Posted on Oct 16, 2017
The Deep Unfairness of America’s All-Volunteer Force
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As a veteran, I have felt this for a long time. Also an article titled “Leave Veterans and Soldiers Out of the Anthem Debate” express some deeply held convictions I have. The pseudo patriotism of people who could never be troubled to find a recruiting office yet get in a snit over protests and cheer when a President sends troops into harms way are, in my not so humble opinion, symptoms of a weak society. An unintended consequence of the All Volunteer Force. Personally, I prefer the opinions of people who put skin in the game. I bristle when people who could never be troubled to serve justify their arguments by 'respect for service members and veterans.'
The Deep Unfairness of America’s All-Volunteer Force
Posted from theamericanconservative.com
Service
Selective Service (the Draft)
Protest
Ethics
Posted >1 y ago
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The reality is not everyone can serve in the Armed Forces. We have less than 1% of the population serving at any given time. It has been higher in some periods (major wars) but that is where it has been for a number of decades.
It is unreasonable, in my opinion, to hold a lack of service against someone's patriotism since we know it is an impossibility that all could or would serve based upon the size of the armed forces.
It is not pseudo patriotism for someone to love and appreciate their country, flag, Constitution, Bill of Rights etc. It is not false patriotism when they are offended that people would disrespect the flag, anthem or country. If only those that served in the armed forces can be proper patriots, patriotism is in trouble. There are not enough of us around.
I will give you an example. My wife is British, she is a legal resident and has been for 35 years. Our son is a United States Marine and has been for 7 years. She never served in the US or British armed forces. She loves this country and stands for the anthem and is offended that others would not. She isn't even a citizen but loves this country.
It is unreasonable, in my opinion, to hold a lack of service against someone's patriotism since we know it is an impossibility that all could or would serve based upon the size of the armed forces.
It is not pseudo patriotism for someone to love and appreciate their country, flag, Constitution, Bill of Rights etc. It is not false patriotism when they are offended that people would disrespect the flag, anthem or country. If only those that served in the armed forces can be proper patriots, patriotism is in trouble. There are not enough of us around.
I will give you an example. My wife is British, she is a legal resident and has been for 35 years. Our son is a United States Marine and has been for 7 years. She never served in the US or British armed forces. She loves this country and stands for the anthem and is offended that others would not. She isn't even a citizen but loves this country.
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Agree. “The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.” – Thucydides
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LTC (Join to see)
Wasn't this a Roman historian like around the first century after Christ. It's funny how people like him and tsun Zu makes sense 3 - 4000 years later. People are people and I guess fools are fools no matter what era you are in
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CPT John Sheridan
I'm a big fan of Marcus Aurelius. Not because of the fictional movie Gladiator. Rather Meditations was a book on my father's book shelf. His ideas about being responsible for your own thoughts had a real influence on me.
"You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
Timeless wisdom from 19 centuries ago.
"You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
Timeless wisdom from 19 centuries ago.
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The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
“The Crisis” by Thomas Paine
We have a lot of summer soldiers in my opinion. We swore to defend the Constitution.We lead by example. I served so others have the right to their Constitutional rights to protest whether I agree or not. You cannot force someone to be patriotic nor can you accuse someone of being unpatriotic because they choose to protest what they believe to be right simply because they disagree with you. I would choose to be tolerant rather than intolerant.
“The Crisis” by Thomas Paine
We have a lot of summer soldiers in my opinion. We swore to defend the Constitution.We lead by example. I served so others have the right to their Constitutional rights to protest whether I agree or not. You cannot force someone to be patriotic nor can you accuse someone of being unpatriotic because they choose to protest what they believe to be right simply because they disagree with you. I would choose to be tolerant rather than intolerant.
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