(no subject)

[sprinklethief]

today we took my dad out to dinner at applebees for veterans day because they had free meals for veterans (drinks, of course, were on me...). there was a man walking around asking people if they were veterans and he got to my dad. my dad said yes, and the guy put his hand out and shook my dad's hand. the guy said "thank you, for all you've given" and motioned at dad's wheelchair/scooter. dad welled up and looked like he was going to cry, and for the first time i finally understand why veterans day exists. so many people have so many horrible things to say about veterans day, talking about how pointless it is and how stupid it is to thank people for marching mindlessly into war, calling them stupid, idiotic, morons... i'm sorry, but my father is none of those, nor are the other veterans i know.

all my dad heard when he came back from vietnam was what a worthless piece of shit he was. this guy that shook his hand ended up being a vietnam vet too, and my dad looked him in the eye and said "welcome home" and then they both teared up. sure, i guess if you have no direct contact with someone that war has gutted and changed forever, i'm sure veterans day does seem pointless and idiotic, but what i saw tonight at that restaurant - the camaraderie of all these complete strangers, the knowing looks to each other, hearing all of these war stories in passing... there is most certainly a point to it - for all of these men and women to know they were not alone.

Comments

[ciani.livejournal.com]

I think it's really unfair to say bad things about the soldiers just because you(non specific you) don't agree with the war or wars they fight in. At the end of the day, no matter how we feel about the conflict in question, these soldiers are fighting for us, for them, for every US citizen.

Ever notice that the people who protest other people -- always seem to be the same group no matter who they are protesting?