How's it feel seeing fire set to effigy of American soldier and Flag? Have you lost a loved one serving?

Question

Have you lost a husband, wife, brother, sister, son, grandson, daughter, grandaughter, friend, serving their country? In Oregon yesterday people were burning an effigy of an American Soldier, as well as burining the American Flag. I can't put into words how I felt as I watched. I've lost two dearly loved family memers serving this country that they truely loved. If you saw this on the news or in person, how did this affect you? How did it make you feel?

Answer 1

Here is the thing, and this must be taken in all seriousness. People in Iraq are dieing in direct response to the United States Occupation. People say to blame the republicans, while democrats are also responsible, president, congress, mail men... whatever.

So yeah, people in power are responsible. Without a doubt. However this is like bickering over who demanded the action and not addressing the fact that real people are carrying out the orders. By real people I mean the "troops". Yes, it is terrible that family members are doing these horrible things in the name of freedom. It's been done throughout history by nation-states convincing their people of some righteous cause and driving them to atrocities. Most people can name quite a few instances of this occurring throughout history.

So then we have the problem of the people doing it. When people say they support them but not their actions it is a lie. You cannot support a rapist and condemn the rape. People take action and must be responsible directly for their action, whatever the consequences are is not the point. However as nuremburg pointed out soldiers in a war are in no way excused from this responsibility. So if you believe that the deaths of 100,000+ civilians in Iraq is real legitimate violence, against real feeling human beings, carried out by real thinking humans; then you must necessarily conclude that: In their minds, with their consciences serving them fully, the "troops" (american people with real families) have carried out horrible atrocities against real, innocent, people, with real lives and families of their own. This being the case they must be held accountable for their own actions as self-determined individuals, not as an arm of a machine that is protected by bureaucratic distance. If people continue to accept the actions of agents serving inhuman entities called states, businesses, religions, ect. with no interest in the general well being then there will always be atrocities.

Without soldiers there is no war! And as much as it may turn guts to see symbolic acts defaming the agents that are carrying out the will of these institutions, it is far better than the real acts that those real people in Iraq face from these family members.

So though long winded, my point must rest at this. Question those in power, question the monstrous institutions that bring us war, poverty, hatred and oppression. However do not dismiss their agents as simply misguided. Every person serves their conscience and must accept the consequences of its failing!

Answer 2

Mae, we wouldn't be in this war right now if ALL of congress hadn't voted in favor of it. That includes democrats, republicans, independents, whatnot. The presiden't ability to send soldiers over without congressional approval only lasts so long, and we've been there four years.

And yes, it does make me angry to see the flag burned, or soldier's effigy burned, but I support a person's right to do it.

Answer 3

It breaks my heart to think that over 3000 young men have been sacrificed because the spoiled son of a rich president has been told all his life how important he is and how unimportant the rest of the world is. How the people blindly supported him in his terrible decisions. How so many young men will come home crippled all their life and scared like the young men were in Vietnam because another rich political leader told them it was the right thing to do.
When will the people question those in authority.
When will the religious leaders say enough. Instead of go die for the cause. What is the cause?
Two radical muslims who hate us want to kill each other and we have to sacrifice men to stop them from doing that.
that is what I hate.

Answer 4

Personally, it made me sick. My grandfather served in WWII and my dad was active duty during Vietnam. They signed up to serve this country and if that meant going to war then that was what they would do. I presently have 2 nephews who have both served their time in Iraq as well as a cousin. When they signed up for the armed services they knew what they were getting themselves into. It was their desire to do WHATEVER it took to ensure the freedom of every individual in this country. Even those idiots that were burning effigies of them. Thank God for the brave men and women of this country that desire to serve and protect even those that don't appreciate their sacrifice.

Answer 5

the flag is just a symbol..is there a law that forbids the flag burning? in the US? maybe elsewhere but not here..methinks
i cannot let this tear me down..its stupid to do..but this is America...we do stuff that's dumb but the dumb are protected by the laws.