Memorials (war/9_11)

[mjj 0]

Background: grandpa turns 90 next month. He's a WWII Marine vet, fought in the Pacific as first wave of marines invading Japanese islands. First island, 134 went in, 4 survived. Only 2 of his original platoon survived as far as he knows. He participated in 7 invasions before being hit in the chest and his time was done. Lucky for me, he's still around.

 

Anyway, at a family function this weekend, I thought he'd be happy that they opened a Koren War memorial about a stone's throw from my house. Vets want military recognized right? Quite the opposite. He said they should take those $$$millions they spend on memorials and 'rememberances' and give them to the families and soldiers that are alive. When he goes to the VA, he sees vets that can't pay for their meds. Families will mourn and remember no matter if there is a monument. For soldiers, his take is that they were like co-workers - you fought with them but you did not become family. They were here and gone too fast. Instead of spending on stones and rocks and putting names on walls, put the money to real use by helping people in need.

I would assume he would feel the same about any 9/11 memorial.

 

Kind of took me by surprise, but as usual, he's smarter than me and probably right!

 

(My other grandpa was at Pearl Harbor and I think I'll get his take at his 87th bday this weekend.) Yes, I'm lucky to have them around.

 

Are monuments and memorials just us being 'pussified' and politically correct and make ourselves feel better or are they actually worth doing?

[Guest Davaco]

Background: grandpa turns 90 next month. He's a WWII Marine vet, fought in the Pacific as first wave of marines invading Japanese islands. First island, 134 went in, 4 survived. Only 2 of his original platoon survived as far as he knows. He participated in 7 invasions before being hit in the chest and his time was done. Lucky for me, he's still around.

 

Anyway, at a family function this weekend, I thought he'd be happy that they opened a Koren War memorial about a stone's throw from my house. Vets want military recognized right? Quite the opposite. He said they should take those $$$millions they spend on memorials and 'rememberances' and give them to the families and soldiers that are alive. When he goes to the VA, he sees vets that can't pay for their meds. Families will mourn and remember no matter if there is a monument. For soldiers, his take is that they were like co-workers - you fought with them but you did not become family. They were here and gone too fast. Instead of spending on stones and rocks and putting names on walls, put the money to real use by helping people in need.

I would assume he would feel the same about any 9/11 memorial.

 

Kind of took me by surprise, but as usual, he's smarter than me and probably right!

 

(My other grandpa was at Pearl Harbor and I think I'll get his take at his 87th bday this weekend.) Yes, I'm lucky to have them around.

 

Are monuments and memorials just us being 'pussified' and politically correct and make ourselves feel better or are they actually worth doing?

 

if those soldiers and familes want money, go get a job

[Sho Nuff 720]

if those soldiers and familes want money, go get a job

 

You really are on a roll lately with this type of BS.....may God have mercy on your soul.

[mighty_thor 115]

Background: grandpa turns 90 next month. He's a WWII Marine vet, fought in the Pacific as first wave of marines invading Japanese islands. First island, 134 went in, 4 survived. Only 2 of his original platoon survived as far as he knows. He participated in 7 invasions before being hit in the chest and his time was done. Lucky for me, he's still around.

 

Anyway, at a family function this weekend, I thought he'd be happy that they opened a Koren War memorial about a stone's throw from my house. Vets want military recognized right? Quite the opposite. He said they should take those $$$millions they spend on memorials and 'rememberances' and give them to the families and soldiers that are alive. When he goes to the VA, he sees vets that can't pay for their meds. Families will mourn and remember no matter if there is a monument. For soldiers, his take is that they were like co-workers - you fought with them but you did not become family. They were here and gone too fast. Instead of spending on stones and rocks and putting names on walls, put the money to real use by helping people in need.

I would assume he would feel the same about any 9/11 memorial.

 

Kind of took me by surprise, but as usual, he's smarter than me and probably right!

 

(My other grandpa was at Pearl Harbor and I think I'll get his take at his 87th bday this weekend.) Yes, I'm lucky to have them around.

 

Are monuments and memorials just us being 'pussified' and politically correct and make ourselves feel better or are they actually worth doing?

 

Memorials are so that we don't forget the sacrifices made by others. My father fought in the pacific as well and saw a lot of combat. The cost of a memorial monumental would not solve any of the budget problems of the VA. It would be a drop in a bucket. But by having a memorial maybe people remember the contributions that veterans have made. And maybe when some politician suggests that we slash the budget of the VA enough people will object because they didn't forget these sacrifices.

