What has happened to America over the summer of 2015?

SSgt Charles Edwards — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:30:30 -0400

Protests. Riots. Racial divide. Flags being stomped on. Flags being taken down. Flags being deemed offensive. Criminals are being hailed as heroes while cops get executed in their patrol cars. Almost every little thing is offending someone.

When did America lose its spine?

Perhaps the better question is, when did everyone decide to get bent out of shape over issues that quite frankly don't affect them?

Ferguson has idiots protesting police corruption and accusing the department of racism after a man was shot and killed because he A) failed to comply with the officer's instructions and B) attempted to take the officer's gun away. Protests and riots ensued about his death being unnecessary and that the level of force was unwarranted. It didn't help matters any that lies regarding the situation escalated events. But, this was an unsavory person who broke the law. Why protest that?

The same could be said about the events in Baltimore. The only difference is that the cops involved could be found negligent and if that's the case, so be it. An inmate is entrusted to a cop's care while in custody. Still, did it warrant a riot and shut down of the city for a few days? No.

Then, we have the summer of everything offends me.

Confederate flag, LGBT flag, US flag. All of them offending someone, but only one was forced to be taken down. The former has even created a ripple effect across the south and the nation as a whole. Now, the NAACP wants the carving of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson that is depicted on the facade of Stone Mountain to be removed. My question, what did those men ever do to anyone in the 21st century? They represented the Confederacy? That's you're only argument? Please, I know that slavery was a big issue that brought on the Civil War, but it wasn't the only issue. Gen. Lee opposed slavery but would not go to war against his home state of Virginia. I'm sure anyone can respect that. If the carving in Stone Mountain is removed, I'm sure Mt. Rushmore will be next. But, what is interesting is that people have been getting bent out of shape of a rainbow flag flying on VA grounds or on military installations. It's a flag people. It's not a representation of how you should live your life, but rather a freedom of speech which is a right granted to all Americans and defended by all those here.

Speaking of flags, the US flag continues to be desecrated by legions of a-holes in this country. I can understand radical militants in the Middle East doing that because they hate America, but you're not going to stomp on the stars and stripes today and then cash your welfare check the following morning. Freakin' hypocrites.

One final note on people being offended by flags. The POW/MIA flag being construed as racist? What the hell? Good luck bringing that down because an army of active duty, reservists, guardsmen and veterans will have something to say about that.

It's unfortunate we've arrived in an era where we have to cater to everyone's feelings. Many of us were raised in an era of it was there, we accepted it and moved on. We didn't agree on everything, but that is what makes America great! There are some countries where saying something out of line with the current regime will result in death. I think people have lost sight of just how great it is to live in the US. It's not a perfect society, but I can't imagine living anywhere else.

I appreciate the opportunity to vent. I'm curious as to how my fellow veterans feel about the state of affairs in the year of the easily offended in America.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 12 at 2015 9:09 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:09:14 -0400

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 12 at 2015 9:26 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:26:24 -0400

We have lost our sense of nationalism to a degree, our sense of inclusion, our sense of grace, our sense of reflection. It's like having many movements go on the offense at the same time.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 9:28 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:28:27 -0400

Our society has lost its soul and moral compass

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Aug 12 at 2015 9:35 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:35:43 -0400

THe problem is that we haven't had any leadership in Washington for the past 6 years. Not in the White House, Not in the Senate, and not in the House.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 9:39 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:39:28 -0400

We lost our spine when our president decided to do absolutely nothing about it!

Response by Maj William Gambrell made Aug 12 at 2015 10:23 PM

Maj William Gambrell — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 22:23:07 -0400

You are dead on. But, the problem is that the liberal politicians are benefitting from this increased segregation and rioting because the people that are voting for them are the ones that are doing it...both white and black. Thank you for taking my taxpayer money and giving entitlements to all those that are breaking down this country :S

Response by SPC George Rudenko made Aug 12 at 2015 10:40 PM

SPC George Rudenko — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 22:40:47 -0400

Evveryone wants to be seen and acknoledged (or some demand respect) for their individualism. BUT, when it means money, we will claim anything to get a law suit (McDonalds coffee). What got me (as a former cop) was one Cheiff of Police in Podunkville saying it is "petty" to pull over drivers for minor offenses. PC at its best.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 12:58 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 00:58:05 -0400

I believe it is a purposeful and orchestrated misdirection to divert attention away from real issues.
It is sad that so many can be stupefied into submission by a tyrannical, if loud, minority.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 2:32 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 02:32:40 -0400

One item is a fluke, two an anomaly, but dozens of examples over the past few elections is not just a pattern, it is a plan.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 13 at 2015 2:39 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 02:39:41 -0400

SSgt Charles Edwards, the Dems have been stoking the fires of resentment for decades to get the votes of every group they can convince that they are being unfairly treated. Those chickens are coming home to roost in the inner cities across the nation now.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Aug 13 at 2015 2:39 AM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 02:39:45 -0400

We're a society in flux. White Christian America is giving way to Multiracial, pluralistic America and it's a painful process. We've hit these places before and usually came out alright, but it sucked for a bit while things were sorted out.

