Friday is Veterans Day, one of the score of “fly your flag” dates recommended in law.
Are you ready? Here’s this year’s poster, from the Veterans Administration (click to get a link for a high resolution version):
Veterans Day poster for 2011 - Veterans Administration; click image to go to VA site for high resolution version to print
Get your flag out, ready to fly. Check your local newspaper for times of your local Veterans Day Parades. Take a look at the VA’s video on the day, below, and make plans to help a vet throughout the year.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
Jim
:)
Rugged, tough, smart and strong – yep.
Nah.
John Galt is fiction.
And there are many, many, many Black Flags – I am not the only one.
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Nick,
Not Flag. He is a pure, rugged individual. I bet there’s no one tougher, smarter, stronger or more prepared for anything.
Who is John Galt?
Black Flag is John Galt!
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James,
As your thinking is violently skewed, let me help you.
IF the devil absconds with the entirety of a service that you require, it is no sin to avail one’s self of that service.
It is a sin to claim the devil’s theft of the service is a “good” thing.
You need not commit suicide simply because you are surrounded by evil.
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James
And, you still can’t answer a simple question on principles.
You are the hypocrite.
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And yet somehow I suspect that if BF’s house started on fire or someone stole his car, BF would call the firemen or the cops…
As I said before, BF, you’re nothing but a mealymouthed hypocrite. All bark and no bite.
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Jim
You must be, since the simplest of questions on your principles are beyond your ability to answer.
The rest of your rant is a repeat of your past argument:
You fear free men, thus …. “Only tyrants can be compassionate”
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Yes, Flag…I am positively shivering with discomfort. My whole world view may just have to change since you have so compellingly argued that…
*People should be allowed to die or be tortured in concentration camps. Cause it will eventually get better some day.
*Children should not be protected from dangerous machinery or chemicals in factories or sweat shops.
*Those who can afford to buy the protection of armed security guards deserve it. Those who cannot do not deserve a police force, 9-1-1 or other emergency services and can, therefore, root, hog or die.
You are a dumb, Flag. At least I sincerely hope and pray so. Because if you are not a dumb, then you truly are a sociopath. I don’t care if you want to beat off while pretending to be John Galt. If that’s your kink, then more power to you.
But must you be so exhibitionist about it? Ah, well. You know what some shrinks say about exhibitionists. They only go down that road when their private kink just isn’t enough for them any longer.
If Rand had been as prescient and creatively industrious as her acolytes claim, you’d think she’d have established a chain of peep shows for those of your ilk. There’s money to be made, Flag.
Go for it!
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Jim
My presence here exposes your crackpot ideas and that does make you uncomfortable.
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Ed offers, You’ve got your own blog. Go fester there.
No one reads it.
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Ed,
You are definitely bizarre.
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Seriously, BF: Stop being a penis.
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Ed,
Where?
All she inferred was her pride in him being a veteran by specifically mentioning it as an item.
Are you making things up again, Ed?
It is always possible.
No, thanks, I won’t.
What honor is there in killing innocent people… just because it has been ordained by the Government makes it honorable?
Most veterans are ignorant of the choice they made – and the consequences.
It is a duty of those that are not ignorant of the consequences of killing for the State to speak up, so to end such killings.
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No doubt there are — and Ellie stated them. In your misanthropic, crabbed view of only a tiny part of reality, BF, you missed it.
But that’s it. Take your “I’ll piss on any honorable action” and “Piss on all veterans” attitude elsewhere. Censor yourself, as a duty to yourself, eh?
You’ve got your own blog. Go fester there.
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“We are the dead; short days ago….
We lived in rat infested trenches;
the stench of death,
the thousands of rotting corpses before us,
all under the glow of artillery shells and screams of the dying.
We were killed by men who did not hate us,
because they would have been killed by us, who did not hate them.
And together us and our enemies now we lie in dirt
because our Masters lied….
….in Flanders fields.”
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Ellie,
So the only reason you honor your father is because he earned a living in an organization whose primary purpose is mass death and destruction?
I would think there are better things to honor your father about…..
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As the daughter of a veteran, BF, my response to your sophomoric blather is….Bite me.
I’ll let others with stronger stomachs read you, should they care to.
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Over 21 million people died because a Great State, run by lifetime politicians, wished to use political violence on a few men seeking political office by using political violence to create another State out of the Greater State.
