WTF???
Had an interesting morning. I have been talking to my father about his work in Crawford Texas; he works for the Crawford Police Dept providing security for the Presidential Press Core. Since G-dub has been down there, buss loads of protesters have been arriving to protest the war. Now keep in mind that my father is a veteran of Vietnam and is a very patriotic person. A few days ago he was confronted by a 15yr veteran of the Army who called my father a fat fucking Fascist. Then he advised my father that there was no way my father could be a vet and stop him from speaking to the press. He did this because my father would not allow him access to the press core area. My understanding of the situation is my father had infringed on his civil rights so therefore my father was a fascist. WTF?? Doesn’t he know that my father sacrificed part of his life to allow this man to exercise those rights?
Then this morning I had gone to the grocery store to get some smokes and was confronted with the same situation. I was at the checkout and had to provide id for age verification. Without thinking I pulled out my military ID and hear “Oh Great" behind me. Some woman and a man were standing behind me with disgusted looks on their faces like I had just crawled out of a dumpster somewhere and had asked them for money. They looked normal except they were wearing T-shirts that said "ELF Bush sucks and so does his military, stop the war in IRAQ". The amusing thing was they were both wearing small yellow ribbons on the same shirt. I remained silent and completed my purchase and walked out. As I was leaving the woman said "Another baby killer...pig". Now keep in mind I am a very composed individual and the last thing I need to do is start a confrontation here so I continue on my way. This apparently pissed off her male companion who said "Hey prick, the lady is talking to you". So I stop and turn to them, as I do the lady spits in my face. She actually spits on me. Now there are two things I can do here.
1. I can keep my military bearing and walk away.
2. I can respond.
I chose number 2 and wiped the offending spit from my eye. Then responded...I advised them that if they pulled there asses from in front of the TV and joined the military that they would understand we were not baby killers and pigs but ordinary people like themselves who CHOSE to join the military. We allow them to keep the rights that allow them to call me names and spit on me. I advised them that i harbored no ill will toward them because of their ignorance and if they truly wanted the troops to come home that they would give us (military) the respect I deserved. Then I pointed out that if they felt the way they did about the military they need to remove the yellow ribbons from their shirt because they truly didn’t want the troops to come home. Nuf said. I did an about face and proceeded by most direct means to the nearest exit. As I was leaving I heard the most unusual thing.....applause. The cashier and other customers were actually clapping.
I’m not sure what else happened in the store because I went to my truck, got in and closed the door and wept. What have I done to make people act the way they do. If I had been a regular civilian I would have mopped the floor with both their asses right there. But I have an image to up hold.
For everyone out there, I am a SSgt in the United States Air Force. I chose to defend your country and your rights. I do this as my father and his father and his father before him did. I have been to Desert Storm, Operation Northern Watch and Kosovo. I have seen things that keep me awake some nights and have nightmare that have me sitting in my bed in a cold sweat. I did all of this for you. Not for myself but for you and our country. I want no acclaim or reward. I just want one thing
Your respect.