To the veteran readers of Sound Politics, and to those still serving, I say thank you.
In an ironic twist, I think a recent speech by a Frenchman captured much of the proper mood for this reflective day:
The men and women of my generation heard their grandparents talk about how in 1917, America saved France at a time when it had reached the final limits of its strength, which it had exhausted in the most absurd and bloodiest of wars.The men and women of my generation heard their parents talk about how in 1944, America returned to free Europe from the horrifying tyranny that threatened to enslave it.
Fathers took their sons to see the vast cemeteries where, under thousands of white crosses so far from home, thousands of young American soldiers lay who had fallen not to defend their own freedom but the freedom of all others, not to defend their own families, their own homeland, but to defend humanity as a whole.
Fathers took their sons to the beaches where the young men of America had so heroically landed. They read them the admirable letters of farewell that those 20-year-old soldiers had written to their families before the battle to tell them: "We don't consider ourselves heroes. We want this war to be over. But however much dread we may feel, you can count on us." Before they landed, Eisenhower told them: "The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you."
And as they listened to their fathers, watched movies, read history books and the letters of soldiers who died on the beaches of Normandy and Provence, as they visited the cemeteries where the star-spangled banner flies, the children of my generation understood that these young Americans, 20 years old, were true heroes to whom they owed the fact that they were free people and not slaves. France will never forget the sacrifice of your children.
To those 20-year-old heroes who gave us everything, to the families of those who never returned, to the children who mourned fathers they barely got a chance to know, I want to express France's eternal gratitude.
On behalf of my generation, which did not experience war but knows how much it owes to their courage and their sacrifice; on behalf of our children, who must never forget; to all the veterans who are here today and, notably the seven I had the honor to decorate yesterday evening, one of whom, Senator Inouye, belongs to your Congress, I want to express the deep, sincere gratitude of the French people. I want to tell you that whenever an American soldier falls somewhere in the world, I think of what the American army did for France. I think of them and I am sad, as one is sad to lose a member of one's family.
I cannot match President Sarkozy's words, but I hope our veteran readers will accept the gratitude of this writer and the lion's share of the Sound Politics readership as well.
UPDATE: title fixed.
Posted by Eric Earling at November 12, 2007 09:52 AM | Email ThisThank you to all veterans. Thank you for defending my freedom.
And I am so sorry whenever my government has sent you abroad on missions that do NOT wind up defending freedom.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 12, 2007 10:18 AMYou see, NONE of the principles that applied then apply now. Don't you know that? Today's military, entirely volunteer, is too ignorant, too stupid, too moronic to have a clue about what they're doing. The only people that REALLY know what's going on are the Kos/moveon/Pelosi/Reed/Durbin/Kennedy/Kucinich/Mahre/Clinton/Murtha/Obama types.
They know it ALL. The people on the ground, bleeding... why, they don't know a damned thing.
Clearly, the men and women of today's Armed Forces are just tools. And if Kerry is to be believed, rather stupid tools at that.
And how this guy could confuse today's military with those who stormed the beaches and saved France is just beyond me.
They have NOTHING in common. Nothing at all.
Posted by: Hinton on November 12, 2007 10:22 AMMy generation (the ME generation) are indebted to the soldiers in the service from the 60s through present days times even though many of us didn't serve.
Even my code pinko and ultra-leftist friend has saluted the military for this day (in-between a couple of BDS episodes).
I feel great pity for the commentors above. This day is for our soldiers, not your politics. Do your politics tomorrow. Thank you.
Posted by: swatter on November 12, 2007 10:36 AMI believe the comments have delved into what you hoped it would not. This is a fantastic speech and casts Sarkozy in a very favorable light. I hope everyone was able to make it to a parade or service over the weekend to honor the veterans. The service at Tahoma National Cemetery was outstanding. Governor Gregoire and KC Councilman Reagan Dunn were in attendance. They both have been big supporters of veterans' causes.
