Awesome! Brought tears to my eyes. Are you at least 40 something? I just hit the big five-oh. I don't have faith anymore that these images inspire those 20-30 years younger than me to patriotism or to stand up for what it good and right. Maybe I'm wrong.
To me the pictures say that we are sentimental, love our country and it's freedoms, and even if a mission is perilous and we hope we would not have to, most of us would fight to the last man to defend it if called upon. And that we honor those who give their lives in the struggle, whether against the enemy or nature.(or even complacency for that matter.)
Reminded me all over again what it means to be an American.
Thanks!
Patty
- She who wishes for a typo-free life!
[ edited by meadowlark on Mar 18, 2003 07:33 AM ]
posted on March 18, 2003 01:15:01 PM new
To me, our flag does represent what our country stands for, and reminds me of our country's history. To watch those who burn, spit, etc. on it saddens me more than I could ever find words to explain. I'm proud to be an American and I feel anger towards those who deface it, turn their back on it, don't value what it represents.
Thanks for posting those URLs.
[ edited by Linda_K on Mar 18, 2003 01:16 PM ]
Yes, I remember the standing with my left hand over my heart saying the pledge of allegiance evry morning at the start of school and feeling proud to be an American, and humbled by those brave men who fought so we could live free.
I remember standing on the edge of a major thoroughfare at the end of my street, dressed up, my brother in his boy scout uniforn, holding the American flag to watch President Kennedy's limo drive by on his way to the airport to catch a plane to Dallas right before he was assasinated.
I remember the intense grief of the nation over Kennedy's loss in the following days.
I remember as a child the shock of seeing Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvy Oswald on live TV. Others now say this was not live TV. Yes, it was, I was there watching live in Houston. Most of the family was watching. We all came off the couch when it happened.
I remember the shuttle crew recently going down here in Texas, and seeing reports from locals who videotaped the break-up. And the statement on TV a few days later from one of the remaining astronauts in a shaking voice who was on his way to Jasper, Texas to reclaim the remains of the brave who died.
I rememeber writing my brother once when he was in Viet Nam. I found his letters to our family last year that my mom had saved. We always have had our differences and didn't communicate much. When I read the letters again, I could see now as an adult all the love he was sending and that he had needed more support from me. I wished I had written him more. I was just a silly teen at the time, but no excuse.
I remember watching John Glen orbit the earth on TV at school, all regular activities suspended.
I remember being at home from work, with a stomach virus on that fateful Tuesday 9/11.
I turned the TV on right after the first plane hit and saw the second one hit on live TV and cried my heart out.
I remember that I was taught we all have a civic duty, that we can't just "leave it for soemone else to do".
I have a deep love for my country. I also have a deep compassion and love for my fellow man, no matter race creed or color, DESPITE how I was raised in the deep south.
I believe many of the younger generation have been taught that patriotism is unseemly somehow. Many don't really understand even what it is.
posted on March 18, 2003 10:40:20 PM new
::Awesome! Brought tears to my eyes. Are you at least 40 something? I just hit the big five-oh. I don't have faith anymore that these images inspire those 20-30 years younger than me to patriotism or to stand up for what it good and right. Maybe I'm wrong.::
As a 30 something I have to say that I am insulted. You see I don't remember all of the history that you do but I do vividly and will forever remember 9/11. I watched the 2 plane hit live as I was preparing for work. I watched the first building fall on my break and the second on my lunch. In between those breaks I took over 300 calls from friends and family members of those in the buildings. The company I was working with serviced the digital text pagers carried by many in the building and with land and cell lines down, their families were forced to resort to texting their loved ones.
I had a young boy ask me if I knew where his daddy was cause mommy wouldn't stop crying.
I spoke with a gentleman that kissed his wife goodbye as he returned from his graveyard shift and she headed off to work in the towers. He went to bed and woke up at 4pm to see the news and realized that he had not heard from his wife. - I never found out if he found her, and will never stop wondering.
I talked to mothers, wives, husbands and children of the victims and had the overwhelming privledge of sending the message "Come outside and kiss your husband" to the wife of a survivor.
I felt the effects of 9/11 deeply and personally.
Now with that said... I do not support this war. This war breaks my heart. This is not a military action. This is a political action. This is the act of a bully and he is destroying all that this nation stands for. We will never again be seen as a great and just nation. In the eyes of the world, the war will not establish our greatness, we will simply become a bully.
I love this country, and I hate all that has been done to it by the actions of this president. I hate that we no longer hold the respect of the world.
For those that know another language, go to a newsstand and pick up a paper from that country and see what has really been accomplished. Our nation has lost more than our military will ever win. Our flag will never mean the same thing to the rest of the world and that simple knowledge hurts much more than the sight of any one individual setting fire to it.
posted on March 19, 2003 03:39:07 AM new
neonmania,
A good post.
I can respect your beliefs but I disagree with all except "War sucks" (Paraphrase.)
Why everything is Bush's fault is beyond me. This started long before he had any power.
Thank the Gods he's got the intestinal fortitude to do the things he must, to take care of it.
I got this this morning. suposedly by:
Provided by Joe Galloway, author of We Were Soldiers.
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 19:17:15 -0500
Is there anyone else out there who's sick and tired of all the polls
being taken in foreign countries as to whether or not they" like" us?
