Loving our Veterans

This morning during a quick scan of headlines at Rational Review News Daily, one article jumped out at me: Loving our Veterans, by Don Meinshausen. The essay says so many things that I'd tried to write a few years ago, in a piece that I finally gave up on in frustration; the subject felt too anguishing at the time because I found myself mired down in unhappy memories. I once fell in love with a Vietnam veteran... a long story I'll save for another time.

Don's article deserves to be read in its entirety; it seems like a shame to pull quotes from it, but then that's what persuaded me to read it - the opening quote is the one R. Lee Wights used for RRND:

Despite the holidays of Memorial Day and Veteran's Day there is little appreciation for veterans. Oh there may be a few generals and politicians pontificating and maybe a concert but that's usually seen as patriotic blather for the media and the public that believes it. Very few veterans show up.

Of course I am talking about the guys who really paid a big price in a war. The amputee, the horribly disfigured and those who will be in and out of hospitals for the rest of their lives. And then there are those who were so heavily traumatized that they cannot handle the crowds, the rhetoric and the fireworks will not be brought out or would come out for these events. It would be too upsetting for all concerned.

Skipping to the end, I'm going to include the closing quote as well, although again I'd encourage anyone to click the link above and read the entire essay... all that stuff in the middle is too good to miss.

There are many statues of generals and rulers who start and run wars in our parks and military cemeteries, yet few of GIs. There are fewer still of nurses who had their handful of traumatized, wounded men. There should be a statue or some recognition of the V-Girls and prostitutes who have taken care of wounded, traumatized and lonely soldiers and veterans for ages uncounted.

Let's legalize prostitution to help our soldiers and veterans. At least send some porn to your local VA hospital. You do care about veterans, don't you?

Amen...