The Idea of Secession

[Morley]

Ajax is one of those tough talking people that says "thank you for your service" without realizing those words are a joke for people that actually were in the service.

"Tough talking people?" - "Joke for people that actually were in the service?"

Would you be willing to elaborate some more on this? I am asking because I have thanked people for their service and I have never served. To be clear, these are serious questions that I would appreciate answers to from someone who has served (I assume you have served) - Thanks in advance.

Ceeboo.

Veterans give significantly to their country through their military service, though admittedly some give up more than others.They may have suffered wounds that are both physical and psychological. Though not always obvious, those who served in combat and were wounded in some way usually carry the effects of that service for the rest of their lives, often in the form of significant health challenges. They rarely complain and are, for the most part, glad to have done it. Even veterans who were not affected usually know brothers and sisters who were.

Perhaps unfairly, the "Thank you for your service" often comes across to such veterans as trite and maybe a little condescending, as if an occasional 'thank you,' eliminates any other debt the country may owe its veterans. It's sometimes seen as, "If we thank you, then we don't have to worry about your health care, suicide rates, or helping to get your homeless brothers off the streets. We will take you and your brothers for granted in our votes for endless wars."

Ajax's statement "Most soldiers are in the army for financial reasons. If they're willing to fight, they'll be willing to settle the new lands" is a good example of this trivialization, condescension, and taking the troops for granted. It's as if he thinks soldiers are another inferior class, willing to do society's dirty work for a few pieces of silver.

"Tough talking people?"

Sometimes it comes across that those who are most willing to exploit the military are those who would never condescend to serve.

[ceeboo]

Good morning, Morely,

"Tough talking people?" - "Joke for people that actually were in the service?"

Would you be willing to elaborate some more on this? I am asking because I have thanked people for their service and I have never served. To be clear, these are serious questions that I would appreciate answers to from someone who has served (I assume you have served) - Thanks in advance,

Ceeboo.

Veterans give significantly to their country through their military service, though admittedly some give up more than others.They may have suffered wounds that are both physical and psychological. Though not always obvious, those who served in combat and were wounded in some way usually carry the effects of that service for the rest of their lives, often in the form of significant health challenges. They rarely complain and are, for the most part, glad to have done it. Even veterans who were not affected usually know brothers and sisters who were.

Perhaps unfairly, the "Thank you for your service" often comes across to such veterans as trite and maybe a little condescending, as if an occasional 'thank you,' eliminates any other debt the country may owe its veterans. It's sometimes seen as, "If we thank you, then we don't have to worry about your health care, suicide rates, or helping to get your homeless brothers off the streets. We will take you and your brothers for granted in our votes for endless wars."

Ajax's statement "Most soldiers are in the army for financial reasons. If they're willing to fight, they'll be willing to settle the new lands" is a good example of this trivialization, condescension, and taking the troops for granted. It's as if he thinks soldiers are another inferior class, willing to do society's dirty work for a few pieces of silver.

Thank you for the perspective - Much appreciated and worth thinking about.

Yeah - So now I think I need to rethink my "thank you for your service" comments to strangers I bump into. As I am thinking about this, as I type, I am thinking about a few times that I have been in a restaurant and have picked up the tab of a table with a few military people having a meal (they were in uniform) - So, is this something that might come across as trite of condescending too? (For clarity - Another very serious question)

Lastly, do you have any advice and/or recommendations of how someone like me (I never served) can express appreciation to those who have?

Thanks!

[Morley]

Thank you for the perspective - Much appreciated and worth thinking about.

Yeah - So now I think I need to rethink my "thank you for your service" comments to strangers I bump into. As I am thinking about this, as I type, I am thinking about a few times that I have been in a restaurant and have picked up the tab of a table with a few military people having a meal (they were in uniform) - So, is this something that might come across as trite of condescending too? (For clarity - Another very serious question)

Lastly, do you have any advice and/or recommendations of how someone like me (I never served) can express appreciation to those who have?

Thanks!

Believe me, I've tried to work through this myself and I can't come up with any alternative to the phrase. I really do think that it expresses good intentions. It's just that to some veterans it reminds them of their loss and the hypocrisy of the larger society.

I dunno. Maybe if there were a phrase you could use that was a little less canned.

As to the people wearing "I was in Vietnam" caps, they probably do want to be acknowledged and thanked (whether they actually fricking served or not). To the rest who don't advertise their service, when you find out about it, I think it's fine to thank them--just don't be surprised if you get a gruff response or a little roll of the eyes along with their reply.

However, I think you're doing well as is. As for picking up the tab for military diners, that's remarkable. Thank you for doing that.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Ajax's statement "Most soldiers are in the army for financial reasons. If they're willing to fight, they'll be willing to settle the new lands" is a good example of this trivialization, condescension, and taking the troops for granted. It's as if he thinks soldiers are another inferior class, willing to do society's dirty work for a few pieces of silver.