It the end, neither the politicians of the Great State or the politicians wanting the new State got what they wanted.
Then 35-45 million more people died because a new State that no one wanted or needed wanted to pretend they were a Great State.
Then 45 million more people died because another politician wanted his Great State to reclaim pieces of its old State from other politicians who created new States that no one wanted, that, in the end, resulted in different States, expansion of Bad Great States, another 40-50 million more dead by those needing to reorganize their new States in a vision of their own insanity – all of which, no one wanted.
Can you possibly think of a dumber, insane, irrational reason for 300 million people die?
And you want to honor this…..?
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“We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.”
Remembering…
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Rorrim
.
No, it was not – and that is a fact.
However, these “very people” are the ones that risk destroying such rights.
And so is every date this century unique and never to be repeated in your life time.
None of them gave their lives for me.
Killing and dying for politician’s purposes is no benefit for mankind.
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Thanks for your reply to my comment Ed and I do appreciate it.
I posted a “follow-up” blog about the American War Cemematry near to where I live. This was done when I saw that the following video clip shows the American War Memorial in Brookwood Cemetary, near to where I live.
http://rorrimsl.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/american-war-cemetaries-in-europe
On a different note.
This “person” who goes by the name of Black Flag seems to forget that their very right to freedom of speech and expression was won by the very people he derides. As for the date I mentioned it IS a unique date never to be repeated in our lifetime.
He can thank the people who gave their lives for him to express himself with such disdain for their sacrifice, and no doubt this person will mock this response as well.
As for unique dates his response may be correct to his way of thinking and I for one know of a unique date that you celebrate in the USA. I won’t stoop to this persons level by doing so, anyway I’ve got relatives in the USA and we have a great rapport and I’ve often said to them about Independance Day being a unique day for them, even though I’m British.
Respect is earnt and not given Black Flag.
Remember that tomorrow on 11-11-11 at 11am!
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James
It wouldn’t have been “World” War 2, if the US didn’t fight it.
It would have been “The Latest European War, just like the last European War, and the sames as the one before that”
USSR was a decrepit, depleted, poorly trained mass of humanity.
It couldn’t have “rolled over” Europe – it was beaten by tiny Finland for heaven sakes – its only saving grace was the Russians could sustain the 10 to 1 losses ….. so Finland more or less had to cede the land by demand of the Russians.
Ya think the rest of Europe coulda done a bit better than Finland, on top of that?
What “somehow”?
Russia barely could keep its own territory under rule …
heck, Stalin had to wait to the last day of the war to attack Japan – even though Japan had been thoroughly exhausted at least 12 months earlier….
….but you think it could sail 3,000 miles of ocean and invade the US – a nation that put more ships in the water every month then the total number of ships Japan produced for the entire war….who produced more tanks and planes than all other nations combined???? “….gun behind every blade of grass…..”
Stalin was not nearly that stupid.
Almost all the time, no, you don’t – war is merely one politician enforcing himself on another politician. For the people, nothing much really changes for the most part.
I was watching a home video of some Germans visiting Paris after the fall of France.
Cars drove down the street.
People went to and fro.
Ladies dressed up in their fancy hats and clothes and ate at outdoor restaurants…
You’d be hard pressed to know they just lost a war.
Yes, there are rare times when genocide follows – but that is very, very rare, for that is not the normal reason for a war.
The last time an American family and its freedom was under direct threat was the War between the States – and in my opinion, freedom did not win.
You should honor your godson – whether or not he went to Iraq, or did/did not join the military.
Why would you wait until he is in another country with his gun pointed at some one who lives there, threatening their families, burning down their homes, killing those he does not know, nor who have never ever done him harm … before you honor him.
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Black writes:
These men were incredibly brave – however, bravery in support of “wrong” does not make a wrong a right.
So…we shouldn’t have fought World War 2? If the Soviet Union had tried steamrolling Europe or somehow invaded or attacked the United States we shouldn’t have fought back?
Yes, Black, sometimes you have to fight a war. One should make sure you’re fighting for the right reasons: i.e. to defend but even as much as I hate guns I’d have no problem in taking out anyone who was threatening my family or my country.
And as much as I disagree with the Iraq war I will honor my godson for his three tours serving his country.
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Hi there Dale Husband!
Be proud of and grateful for your grandfather. May light perpetual shine upon him and all Allied vets!