Posted by: SeattleR on November 12, 2007 10:37 AMWe, as Americans, owe a debt of gratitude to our military and to the families of the heroes who gave their life for our liberty.
THANK YOU!
Posted by Bruce Guthrie at November 12, 2007 10:18 AM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Can it Bruce.
I and many others went to Nam and I can damn well tell you the peace we tried to give them.
Just a shame when some people use smear words against our VETS to get elected! (Kerry)
And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Guthrie and Hinton: Kiss my ass.
Thanks to the generation who sacrificed so much for my freedom. And thanks for the finest of this generation who have rejected the crap that has been embraced by the Baby Boomers.
Drive on!
Posted by: ERNurse on November 13, 2007 09:16 AMThere is no way to talk about military service without being political. Our veterans defended our country, and our country is a political entity. It is not possible to separate miltary service from political philosophy. Our veterans swear an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, which is a political document.
It is a document that I love, because it is a very libertarian document, but not all agree with it.
Merely thanking the troops, as Eric has done, is a political act. It is a political act that I agree with, but it is undeniably political. Liberals would rather not celebrate veterans day. Veterans day is more popular among conservatives. I fall in to the conservative camp on this one, but we all must see that observing Veterans' Day is a political act. It tends to encourage future soldiers to enlist.
The article that Eric wrote was very political. It's point was that some Europeans are grateful that we helped them out in the past. The implication is that Eric is unhappy that so many Europeans seem to lack that appreciation today. This is very political, and I happen to agree. Don't blame me for making a political statment in this context.
All I said was that the French played a key role in the American Revolution, and that we should appreciate them for this as well. I doubt that is controversial. Without the French fleet bottling up the British fleet in NY harbor, Washington's army would have been defeated. This was as much a self-interested move on the part of the French as it was an act of mutual aid. Tieing up the British in the new world removed resources from battles on the other side of the Atlantic.
And neither is it controversial that SOME of our foreign wars did NOT wind up defending our liberty. The Bay of Pigs fiasco is only one example. This is NOT to blame the veterans or our honored dead. After all, they don't get to choose their battles. "Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do..." and perhaps to die or at least risk death. It is our leaders who deserve most of the blame for getting us in to wars we later regret, the Neuremburg defense notwithstanding.
I think it is totally uncontroversial that some of our foreign wars were effective at defending our freedom, while others were less so, or even not effective at all towards this end. To apologize to the veterans when this is the case is the least we can do. That's what I did. I apologized for the influence I may have had on sending our valued soldiers to fight wars that it turns out we should never have gotten in to in the first place. Can't you see that there are some of these in our history?
It is possible to look a Viet Nam veteran in the eye and say that you totally respect him for his honor, his bravery, his risk, and his hard work, yet point out that his leaders had failed him and that our efforts in Viet Nam turned out to be for naught, or almost naught.
We should also give our veterans better medical care and respect...
My words seem to have been blown out of proportion. I'm really sorry if I offended anyone. I only meant to say the truth. I've probably just fed you more rope with which to hang me. I guess you will have at it.
But perhaps the old Russian saying applies here: "Tell the truth... and then RUN!"
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 13, 2007 01:10 PMBut I tend to avoid sarcasm in the printed word because it is so often misconstrued...
There was absolutely NO sarcasm intended in any of my words on this comment page.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 13, 2007 01:18 PMFriday durring lunch I identiefied myself as a Persian Gulf vet to a co-worker who then wanted to know what "forced" me into the military.
After all we are all drugged, stupid or homeless who would NEVER do such a thing unless there was NO alternitive.
I wish I had something clever to say
Posted by: M167A1 on November 13, 2007 02:03 PMAnd I do not return your pity. I do not pity you. To do so would be disprespectful, condescending and patronizing, and I do not wish to do that to you.
May you, also, find peace in life.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 14, 2007 01:21 PM