NO RESPECT
After sixty years,
after fifty-five years,
after thirty-five years, and
after the times of other wars fought by
young and willing men, the truth is; those
younger have no respect for
those who laid it on the line and
lost life, lost health, lost time to live .
It has been thus since man first went forth to
battle for the principles and sovereignty of
nations which had nourished them to manhood.
The young of every generation believe they could
have done it better, could have avoided the war,
could have molded a better peace, could have
brought about perpetual peace.
And, by the time each generation finds that its
ignorance and inexperience are so badly flawed, the
up and coming next bunch of young know-it-alls is
telling them how dumb, how foolish, and
how utterly archaic are their beliefs and actions.
So, are we of World War Two, of the Korean Conflict,
the morass of Viet Nam, and the others, still foolish and
dumb to expect respect from those who have not
come that far, and who are not prepared to offer respect?
Is it not better to keep holding our heads high, keep smiling
kindly when ignored or rebuffed, keep saluting
our flag and caring for our veterans as
well as a younger and unappreciative Congress will allow?
Sadly, history and human nature tell us the situation is nothing
less than normal, but by God, and by all that's fair, we cannot
give up the fight to earn recognition for our military service, to
work for and speak out at all times on actions that might
close the gap in understanding and brotherhood between
the young and the old. As a dwindling minority, we must
remember that military service results from
the need and necessity of defending
what older ones hold dear, and the rights of
younger ones to disagree, and if they must, to disrespect.