This reminds me of my time in Iraq. On one rotation I stayed in a catonment which had housing made up of containerized housing units. Once in a while you’d see that a soldier created a little tiny patch of grass, the seeds sent to him by loved ones so he could have a little home in a far away land. Invariably the ones who did that were southerners who couldn’t wait to get back home.

It was an absurd and callous thing for Xanax to suggest people who live in his fictional country would want to live in an Afghanistan, homesteading a country they just got done depopulating to make way for a WalMart and Buffalo Wild Wings.

- Doc

[Father Francis]

Ajax is one of those tough talking people that says "thank you for your service" without realizing those words are a joke for people that actually were in the service.

"Tough talking people?" - "Joke for people that actually were in the service?"

Would you be willing to elaborate some more on this? I am asking because I have thanked people for their service and I have never served. To be clear, these are serious questions that I would appreciate answers to from someone who has served (I assume you have served) - Thanks in advance,

I never was in the service, but I am surrounded by people that were. One of my closest friends is a vet and he told me that whenever he or his buddies were given a bs job to do in the military they would say "thank you for your service" as they went out to guard a pothole or mop up rainwater. True stories.

[Some Schmo]

Perhaps unfairly, the "Thank you for your service" often comes across to such veterans as trite and maybe a little condescending, as if an occasional 'thank you,' eliminates any other debt the country may owe its veterans. It's sometimes seen as, "If we thank you, then we don't have to worry about your health care, suicide rates, or helping to get your homeless brothers off the streets. We will take you and your brothers for granted in our votes for endless wars."

Thanks for posting this. I, like ceeboo, had no idea.

I was out on a walk when an older gentleman who was doing yardwork asked me if I'd ever used an electric mower before. I thought it was an odd way to start a conversation with a stranger, but because I had just purchased an electric mower, I was delighted to answer his question. We got to talking, and at the end he mentioned something about being a veteran, and I said, "Oh... well thank you for your service" and saluted him (and I meant it). He nodded, grinned back at me and said, "You're welcome." I walked away thinking that expressing my appreciation was the right thing to do, but now I'm wondering if he was just appeasing me and smiling inwardly.

I will need to think of a better thing to say in those situations. Maybe something like, "The country needs people like you, and need to take better care of you all." Clunky, but I honestly am not sure what the right thing would be.

[ajax18]

Ajax's statement "Most soldiers are in the army for financial reasons. If they're willing to fight, they'll be willing to settle the new lands" is a good example of this trivialization, condescension, and taking the troops for granted. It's as if he thinks soldiers are another inferior class, willing to do society's dirty work for a few pieces of silver.

You're pretty far off on this one. it doesn't matter to me that you think this. I never served in the military. I have nothing but respect for those that did and certainly don't see them as an inferior class of people. They're a superior class to me for sure. But my veteran friends on the right know that. And just because Doc Cam is a veteran doesn't mean I can't disagree with him in the same way a white man cannot say anything negative about a nonwhite person without being labeled a racist. Let's see how many soldiers currently want to fight for Biden and how many would fight for Trump.

[canpakes]

Ajax's statement "Most soldiers are in the army for financial reasons. If they're willing to fight, they'll be willing to settle the new lands" is a good example of this trivialization, condescension, and taking the troops for granted. It's as if he thinks soldiers are another inferior class, willing to do society's dirty work for a few pieces of silver.

You're pretty far off on this one. it doesn't matter to me that you think this. I never served in the military. I have nothing but respect for those that did and certainly don't see them as an inferior class of people. They're a superior class to me for sure. But my veteran friends on the right know that. And just because Doc Cam is a veteran doesn't mean I can't disagree with him in the same way a white man cannot say anything negative about a nonwhite person without being labeled a racist. Let's see how many soldiers currently want to fight for Biden and how many would fight for Trump.

Regardless of who you believe they’d sooner fight for, why do you believe that your brothers in arms desire to pack up and move, to settle Iran, or Iraq? This seems like a strange belief for someone who holds geographic, racial and cultural homogenization within North America as important tenets and bonding structures supporting the hypothetical country you’d like to inhabit.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Let's see how many soldiers currently want to fight for Biden and how many would fight for Trump.

-_-

- Doc

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I’ll give my perspective on the tyfys thing. Civility and appreciation is a good thing. If you want to drop a tyfys on someone, then do it, because it’s your ethos to be decent. This morning my wife bagged up our leftover Halloween candy, wrote a note to the letter carrier, and thanked them for everything they do. I agree with the note. I’m grateful to people who bring us stuff. It’s nice, and I don’t mind telling people thank you when they do something meaningful to me.

So. You do you. Act iaw your sense of right and wrong.

- Doc