Americans: Fly your flag

My great uncle on my father’s side was an aerial photographer in the Pacific theater in WWII. His plane was shot down over Burma, and he spent the rest of the war in a Japanese POW camp. He never talked about it. While he didn’t die physically for his country, he certainly was a casualty of war.

Thanks for a beautiful post and comments. My father was a bombardier in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He has been gone four years now. My family honors his memory and all those who have given so much for this country’s and the world’s freedoms. Best wishes for a speedy recovery

News just in. Israeli soldiers attack “peaceful” polar bears protesting against global warming. World leaders condemn Zionist plot to warm planet.
I could be joking but that’s really how bad journalism is these days. The Left need a victim all the time to further their agendas and if the victim can’t be found then it will be created.
Happy Memorial Day!

You are being decieved.

Anthony, here in Australia it is unfortunately becoming cool to be anti-American. But some of us remember what the US did in World War II and what our country owes to her. Some of us remember how the US – having seen off a treacherous attack on Pearl Harbor and a brutal battle against the savage Japanese militarists of that time (not of today I hasten to add), and having shed blood to save Europe from a genocidal Nazi regime – then instigated the Marshall Plan to rebuild Germany and Japan. I cannot think of a more outstanding display of generosity of spirit in all history. It worked – neither Germany nor Japan will threaten anybody in the foreseeable future and Japan is now a major trading partner and good ally of this country. Vietnam controversies tended to obscure these points, and I think Johnson in particular mishandled it, trying to fight a guerilla war with conventional tactics. But: look at what happened to places like Cambodia when Uncle Sam pulled out completely. Iraq proved controversial here but a major factor in this was the media’s misreporting of Duelfer’s CIA report. He did say that few WMDs were found. But he also said that Saddam was doing his best to retain his WMD programs, i.e. his production facilities for them, and that he intended to activate these as soon as possible, using money from the corrupt UN food-for-oil program for this purpose. He would have had to have been dealt with sooner or later. Ironically, much Australian anti-US sentiment is fuelled by elements of US society like its politically correct media, Hollywood radical chic, the flaky Michael Moore and of course its fanatical Green movement. And briefly, with my protestant cap on: I don’t necessarily subscribe to all the antics of US ‘religious right’ figures like the late Jerry Falwell; but I also don’t like a fanatical religious leftist like Jim Wallis, who treated the fleeing Indochinese refugees with contempt as mere consumerists. When is the US media going to start asking his type a few hard questions? He gets a hero’s welcome from the Australian media when he comes here. It makes me puke.

@ur momisugly nanny_govt_sucks says:
May 31, 2010 at 2:00 pm
I’m sorry Nanny that you feel that way about our military but the wars weren’t started by the men and women that sacrificed for us.
It takes two to tango. There are those that give the orders, and those that follow the orders. I think Donovan said it best… please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC9pc4U40sI
Also, there’s the classic scene from “The Americanization of Emily”… Enjoy some of the best of James Garner this Memorial Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i00Jiiak0UE

Perhaps you should read Kipling instead of paying attention to Hollywood. Apparently you are one of those is very good at enjoying your freedoms, but very poor at defending them.
Tommy
I WENT into a public ‘ouse to get a pint o’beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mr. Atkins,” when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music ‘alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;
But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.
Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy how’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.
We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an “Tommy, fall be’ind,”
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind.
You talk o’ better food for us, an’schools, an’ fires an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country,” when the guns begin to shoot;
Yes it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
But Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool–you bet that Tommy sees!
Rudyard Kipling

This post isust another reminder that – on both sides – much of the global warming debate is a proxy for the culture war.
I honor the sacrifice of my elder relatives and other Americans, in my family and my community. Neither offended by nor impressed by others’ desire to do so in a public way. To each his own, which is exactly what freedom is about.

To David Elder: perhaps you should consider just how many UK lives have been lost in defence of freedom – far more than the US!
Perhaps you should consider just how long it took the USA to enter WWII!
This country,my country, was on its knees before the USA took part.
Don’t forget the Marshall Plan either:something that left my country still on its knees!
We honour our dead in a solemn and dignified way: we do not,unlike certain elements of the USA, honour our dead in a jingoistic way!
In particular I refer to the Google slogan currently posted: I find this to be both distasteful and upsetting.
Yes, honour your dead but please do it in a manner that is both respectful and meaningful.
And finally David consider the roots of your own country and those of the USA.
Perhaps you still have something to learn.

Anthony, so sorry to hear of your bug. Just proves it happens to the best of us.
God bless Americans lying their lives on the line and those who have died doing so.
Have said a mouthful today so signing off so you can rest, hope you kick it fast! (Gotta go watch these simply amazing ROVs, I want to know who is handling the logistics!)