Memorial Day

In armed defense of the United States of America, more than 1,343,812 of our citizens have died.

In armed defense of the United States of America, more than 1,529,230 of our citizens suffered wounds but survived carrying those physical scars for the rest of their lives.

In the history of the United States of America, approximately 30,000,000 citizens have taken the oath to defend under arms this Nation and its Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.

Today, approximately 2,200,000 citizens are serving on active or reserve duty in armed defense of this Nation and its Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic

Today, approximately 23,500,000 military veterans are alive with intensive training in the use of arms and who continue to honor their oath to defend this Nation and its Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. I am one of them.

We veterans have all returned to the status of “civilian” but we have not forgotten who we are; what we have done; and the Rights for which we have fought. One of those is the Right of armed self defense.

Nearly 3 million of our forefathers and Brothers-In-Arms have suffered death or wounds in defense of our Unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. I can think of no greater way to dishonor their memory and their sacrifice than to allow any of those Rights to be violated by domestic criminals in the name of cowardice or political correctness.

As we have defended our Nation under arms, so shall we defend ourselves.

Semper Fi,

in public. I don't think that is -- or should be -- what Memorial Day is about.

Semper Fi, Brother! Thank you!!!

My son is now stationed in Afghanistan. US Army, Specialist, Field Medic/EMT
He makes this old Mud Marine Proud.


Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

Please tell him I said "Thank you for your sevice."

Semper Fi,

combat tours in the late 60's, and I have never found the need to own or carry a gun since. I took the same oath as all other military members, but I don't recall anything in there about packing heat as a civilian in the US.

If I were so inclined, I could buy a gun and exercise my 2A rights, but I choose not to. See, I fought for the right of choice as well, and the last I heard no one has told me that I can't own or use a gun for self-defense. I not only choose not to own a gun, I also choose not to knowingly place myself around people who feel that they need to carry a gun (legally, or not) in public for self-defense.

I also choose not to attend potentially violent public protests (right of assembly), or make loud, degrading comments in public about other races or religions (right of free speech). I know that I have these rights, and would fight for them again if necessary, but I choose not to exercise them to their full extent just "because I can."

Memorial Day is about honoring those who have given their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms to discuss these issues in public. Using the occasion as a tool to deride those who don't agree with your position is disingenuous. We are not all "cowards," nor did we come about our views from a "politically correct" standpoint.

And you are absolutely correct. You are free to make your choices. No one has the right to question them. I certainly do not question or denigrate them here or in my OP. Conversely, I have made my choices and I will take strong exception to anyone that questions or denigrates them.

Semper Fi,

respond to posts in the gungeon, but your insinuation that those who disagree with your positions about public carry are "cowards," or are attempting to be "politically correct," was indeed meant to denigrate and belittle other opinions.

I take strong exception to your use of a day of remembrance in order to push a political agenda. Those of us who have served (including you) know more than anyone else the true meaning of Memorial Day, and it is not the proper occasion to denigrate those who disagree about public carry by calling them cowards. If that was not your intent, then I apologize for reading more into your words than you meant to say.

I do not celebrate Memorial Day, but I solemnly observe it and remember all of my buddies who were not as lucky as me, and came home in a box.

take care.

Did you not fight to defend the Constitution including our 1st Amendment rights to question even you and your choices. Many of us choose to defend the right to question anyone's choices. Deal with it and don't use the sacrifice of those who died in combat to support your personal choices, because in doing so you denigrate them.

May you serve as an example of what America is truly about.

I wouldn't exactly say all those soldiers who unnecessarily died during WWI, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, or the current Iraq war were in "defense" of this country. Very few wars this country has engaged in have been truly necessary, or even honorable.

If we were truly concerned solely with national defense, we'd abolish the standing army and issue every civilian household an assault rifle like Switzerland, who I might add has not been invaded by a foreign military power in quite some time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ufkwTM82e4

But I would take offense to your insinuation that the lives of soldiers were lost without honor. You seem to have a very poor grasp of what "defense" of this country truly means. Fortunately, members of the Armed Forces do understand and perform their duties regardless of what a small minority think.

Indeed, its not the individual soldier's fault their leaders keep sending them into harm's way for no good reason. All soldiers die honorably, even if the war itself was less than necessary.

I just think a better case can be made for "national defense" if we quit butting into other countries' business and minded our own borders for a change.

I appreciate your service, as always.

in no way denigrates the honor of the soldiers who have died. We all know they died serving their country and obeying orders and protecting each other, but in no way defending the US, as was the case in Vietnam and Korea and Grenada and Panama and Iraq. The soldiers who died in all of those foolhardy excursions were victims of the politicians who shamelessly sent them to their deaths. The same self serving politicians who are never held accountable.

Some die doing VERY dishonorable things.

That aside, your response reeks of 'concern'.

While I'm not so sure WWII would have been necessary if not for the harsh conditions imposed upon Germany after WWI -- conditions that were a direct cause of fostering the Nazis into power -- Germany did declare war on us, and Japan did attack us first. So in a sense, that was a "defensive" war.

I just think in this post Cold War era with so many countries armed with nuclear weapons (which is a huge deterrent to any full-scale invasions of those countries' sovereignty) the necessity of keeping a standing army "in case another Hitler or Tojo arises" and starts busting out invading and conquering neighboring countries, isn't nearly as apparent as it once was.

But not today.

<< http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wdvile.htm >> a friend. :patriot: