When there's a war going on, everyday is Veterans' Day

A salute to our blog neighbors ONTHEBORDERLINE for removing their picture of a group of their people celebrating by holding up a Confederate flag. That is completely their decision and we support their right to freedom of expression. I have no intention of playing the "taste police" role on this blog site. ONTHEBORDERLINE has to decide for its collective self what is in good and bad taste.

Remember, there are serious things taking place in our world. There was a thought-provoking story by Thom Shanker in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Sunday titled: 'Patriotism lite' irks those serving.' Below is a partial excert. The full story can be reached at this link: www.pioneerplanet.com
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WASHINGTON — The Bush administration's rallying call that America is a nation at war is increasingly ringing hollow to men and women in uniform, who argue in frustration that America is not a nation at war, but a nation with only its military at war.

From bases in Iraq and across the United States to the Pentagon and the military's war colleges, officers and enlisted personnel quietly raise a question for political leaders: If America is truly on a war footing, why is so little sacrifice asked of the nation at large?

There is no serious talk of a draft to share the burden of fighting across the broad citizenry, and neither Republicans nor Democrats are pressing for a tax increase to force Americans to cover the $5 billion a month in costs from Iraq, Afghanistan and new counterterrorism missions.

There are no concerted efforts like the savings-bond drives or gasoline rationing that helped to unite the country behind its fighting forces in wars past.

"Nobody in America is asked to sacrifice, except us," said one officer just back from a yearlong tour in Iraq.

Members of the military who discussed their sense of frustration did so only when promised anonymity, as comments viewed as critical of the civilian leadership could end their careers. The sentiments were expressed in more than two dozen interviews and casual conversations with enlisted personnel, noncommissioned officers, midlevel officers, and general or flag officers in Iraq and in the United States.

Charles Moskos, a professor emeritus at Northwestern University specializing in military sociology, said: "My terminology for it is 'patriotism lite,' and that's what we're experiencing now in both political parties. The political leaders are afraid to ask the public for any real sacrifice, which doesn't speak too highly of the citizenry."
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Whether you are for, against or increasingly confused and/or frustrated by what is going on in Iraq, our soldiers deserve our support. Likewise, both citizens and soldiers need to know what our future expections should be concerning the war in Iraq.