A symbol of freedom and a symbol of the cost of freedom
Assuming all 1,664 men Missing In Action from the Viet Nam War are dead, it is still of paramount importance to fly this black flag as a reminder that--all these years later--their final outcomes are still unknown.
Yesterday the town put up a new, larger POW/MIA flag to fly in tandem with the larger US flag purchased last year and originally scheduled to fly only on ceremonial occasions, but now flying daily...as it should.
Wow, to what do we owe this rare display of respect and patriotism?
ReplyDeleteJust another example of the change in command both at Select Board (Stephanie O'Keeffe as Chair verses Anne Awad and then Gerry Weiss, who was cut from the same less than patriotic cloth); and Town Manager John Musante who, unlike Larry Shaffer, does not feel it necessary to tax the Boy Scouts selling Christmas Trees or "take over" a July 4 Parade so anti-war zealots can have their say.
ReplyDeleteAt last count, there are still 73,681 MIA from WWII. Why are the 1,664 from Vietnam "of paramount importance?" That's pure myopic nonsense. Time to get over Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteOh, I have. Easy for me to say, since I was too young to be drafted.
ReplyDeleteThe POW/MIA flag was designed specifically with Vietnam in mind, and my great fear (besides becoming a born-again Democrat) is that one or two of those 1,664 soldiers could be still alive.
Not a chance in hell any of those 73,681 WW11 vets are still alive.
Either way, by remembering those MIA from 'Nam we remember ALL those who are still missing from ANY war.
The whole MIA thing is over 1,664 men?!? Good lord!
ReplyDeleteIt is generally accepted in certain quarters that Truman knowingly sacrificed more than that to Stalin in the close of WW-II -- ever notice how now US POWs were ever released from the areas that were "liberated" by the Red Army?
You probably would not say that if one of those 1,664 men were a spouse, friend, or family member.
ReplyDelete"Versus" which means 'opposed to' another.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, are you sure Weiss and Awad are less patriotic, or more liberal-minded?
The former.
ReplyDeleteLarry said:
ReplyDelete"Easy for me to say, since I was too young to be drafted"
An alert reader replied...
Actually, your draft lottery was held on March 20, 1974. Your draft number was 303 --you simply lucked out!
http://www.sss.gov/LOTTER6.HTM
In any case, don't patriots enlist before being drafted?
See you at the pool!
Alert Reader
"no new draft orders were issued after 1972."
ReplyDeleteTry to stay alert!
Don't you think it's a bit presumptious of you Larry to be opining on the patriotism of others? How do you know they are Weiss and Awad are more or less patriotic then others? Where is the patriotism meter? It's the old saw that if you are more liberal or progressive that automatically means you are less patriotic. I just don't buy that.
ReplyDeleteBecause you were not paying attention.
ReplyDeleteSo you could have enlisted and gone to Vietnam but like many others you stayed away. Why is that Kelley, ye of the over indulgence in patriotism? Many liberals I know would describe a pro war person who avoids actually being in a war as a chicken hawk.
ReplyDeleteYou a chicken hawk, Kelley? And if not, why didn't you go to Vietnam?
Oh sure, go on and call me ignorant for not putting my name here, but at least I'm not constantly supporting the American war machine to go kill people around the world, and then being too big of a pussy to join up.
Semper Fi, big boy!
No, actually I could not have enlisted and gone to Vietnam as The Paris Peace Accords--which ended our involvement--were signed about a week before my 18th birthday.
ReplyDeleteAnd you sir, are "too big a pussy" to leave your name.
But I think I know who you are.
ReplyDelete