   Memorial Day
  Today is memorial day in America. Its a federal holiday which means different things for different people. For some people, its a free day off work or school. For other people, its a day to remember and honor the military service members who've died in service to their country. Its a day of solemn rememberance with a bit of sadness and gratitude for the men and women who paid an expensive price for maintaining freedom at the request of our country. Beginning in 1776, Americans stepped up to answer the call of duty to fight in numerous wars, fighting at home and around the world against tyranny, oppression, human rights, communism, terrorism and fascism to preserve our values of freedom, human dignity and equality for all.Most of the dead are young men and women who had entire lifetimes to live out but where ended by the muskets, swords, bombards, cannons, mortars, machine guns, poisonous gases, tanks, mines, fires, torpedoes, bombs, artillery shells, missles, rockets, mortars and human stupidity. The dead left behind mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, wives, fiances, brothers, sisters, friends and relatives. One of the worst fears of a service member is to die and be forgotten.I remember in February 2004 I arrived with the US Marines in Fallujah. We were replacing the 82nd Airborne and it was two weeks before they were about to leave. Iraqi insurgents would shoot mortars and rockets at our camp every evening from Fallujah or the southern highway as they drove by in pickup trucks. One evening, two soldiers from the 82nd Airborne were talking to their families on satelite phones right outside the doors of Fallujah Surgical when a 122mm rocket impacted less then 5 meters away, killing them both instantly. American service members aren't the only people who die for causes they believe to be noble, Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army recruits have been targetted as well as journalists, British, Austrailians, Italians, Spanish, South Koreans, Japanese, and the other numerous people too numerous to mention.Memorial day shouldn't be a day of black and white differences between people who've died and who are still alive. People going to war will undoubtedly make irreplacable sacrifices such as time with their families, watching their children being born, weddings, losing a limb(s), or losing their life. The one thing I look on with disgust is how american corporations and companies will devalue and exploit our memorial day out of concern for their bottom line: "People are home today! Lets have a big blow-out sale in our store!". The last thing on their mind is paying respects to the dead service members. :(   
Quote:Original post by slayeminThe one thing I look on with disgust is how american corporations and companies will devalue and exploit our memorial day out of concern for their bottom line: "People are home today! Lets have a big blow-out sale in our store!". The last thing on their mind is paying respects to the dead service members. :(I know how you feel, but this is just one more of those freedoms these soldiers have died for: the freedom to make a buck being an ass.shmoove   ;Quote:I know how you feel, but this is just one more of those freedoms these soldiers have died for: the freedom to make a buck being an ass.shmooveYep, they have the freedom to do whatever they want. It's a free country. Today is one of those days when we should look introspectively at WHY we have the freedoms that we have. Everyone has the freedom to nearly do and think whatever they want, and I have the same freedom to call them idiots and disagree with them.I'm all about freedoms and keeping the governments hands tied when it comes to putting limitations on people's freedoms. I heard on the news today that some religious organization was staging a protest outside of Arlington cemetery, claiming that the US losses in Iraq is god's retaliation at the government for tolerating homosexuality. I don't know about you, but that's one of the most outrageous and ludicrous claims I've heard and it pisses me off to see such stupidity. I wonder how far the first amendment freedoms extend, since people can sue you for "libel" and "slander". I wonder what would happen if people started drawing more caricatures of muhammed to incite a reaction? Would it be acceptable? If the answer is "No", then could you claim that its unacceptable for this religious organization to protest and preach intolerance in front of the Arlington Cemetery?   ;Quote:Originally posted by slayeminfighting at home and around the world against tyranny, oppression, human rights[lol]   ;Quote:Original post by aidan_walshQuote:Originally posted by slayeminfighting at home and around the world against tyranny, oppression, human rights[lol]I didn't even notice that at first. [grin]   ;Quote:Original post by slayeminI heard on the news today that some religious organization was staging a protest outside of Arlington cemetery, claiming that the US losses in Iraq is god's retaliation at the government for tolerating homosexuality. I don't know about you, but that's one of the most outrageous and ludicrous claims I've heard and it pisses me off to see such stupidity. I wonder how far the first amendment freedoms extend, since people can sue you for "libel" and "slander".As of today, that freedom doesn't extend as far as it used to: Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act.shmoove   ;  So, you have a problem with people making a quick buck, but not the Indy 500?   ;Quote:Original post by slayeminToday is memorial day in America. Its a federal holiday which means different things for different people. For some people, its a free day off work or school. For other people, its a day to remember and honor the military service members who've died in service to their country.You suggest that the two groups of people are mutually exclusive. Interesting.Quote:The one thing I look on with disgust is how american corporations and companies will devalue and exploit our memorial day out of concern for their bottom line: "People are home today! Lets have a big blow-out sale in our store!". The last thing on their mind is paying respects to the dead service members. :(Do you feel the same way about sales on other federal holidays? New Year's Day? Martin Luther King Jr Day? Labor Day? Columbus Day? Thanksgiving Day?Kindly get your ass off your high horse. You fight - you volunteered to fight - so that the rest of us can go on buying stuff we don't really need. Nowhere in your contract was there an agreement that the rest of us would pause to fellate you once a year. That's Freedom, bitch.Your presupposition that a person can't observe Memorial Day with solemnity and stop by the store to pick up something - for a family member, for the kids, for themselves - at discount prices is self-righteous without merit. Your presupposition that all "true" Americans would shun such commercialization of an auspicious occasion is both false and ignorant of the opportunistic, self-made ethos that characterizes American ingenuity, innovation and resourcefulness.Now excuse me. I need to get to Macy's before it closes so I can look fresh for this evening's barbecue.   ;  I have to take my girlfriend to the Victoria's Secret sale since she's staying here for a week. Freedom is underwear.   ;Quote:Original post by OluseyiQuote:Original post by slayeminToday is memorial day in America. Its a federal holiday which means different things for different people. For some people, its a free day off work or school. For other people, its a day to remember and honor the military service members who've died in service to their country.You suggest that the two groups of people are mutually exclusive. Interesting.Quote:The one thing I look on with disgust is how american corporations and companies will devalue and exploit our memorial day out of concern for their bottom line: "People are home today! Lets have a big blow-out sale in our store!". The last thing on their mind is paying respects to the dead service members. :(Do you feel the same way about sales on other federal holidays? New Year's Day? Martin Luther King Jr Day? Labor Day? Columbus Day? Thanksgiving Day?Kindly get your ass off your high horse. You fight - you volunteered to fight - so that the rest of us can go on buying stuff we don't really need. Nowhere in your contract was there an agreement that the rest of us would pause to fellate you once a year. That's Freedom, bitch.Your presupposition that a person can't observe Memorial Day with solemnity and stop by the store to pick up something - for a family member, for the kids, for themselves - at discount prices is self-righteous without merit. Your presupposition that all "true" Americans would shun such commercialization of an auspicious occasion is both false and ignorant of the opportunistic, self-made ethos that characterizes American ingenuity, innovation and resourcefulness.Now excuse me. I need to get to Macy's before it closes so I can look fresh for this evening's barbecue.Wow.  It's been a while since I've seen Oluseyi go off on someone like that!  You go, man!