Jim
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Thanks, Ro — I haven’t had a chance to look around to see much of what anyone else is doing. I try to get a post or two up for major “flag fly” dates in the U.S., and this is one.
If you browse around Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub, there are several posts on Veterans Day going back about four years — and more posts on World War I, and veterans.
Thanks for dropping by!
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[…] actually a short blog I made that’ll take you to the original blog posted here on WordPress ( Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub ) I’m posting this so any Americans who are reading this can take a look and any information […]
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Ed,
So, for you then, the bravery of the German soldiers made “right” their cause.
Beyond any question, Japanese soldiers were incredibly brave, therefore their cause was just.
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Pang
Nah… it does not.
The incredible slaughter of WW1 – arguably the worst war in human history to that time – did nothing to forestall WW2, the worst war in history to today.
Old wars are used to start new wars.
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(11-11-11-11) This will never be repeated again this century.
True, and neither will any other date….
It is funny how people think a particular series of numbers is more meaningful then another series of numbers….
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Dale
I am referring to nearly every war in history.
War is the health of the State –
…..the people don’t want war.
Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece.
Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood.
But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.
…. the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
That is easy.
All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.
I smirk at those that claim “they fought for freedom” and then turn right around and denounce those that apply their own freedom and intelligence to explain that, in fact, they did not fight for my freedom at all.
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As long as we cheer those who make war, war will always be with us.
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The arrogant @$$hole Black Flag had the gall to say:
As long as we glorify war, war will be glorified.
These men were incredibly brave – however, bravery in support of “wrong” does not make a wrong a right.
What is he referring to? The recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Well, my grandpa Lee L. Lawrence fought in the Pacific Theater during World War II as a U S Navy man on a destroyer, and I will honor HIS memory (he died on August 31, 2001) by spitting in the face of contemptible ppl like Black Flag! Oppose a war all you want, but do NOT attack those who fought honorably in any war, even if you don’t like war in general. That will never be excused by this Honorable Skeptic!
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I found your blog for your Veterans Day using the WordPress tag search as I was actually looking to see if anyone else had blogs on Remembrance Day/Week.
I’d like to add to Pangolin’s comment and say that my boyfriend has seen some of these war cemeteries in France, the size and scale of them is truly incredible and moving.
I’ve put some links here for you so you can hopefully use these to take a look and see if there is anything that may help you if you are searching for information with regards to a particular war cemetary.
These are wikipedia links and are for both the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and also the American Battle Monuments Commission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_War_Graves_Commission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Battle_Monuments_Commission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookwood_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial
(This particular cemetery is actually not that far from where I live and is also close to military bases in nearby Brookwood and Aldershot. I will go there this week and take a look and place a remembrance cross there as a small token of thanks.)
The ABMC lists the cemeteries and also their geolocations and may well be of use to you, more so than the CWGC, which would be helpful for British and Commonwealth users.
I’m adding a blog each day to my blogsite and will be posting the final one this coming Sunday. We hold a National Service live on tv here in the UK, on the BBC, and also at the same time there will be services across the globe in all Commonwealth countries marking this Day of Remembrance at 11am.
This year also sees a truly one off event as the date is, as you no doubt know is unique.
(11-11-11-11) This will never be repeated again this century.
I’m using a few youtube videos, along with links to the Royal British Legion, who work around the year to raise money for their work to help the families and ex-servicemen/women who need it. You no doubt have the same in the USA as well.
There is an upsurge of support for the military here in the UK, and no doubt in the USA for you as well, and what they doing to protect our rights and freedoms, of which both sadly come at a terrible cost for the families concerned.
I don’t know if you wear them but over here as a mark of respect we wear a poppy at this time of year and as the saying goes:
“Wear your poppy with pride”
So this Friday (and Sunday) I personally with stop for two minutes of silent prayer and say a small “thank-you” for those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. I hope the above links help you and your readers. Thanks for posting this blog.
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Bravery is a virtue that cleans many an enterprise. Especially for those veterans of World Wars I and II, it was bravery in support of the right.
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In most of the world it’s still called Remembrance Day and serves as a sobriety check about the costs of war. We in the U.S. don’t see the vast war cemeteries of Europe that house our war dead from WWI and WWII.
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As long as we glorify war, war will be glorified.
These men were incredibly brave – however, bravery in support of “wrong” does not make a wrong a right.
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