Words and pictures from the author of And the Crows Took Their Eyes as well as the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries . . .
Friday, November 11, 2022
Veterans Day
A hats off to all who've served our country in the Armed Forces. May our country do better by the many who are homeless and/or suffering from disabilities incurred during their service.
An interview last night on the news, with some military leader (sorry I did't think I'd be quoting him so didn't pay attentionn to his name.) He said he'd lost more of his troops after they served to suicide and addiction to drugs than during their combat time. What is wrong with this picture!
This country has forsaken Vietnam War veterans. Veterans of the Middle East wars seem to regarded as a little crazy and potentially dangerous because of the widespread PTSD, but Vietnam vets are simply forgotten.
Those who have the power to do something about this have never served in combat, or were too high up the chain of command to experience combat or its immediate aftermath. They are armchair soldiers who at most have played war games with tin soldiers (or its slightly more realistic modern equivalent, first person shooter combat) and know, just know, that they wouldn't be so weak, that they would never suffer PTSD. Whether or not they hold the victims in contempt, they do not understand the problem. Or they do not care to understand. Especially if they also hold the truly evil opinion that, if those who are poor, on the streets, suffering, addicted ... that if those who live in misery were truly worthy, their deity would have given them strength and, above all, wealth. Why, then, the empowered think (if they even bother to think), waste the good money of those who earned it on the worthless weak?
And here I stop lest I fall into invective unsuitable for this locus amoenus you have created for us here, Vicki. I think I'm going to wander off now and fix myself a soothing cup of hot chocolate.
3 comments:
An interview last night on the news, with some military leader (sorry I did't think I'd be quoting him so didn't pay attentionn to his name.) He said he'd lost more of his troops after they served to suicide and addiction to drugs than during their combat time. What is wrong with this picture!
This country has forsaken Vietnam War veterans. Veterans of the Middle East wars seem to regarded as a little crazy and potentially dangerous because of the widespread PTSD, but Vietnam vets are simply forgotten.
Those who have the power to do something about this have never served in combat, or were too high up the chain of command to experience combat or its immediate aftermath. They are armchair soldiers who at most have played war games with tin soldiers (or its slightly more realistic modern equivalent, first person shooter combat) and know, just know, that they wouldn't be so weak, that they would never suffer PTSD. Whether or not they hold the victims in contempt, they do not understand the problem. Or they do not care to understand. Especially if they also hold the truly evil opinion that, if those who are poor, on the streets, suffering, addicted ... that if those who live in misery were truly worthy, their deity would have given them strength and, above all, wealth. Why, then, the empowered think (if they even bother to think), waste the good money of those who earned it on the worthless weak?
And here I stop lest I fall into invective unsuitable for this locus amoenus you have created for us here, Vicki. I think I'm going to wander off now and fix myself a soothing cup of hot chocolate.
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