April 01, 2025, 09:55 AM
sigfreundWhat I do think about from time to time, though, is how past conflicts are generally viewed. Although there are individual exceptions, the vast majority of people have no understanding what our wars involved, and much less why they were fought. I even recall reading an opinion complaining about the “endless” wars the US has been involved in as stating they were all wars that we started. I tell people that I’m never “stunned” by anything, no matter how outrageous, but that comment came close.
Ironically in some ways, the Vietnam War enjoys (I guess that’s the word) greater awareness by the public than other conflicts, probably because of the common myth that it was more intense and brutal, not to mention wicked and immoral, than anything else the US has been involved in.
Partially as an experiment to judge current social attitudes toward the question, when I had to buy a new car, and after considerable thought, I decided to get the “Vietnam Veteran” plates that Colorado offers. If I hadn’t already managed to put a big dent in the car body I might have hesitated for fear of garnering a bunch of Tesla Tattoos, but if that happens I suppose I’ll learn something. But it’s probably best that I have no reason to go to Boulder these days (
- sort of).Thanks again and all the best to my fellow military veterans of any conflict, including the current battle for the Nation’s soul. Some time ago a commentator blamed the inability of our armed forces to recruit new members as being due to cultural rot. At the time I expressed my agreement, but based on what I see has reportedly happened with recruitment since President Trump’s election, I’ll admit that I was at least partially wrong.