How Do We Treat Our Veterans?
Early this morning, unable to sleep, I watched this video broadcast on our local community television. Aaron Glantz is the author of How America Lost Iraq (2005), and the subject of this talk is his latest book, The War Comes Home: Washington's Battle Against America's Veterans (2009). This lecture was sponsored by the Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion and Public Life at the University of Califiornia, Santa Barbara. Please view the podcast, but in any case, consider the book absolutely essential reading, part of one's myriad civic obligations.
posted by Patrick S. O'Donnell at 8:43 AM
1 Comments:
We treat them pretty well, I believe: at least in CA they receive many perqs--perhaps too many (as with hiring preferences). We also forget an important distinction between Vets: the conscript vs the enlistee. I might salute the WWII, Korea, or 'Nam vet who answered to his draft card (though not to say I salute the brass/LBJ admin.). I don't salute the gung ho enlistee. That holds for the Gulf war/IWE mercenaries as well.
There are good reasons to support a kinder, gentler draft, and making sure that frat-boys are represented along with the po' folk.
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