Response by SSgt Liam Babington made Aug 13 at 2015 3:29 AM

SSgt Liam Babington — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 03:29:51 -0400

I have only this to say...we as a country have a tendency to go to extreems on the left and on the right.....with the middle class being gutted it brings ojt the worst in people. We need to regrow the middle class to nullify the extreems on BOTH sides. As to the POW/MIA flag...i am addressing this there is a FB PAGE called "The Royal Order of the Horses Arse" it addresses such issues and righfully so!

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Aug 13 at 2015 3:34 AM

Capt Walter Miller — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 03:34:18 -0400

As far as the Confederate Battle Flag goes.

The life of the so-called Confederate States was like life in the state of nature - nasty, brutish and short.

What’s funny is that The CSA didn’t really have much success on the battlefield. Federal battle deaths were 110,000, CSA battle deaths were 94,000. Since the so-called CSA was on the defensive, and the recent wide spread use of the rifled musket magnified defensive power at the expense of offensive power, those figures should show –many- more federal deaths than CSA deaths, in keeping with Napoleon’s dictum that it takes three attackers to drive off one defender. The rebels also had the advantage of interior lines.

Federal armies in the ‘West’ went pretty much from victory to victory throughout the war, capturing Forts Henry and Donelson early in 1862, occupying Nashville not long after that, driving into north Mississippi to cut the east-west rail line to Texas, driving off CSA army after army in the investment of Vicksburg, where an entire army was captured, driving the rebels out of middle Tennessee and capturing Chattanooga, inexorably advancing on and capturing Atlanta, Savannah and Columbia. The single bad check of the western federal armies was at Chickamauga.

In the eastern theater, Lee had as little success outside Virginia as various federal generals had within it. He is vastly overrated. The Battle of Chancellorsville is often noted as Lee’s greatest victory. But Douglas Southall Freeman notes in “Lee’s Lieutenants” that the Chancellorsville campaign cost Lee’s army 238 field grade officers killed or wounded. Field grade officers are the majors and colonels. When it comes to maneuvering in the face of another army, their skill cannot be dispensed with. This is easy to see with all the ‘almosts’ and ‘not quites’ in the Gettysburg campaign that soon followed the Chancellorsville fight, which of course ended any chance of southern military victory. So even Lee’s most famous ‘victory’ was really a defeat.

After he wrecked his own army for offensive operations, he operated primarily on the defensive in an era when defensive technologies were dominant.

Finally, when the big plantation owners reneged on their pledge to raise food stuffs to feed the soldiers’ families, the rebel armies melted away. All that “you fought all the way Johnnie Reb’ is a lot of road apples.

One thing to keep in mind about the so-called CSA is that it never really existed. The various rebel states passed secession documents – you can do the same thing. But since they were no more able than you to give them force, the so-called CSA was just what President Lincoln called them: Combinations too powerful to be dealt with by the US Marshals.

As the so-called CSA was busy collapsing and its armies were melting away, President Lincoln was criticized for treating with the legislature of Virginia. He had not done that he said, he dealt with a group who styled themselves as the legislature of Virginia, because they had power to effect events.

Walt

Response by MSgt Jim Wolverton made Aug 13 at 2015 10:22 AM

MSgt Jim Wolverton — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 10:22:22 -0400

On another thread similar to this one, Col Lenertz mentioned the decline incultural norms and someone else mentioned lack of shame. Like I said on that thread, without some cultural norms we are just a random group of people, not a culture. Also the lack of shame in doing what we as a country view as wrong and against cultural norms, e.g. underage women having children, people living on welfare and not feeling the least bit of shame, stomping on the American flag, etc. Nobody is saying those things are wrong or bad now and everything everyone wants to do is alright because we no longer care what the majority has to say. I'm not super conservative and I'm not liberal, kind of middle of the road but I'm tired of worrying about everyone being offended about everything all the time, it's just exhausting.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 2:40 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 14:40:31 -0400

It is called the "Cultural Pendulum" society swings back and forth. When the younger generations feel choked they push back. When things are too chaotic the next generation will want security and structure. The big difference now is that we have media. Instead of news taking weeks to get around and having a chance for emotions to calm. As for the issues with police, we have turned police in to a revenue generator with them being able to confiscate drug money. With an incentive to confiscate the push to do so creates a "Us VS Them" mentality. When you feel you must Fight to be heard you can take your point to the extreme. With technology changing the way we Work, Think, Learn and even Play. There are theories about civilization levels. We are currently at the point where we can destroy ourselves or expand our civilization. In the past the people that felt discontent would try and forge a new life on the frontier. Where do we go now?

Response by SGT Christopher Churilla made Aug 13 at 2015 2:53 PM

SGT Christopher Churilla — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 14:53:07 -0400

Let's not forget about Cecil!

I'm still baffled what the fuss was about. What made him so special?