armed Forces?
Maybe Get Away From The Bragging About Freedom?
May28, 2018 Jacob G. Hornberger
Memorial Day Is Based on a Lie
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As always, great questions Alex.
Here’s a post on my blog from 3 years ago. You’ve read it before — you commented on it — but boy o boy we as a nation still miss the message on this holiday. Swing and a miss, one might say.
https://www.playininthedirt.com/2018/05/26/memorial-day-your-name-here/
William,
Thanks for making the connection here.
Enjoyed your blog post again today.
Thank you for being thoughtful about all this.
Alex