The last time I looked, the word "like" had nothing to do with foreign
policy. I prefer 'respect' or 'fear.' They worked for Rome, which
civilized and kept the peace in the known world a hell of a lot longer
than our puny two centuries-plus.
I see a left-wing German got elected to office recently by campaigning
against the foreign policy of the United States. Yeah, that's what I want,
to be lectured about war and being a "good neighbor" by a German. Their
head honcho said they wouldn't take part in a war against Iraq. Kind of
nice to see them taking a pass on a war once in while. Perhaps we needed
to have the word "World" in front of War. I think it's time to bring our
boys home from Germany. Outside of the money we'd save, we'd make the
Germans "like" us a lot more, after they started paying the bills for
their own defense.
Last time I checked, France isn't too fond of us either. They sort of
liked us back on June 6th, 1944, though, didn't they? If you don't think
so, see how nicely they take care of the enormous American cemeteries up
above the Normandy beaches. For those of you who've studied history, we
also have a few cemeteries in places like Belleau Woods and Chateau
Thierry also. For those of you who haven't studied it, that was from World
War One the first time Europe screwed up, and we bailed out the
French. That's where the US Marines got the title 'Devil Dogs' or, if you
still care about what the Germans think, Teufelhunde." I hope I spelled
that right; sure wouldn't want to offend anyone, least of all a German.
Come to think of it, when Europe couldn't take care of their Bosnian
problem recently, guess who had to help out there also. Last time I
checked, our kids are still there. I sort of remember they said they
would be out in a year. Gee, how time flies when you're having fun.
Now we hear that the South Koreans aren't too happy with us either. They
"liked" us a lot better, of course, in June 1950. It took more than
50,000 Americans killed in Korea to help give them the lifestyle they
currently enjoy, but then who's counting? I think it's also time to bring
the boys home from there. There are about 37,000 young Americans on the
DMZ separating the South Koreans from their "brothers" up north. Maybe
if we leave, they can begin to participate in the "good life" that North
Korea currently enjoys. Uh huh. Sure.
I also understand that a good portion of the Arab/Moslem world now doesn't
"like" us either. Did anyone ever sit down and determine what we would
have to do to get them to like us? Ask them what they would like us to do.
Die? Commit ritual suicide? Bend over? Maybe we should follow the advice
of our dimwitted, dullest knife in the drawer, Senator Patty Murray, and
build more roads, hospitals, day care centers, and orphanages like Osama
bin Laden does. What with all the orphans Osama has created, the least he
can do is build some places to put them. Senator Stupid says if we would
only "emulate" Osama, the Arab world would love us. Sorry Patty, in
addition to the fact that we already do all of those things around the
world and have been doing them for over sixty years, I don't take public
transportation, and I certainly wouldn't take it with a bomb strapped to
the guy next to me.
Don't get me wrong: I'm not in favor of going to war. Been there, done
that. Several times, in fact. But I think we ought to have some polls in
this country about other countries, and see if we "like" THEM. Problem
is, if you listed the countries, not only wouldn't the average American
know if he liked them or not, he wouldn't be able to find them. If we're
supposed to worry about them, how about them worrying about us?
We were nice to the North Koreans in 1994, as we followed the policies of
Bill "Neville" Clinton. And it seemed to work; they didn't restart
nuclear weapons program for a whole year or so. In the meantime, we fed
them when they were starving, and put oil in their stoves when they were
freezing.
In a recent visit to Norway, I engaged in a really fun debate with my
cousin's son, a student at a Norwegian University. I was lectured to by
this thankless squirt about the American "Empire," and scolded about
dropping the atomic bomb on the Japanese. I reminded him that empires
usually keep the stuff they take; we don't, and back in 1945 most
Norwegians thought dropping ANY kind of bomb on Germany or Japan was a
good idea. I also reminded him that my uncle, his grandfather, and others
in our family spent a significant time in Sachsenhausen concentration
camp, courtesy of the Germans, and they didn't all survive. I further
reminded him that if it weren't for the "American Empire" he would
probably be speaking German or Russian.
Sorry about the rambling, but I just took an unofficial poll here at our
house, and we don't seem to like anyone.
No insult intended. I was making a general observation, not directed toward any specific individual. If it doesn't apply to you, it simply doesn't apply.
And yes, 9/11 tragically touched many lives. Thank you for your contribution in the matter to those in need.
As far as GWB being a bully:
He has never used chemical weapons on his citizens. Saddam has.
GWB and Bush Sr don't rape and torture their citizens. Saddam and his sons do. In fact, one of Saddam's sons uses rape as a recreational activity. It has been said that if the Iraqi citizens get to him before our operatives do, there won't be much left.
Our citizens can openly say what we believe. Iraqi citizens can't.
Saddam is not only the bully, he is evil and promotes evil. Look at the way he has raised his sons, men with no barriers to performing the basest activities on their own citizens.
I believe patriotism is a cumulative experience, something not quickly taught. While I believe you are likely a patriot, I don't agree with all you say, and don't expect you to agree with me and won't try to convince you that I am right.
The most important thing for any of us to do is to do what we think is right the right thing to do and not just stand by and observe. Obviously, you have done that, helping to take responsibility for the area around you.