[paulinstl 295]

I guess this is a perfect example of an issue having two sides. Although my father, a WWII combat vet, has never told any of his children about his war experience, other than to say that he went to church every day of his life to pray for forgiveness for what he had to do in the war, the guys he served with are all lifelong pals. My father isn't what I would call sentimental, but every time he had to go to a funeral at a military cemetery, he would break up to some degree.

 

Memorials are meant more for families of lost men than they are for the soldiers themselves, but ask any veteran who goes to see a memorial from their war, they will all to a man tell you how moving it is to see it and to read the names of those who sacrificed everything.

 

The cost of erecting those memorials isn't that much. It represents a spit in the bucket of what veterans should be getting for benefits.

[edjr 5,625]

You really are on a roll lately with this type of BS.....may God have mercy on your soul.

 

There really isn't a god, can you come up with someone better?

 

TIA

[mighty_thor 115]

There really isn't a god, can you come up with someone better?

 

TIA

 

Davaco = edjr

[Guest Davaco]

You really are on a roll lately with this type of BS.....may God have mercy on your soul.

 

how else do you get money?

[Cruzer 1,993]

i don't understand why we can't both fund memorials and pay our veterans what they've earned.

[paulinstl 295]

i don't understand why we can't both fund memorials and pay our veterans what they've earned.

 

 

Iraq war words.

[Cruzer 1,993]

Iraq war words.

i'd buy that if veterans would have just now started struggling and just now started being underfunded for their needs - you know as well as i that they've been getting screwed for years, years that included both previous republican and democratic presidencies.

[Guest Davaco]

i don't understand why we can't both fund memorials and pay our veterans what they've earned.

 

we already paid the vets. you dont get free room, board, and medicine for life if you serve 4 years, 8 years, etc.

 

dont like it, dont serve

[frank 2,160]

Background: grandpa turns 90 next month. He's a WWII Marine vet, fought in the Pacific as first wave of marines invading Japanese islands. First island, 134 went in, 4 survived. Only 2 of his original platoon survived as far as he knows. He participated in 7 invasions before being hit in the chest and his time was done. Lucky for me, he's still around.

 

Anyway, at a family function this weekend, I thought he'd be happy that they opened a Koren War memorial about a stone's throw from my house. Vets want military recognized right? Quite the opposite. He said they should take those $$$millions they spend on memorials and 'rememberances' and give them to the families and soldiers that are alive. When he goes to the VA, he sees vets that can't pay for their meds. Families will mourn and remember no matter if there is a monument. For soldiers, his take is that they were like co-workers - you fought with them but you did not become family. They were here and gone too fast. Instead of spending on stones and rocks and putting names on walls, put the money to real use by helping people in need.

I would assume he would feel the same about any 9/11 memorial.

 

Kind of took me by surprise, but as usual, he's smarter than me and probably right!

 

(My other grandpa was at Pearl Harbor and I think I'll get his take at his 87th bday this weekend.) Yes, I'm lucky to have them around.

 

Are monuments and memorials just us being 'pussified' and politically correct and make ourselves feel better or are they actually worth doing?

 

I agree with him. There are probably more than a few vets who are homeless and starving.

 

However, if a nonmilitary person said the same thing everyone would think they were anti-American. Can you imagine a politician publicly being against a monument?

 

 

Monuments have two purposes.

 

1. They are popular with the public.

 

2. They are part of a group of "incentives" (medals, insurance...) to get people to join the military./

[Cruzer 1,993]

we already paid the vets. you dont get free room, board, and medicine for life if you serve 4 years, 8 years, etc.

 

dont like it, dont serve

that's a hell of an attitude to have towards the group of men and women that have made it possible for you to be free.

 

eta: i noticed your response was typed in english instead of japanese - interesting.....

[Guest Davaco]

that's a hell of an attitude to have towards the group of men and women that have made it possible for you to be free.

 

eta: i noticed your response was typed in english instead of japanese - interesting.....

 

how is that an attitude?

 

when you serve, you dont serve forever, so why should i pay you forever? at some point, you are discharged and go back into society

 

plus, the compensation package is spelled out before you enlist, dont like it, dont enlist.

 

did i miss something?

[mjj 0]

You missed that these people voluntary enlisted after we were attacked in order to fight the enemy and keep America safe. Or, they were drafted. Enough fishing...

[Guest Davaco]

You missed that these people voluntary enlisted after we were attacked in order to fight the enemy and keep America safe. Or, they were drafted. Enough fishing...

 

and they voulantayily left, giving up thier paycheck

 

if you were drafted, its their fault for living here, much like it was the fault of the people in new orleans for living below sea level. dont like it, move to canada