Bracing for "gratitude" (gesture) substitute for (oral) "Thank you for your service"

[UTUSN]

My Lib view is that patriotism is inward, not external, not material (fabric flag) symbols; practicing and defending rights for self and others rather than pharisaical ritualizing. So, when the thank-you-for-your-service thing started, I sometimes responded, "Oh, it was nothing." Leading to some bickering, like, "Oh, yes it WAS." This would usually be triggered by my wearing of my Vietnam Vet ballcap or such.

Some here kvetched, "Why can't you just say thank-you and move on?" I've done that, too, but my other response is for clearly chickenhawk Rethugs with their own agenda. Repeat, they WERE chickenhawk Rethugs, no time for details here on how-did-you-KNOW.

As for the why-not-just-say-thank-you deal, my answer is the Jon STEWART reply to Fucker CARLSON's asking him to perform jokes inistead of commentary, "I'm not your trained monkey."

A bit trickier is when fellow vets, usually organizational (VFW) ones accost one with, "Welcome home." The first time it happened, I was a little taken aback and said, "I've been home for forty years." He said, "We say that now because they didn't say it then." I said, "Eh, it was my home away from home." As in, I'm at home in the (my) world, wherever *that* is.

Anyway, somebody sent me this latest morphing of things. I'm not crazier over it than the previous words. Seems vaguely Nazi-ish.


http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/shortmovie.php

[rurallib]

1. delete

[UTUSN]

2. Farewell, celebratory self-kick for fastest rock-dropping thread in the entire DU universe. n/t