4 ms·
That budget seems to be always nonnegotiable, despite the occasional media outrage. Realistically, how can US voters change this? As an aside, the US is the on
by z2 8y ago
That budget seems to be always nonnegotiable, despite the occasional media outrage. Realistically, how can US voters change this?
As an aside, the US is the only country I've seen give military personnel priority boarding for civilian flights. With all due respect to veterans, it seems so strange to do this sort of worshiping in what is effectively peacetime.
- decebalus1 8y ago> this sort of worshiping in what is effectively peacetime https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_Uni... The US has been 'at war' with something continuously. There is no or never was peacetime.
- mikeash 8y agoI think we could stand to do significantly less worshipping of our soldiers, but a lot of the ones boarding commercial flights are on their way to places like Afghanistan where groups of unfriendly armed crazy people will attempt to kill them.
- kelnos 8y agoI agree with you in principle, but calling people you've never met from another country and culture "unfriendly armed crazy people" is a big, sad reason why we even need militaries in the first place. I imagine many of those "crazy people" in Afghanistan consider the US military to be invaders who won't leave them alone. It's of course all not that simple, but... why the need for unnecessary name-calling? It just perpetuates the "us vs. them" mentality that seems to be at the root of many of society's ills.
- mikeash 8y agoI would agree with you in the case of a generic enemy, but I see no problem with calling religious extremists “crazy.”
- rootusrootus 8y agoIt's a small thing, and I consider it a bit of payback for what society did to veterans back in the days of Vietnam.
- adamnemecek 8y agoIt’s bullshit because the govt makes these meaningless gestures but when it’s time to open the wallet, all of sudden they are out of respect.
- gwright 8y agoIt isn't worship. It is gratitude for their service. Your implication that military service should only be valued during wartime seems odd to me but I'm guessing that your perspective on the proper role of the military in society is probably very different than mine.