A years and a half ago I wrote:
The AMR/American Airlines Foundation makes charitable and in-kind contributions in four categories... Community Development (yep, "environment" and "recycling"), Arts and Culture (yep, "minorities" and "diversity'), Education (a partnership with the United Negro College Fund), and Health and Welfare (yep, AIDS and cancer).
There's also a category titled "What we don't support"... among specific others: "veterans organizations"; you see where AA's heart (sic) is.
It's always useful to know where someone sits before they tell you where they stand.
and now this from The Wash Times:
American Airlines is charging troops for their extra baggage, a practice that forces soldiers heading for a war zone in Iraq to try to get reimbursement from the military. One of the country's largest veterans groups is asking the aviation industry to drop the practice immediately.
American, which recently charged two soldiers from Texas $100 and $300 for their extra duffel bags, said it gives the military a break on the cost for excess luggage and that the soldiers who incur the fees are reimbursed.
"... the soldiers don't pay a dime, our waiver of the fees amounts to a discount to the military, not a discount to soldiers," said Tim Wagner, spokesman for American Airlines. "Soldiers should not have to pay a penny of it."
First of all, it's obvious that Little Timmy never spent a day in uniform, but it's also no excuse.
Secondly, he entirely dodged the ethical question and passed the buck to "the military". What these courageous young people will remember is that one of the last Americans they encountered before heading to war demanded cash.
And lastly, Timmy, how 'bout you charge the rest of your customers another 25 cents... oh, and keep the change, ya ratbastards.
Which brings me to a favorite topic... the very sizeable portion of the public which lacks patriotism and love of country; a smaller sub-group hates the country and our military.
Well why not... millions of citizens were given the aid and comfort to do so by President Bill "I loathe the military" Clinton.
The former group is comprised of the lazy, the self-involved and those who neither feel or show gratitude whatsoever for those who made their freedom possible. 
The later group is hardcore in its dedication to transforming our country into some socialist experiment unrecognizable as America.
Chicken or egg, one group could not exist without the other.
Indifference, a soft, comfortable life, and the all-volunteer military has allowed most Americans (and I believe the number is well over 51%) to shirk all responsibility to the nation. (Above photos courtesy of American Thinker.)
Whenever I encounter a young person 17 or older I always ask, "Have you considered joining the military?" I do this knowing that most will say "no", but what I'm after is why do so many of them react to the question with the same incredulity they'd exhibit if I'd asked them to give up their cells phones and iPods.
Faithful LM31 readers know of our Medal of Honor Host City Program... the simple mission of which is to honor those who wear the nation's highest award for valor, and to make sure young people here have a chance to meet them and be inspired by their patriotic message.
After one such talk which featured the inspiring remarks of five Recipients, I asked a couple of male high school students--juniors or seniors--my question.
One, lacking even the ability to fashion an answer to an adult's question, just mumbled; the other said, "I'm not joinin' any army."
"Well, then why not enlist in the Marine Corps?"
"They're all the same," he said walking quickly away.
How did we come to this?
Easy... parents, schools, and popular "culture".
Not since the Revolution have so few given so much for so many.... ingrates.
How is it that in the greatest, richest, most tolerant, most advanced country in the world which welcomes all.... most of those who benefit will not encourage, support, or respect the military, let alone serve?
Our patriotic high water marks were WWII with perhaps WWI a distant second.
These are the only times in the pathetic history of our "domestic front" that our troops could feel the nation united behind them.
What about the other 226 years?
There has been only one time in my 60 years that the country rose as one... for the NASA space program which put us on the moon.
Yet during the same period, the military, even young, handicapped veterans, were under siege, disrespected, ignored and ridiculed... by their fellow citizens.
Thus far we've always had just enough to survive.
Enough motivated young men and women willing to die for their nation.
Enough political will not to become France.
Enough common sense to see the nexus between vigilance and freedom.
Enough technical, scientific and manufacturing capabilities to make sure the fight, when it comes, is fought on someone else's shore.
And the average American, if such a category still exists, doesn't spend 10 minutes a year doing anything even mildly patriotic or supportive of our troops.
I'm increasingly skeptical that we'll have "enough" from here on.
"We started receiving heavy fire on our approach [into the emergency LZ]. I [Crandall] notified Big Ed and he calmly came back with: 'Roger. What do you want me to do about it, Snake? I kind of thought this might happen.'" -- p 109 "Were Were Soldiers Once... and Young."
Recent Comments