Happy Veterans Day!!!

Discussion in 'Political Discussions' started by Lerner, Nov 11, 2020.

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  1. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

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    Great Americans
    (Democrats, Independents, Republicans, Unaffiliated, etc)
    God Bless the USA!
     
  2. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Actually, we're not. What has changed is America's perception of veterans. The back-to-back debacles of Korea and Vietnam really plunged us into a deep depth of unpopularity. I'm afraid now, however, much of it comes from a huge misunderstanding about military service. This comes from the fact that so few people actually serve. They usually mean well, for which I am grateful. But I, for one, can do without it. I was "thanked" massively through pay, benefits, retirement, and VA loans. I never got the GI Bill, which I sure could have used, but I'm not complaining (much). But I've always felt I received more than I was ever asked to give. This is why I can do without this holiday entirely (which is just a derivative of Armistice Day--Remembrance Day elsewhere), looking instead to Memorial Day when we can thank those who truly and dearly sacrificed for our nation.

    As for protecting our freedoms, we don't really do that (except from external threats--historically, only two of those: War of 1812 and the Cold War). It's the US Constitution and our nation's citizens and residents who, collectively, protect our freedoms. So, all Americans everywhere, thank you for your support and for defending our freedom.
     
  3. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    I see our military protecting our freedoms, there are multiple protectors. Our military is protecting our country from foreign invaders deterring them.
    Also our military was deployed and is deployed in different parts of the world.
    If not the strong military Alaska would be Russian again, and California would be Mexico along with TX and Arizona etc.
    Memorial day is indeed very important holiday, people gave their life. I see having a day for veterans who served and a live is as important.
    The benefits sure help to attract service man to the military. Historically black veterans didn't get as match as non blacks as the college options were few and underfunded, and couldn't accommodate large #'s of
    students. I always thought the more serve in the military not because of the benefits such as GI bill.
     
  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Neither would be a concern even with a U.S. military one tenth its current size.
     
    Rich Douglas likes this.
  5. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    The US spends more annually on its military than do the next 11 countries combined. Imagine the good that could come from cutting that even in half.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  6. SpoonyNix

    SpoonyNix Active Member

    I think Texas would just go back to being...... Texas, thank you very much.
     
  7. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    People who have not lived in the Lone Star State have no idea how accurate this is. I lived there for four years and there remains a strong sense of nationalism--considering it's a state.

    "Lone Star Beer, the National Beer of Texas." Stuff like that.

    But it was a welcoming place. "No, you're not from Texas, but Texas wants you anyway." -- Lyle Lovett. I had a very nice four-year tour in San Antonio back in the 1980s. It's gotten bigger since then, but their values remain the same.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  8. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    San Antonio has multiple military bases, I would call it military town.
    I know the history of the state but today its state of the United States and the union would protect TX if invaded.
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    What kind of fools would EVER invade Texas? They'd need protection ...from themselves! Invade TEXAS? How stupid (and suicidal) is that! :eek:

    No problem. If the "Invaders" are THAT dumb - Nobody's gonna miss 'em and come looking ....
     
  10. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    In life one never knows. I hope no one ever attacks TX.
     
  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Indeed. I hope (for their sake) no one is ever that STUPID.
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Well, no one is about to do that, so we're safe.

    San Antonio used to have 5 distinct military bases. Since my time there, however, there's been a significant draw-down. Kelly AFB and Lackland AFB merged, and Brooks AFB pretty much closed. More recently, Fort Sam Houston got folded into the complex, along with Randolph AFB. It's all now "Joint Base San Antonio" and is run by the Air Force.

    The population of San Antonio has doubled since my time there. It is much less a military town these days.
     
  13. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I've never been to San Antonio - but it's a place I think I should go. For musical reasons - as it's high on the heat-map of the several universes of music that Texas contains, and for reasons of the city's fascinating history. One thing that I'm sorry I was born too late and missed out on: the San Antonio Chili Queens - ladies, some of whom became locally famous, who had carts with all the necessities for cooking chili - which they did according to their own recipes - and sold to an eager public. I understand the last days of the Chili Queens were in the 1940s.

    One of many nostalgic articles here: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4107830 Everybody knows how big Texas is. Not quite everyone realizes how diverse it is. If you get bored in Texas (I think that's hard to do) just head down the road a few miles - and it's completely different. A place of many cultures.
     
  14. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    San Antonio is awesome town. I was there on a project for a whole year.
    It was some 17 years ago. But I loved it, good people everything was afordible. Shorter distances to drive, fantastic Mexican food.
    I remember living and working by the Sea-world.
    We would go out to the DT Riverwalk etc.
    Most memories were of a very friendly people. I was invited to a coworkers home, and after one visit I was called uncle and the little kids were all over me.
    Most of the discussions during lunch break was about home projects. No one lived in apartments, everybody owned a home.
    I was renting half a house for like 400$ a month. The lady who owned this home, got it bran new for like 84 K, it had 4 bedrooms, living room, entertainment room, huge backyard.
     
    Johann likes this.
  15. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Yes. I remember a Texas-based member here, who said more recently, maybe 6-7 years ago, that he could buy a brand-new 5000 sq. ft (!) house for ~$150K. Everything is bigger in Texas, I guess. Here, you could hardly have bought the doorstep for that kind of money.
     
    Maniac Craniac likes this.
  16. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    This made me burst out laughing... at a time I wasn't supposed to be browsing the internet on my phone... :D
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.

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