Anti-war generation watches its children go to war

In Donovan's early years in the National Guard, in the 1960s, the classic generation gap was defined as fathers, many of whom had served in World War II, disgusted at the insolence of youth. Today, military recruiters say, the 18- and 19-year-olds who are signing up are much more trusting of the establishment, much more willing to be part of a team. The gap now, they say, tends to be the parents' lack of understanding of their children's more bellicose leanings.

Occasionally, someone will sneer or make a snide comment about how stupid the military is, he says. "Usually, that's from old people in their 40s and 50s," he says.

"We went in for something to do," he said. "These kids today, they are on a mission. I think they're more like their grandparents than their parents. They remind me of soldiers who went in right after Pearl Harbor. They are very directed, very clear in their focus and what their obligation is to their country. We had peace and love and all of that. These kids have Sept. 11. It did something to them."

9-11 swept everything but the essentials away. To my understanding the X and Y generations have been been told either that they stand for nothing or are inquisitive. Having your country attacked tends to provide focus for your life. It tends to answer those hard questions. I do not serve, but I will defend my friends here at home from those that would detract from their honorable mission. Seems to me that it is the Ted Kennedy's, John Kerry's, Michael Moore's, Howard Dean's and Jane Fonda's out of step with their country.

BTW, I do realize not everyone was a part of the anti-war scene. We have a President that was not. Those that went against that movement helped to set events in motion that led to a conservative revolution. My father served honorably in Vietnam. Had there been a medium to challenge the MSM it might have been different.

"when a certain Navy Leiutenant decided to lie in front of Congress, and charge American Soldiers with war crimes"

Well, I bet that ended his career. Oh, wait..

>>I'm sick of my generation being called the "Anti-War" generation.<<

I agree. These people who call a whole generation good or bad have the intellect of Robert Byrd's white-hooded morons. There are good and bad in every generation and if one begins to believe that a whole generation is bad, there is little doubt which side of their own generation they belong.

Muleteam1

Well, I know that my parents at least were not anti-war. My dad became draft-eligible in 1969 but had a college deferment. By the time he graduated, the war was mostly over. That doesn't mean he was a draft dodger or in any way anti-military...one brother-in-law was an Army doctor in the Vietnam era and my mother's brothers were both Marines who served in Vietnam (multiple tours).

He has said that in retrospect he wishes he had done a hitch in the service since it seemed to be a defining experience for so many of his peers. At the time, he had the chance to go to college and took it. He and my mother finished school, got jobs, raised two kids, and did a damned good job. They weren't involved in any of the hippie or anti-war crap.

My father was bursting with pride a few months ago as he watched his only son, my brother, graduate from Coast Guard boot camp and go into active duty service.

America was losing or had lost in Vietnam, an unpopular war.
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Damn fool reporter doesn't understand it was about Communist Soviet Union,which we sapped out. By war's end, Russia was as stressed and wrung out as a raisin. They were begging Carter for a SALT II treaty.

We won Vietnam because we prevailed against the Soviets (and China is no longer commie).

Thank you Meg.
God Bless America.

GOP has it right. The question here is %. I'm afraid that there was indeed a very vocal large minority of that generation who were not only shirkers, but detestors....openly despising the military and those in it.

We realize that those who fought Nam were the same generation, and many existed who had no problem w/it, but there was an *awful* lot of "protest" from the same. Unlike anything before certainly, and not really since, either.

So that's why the appellations "anti-war" and other stereotypes like "hippie" and "drug-ridden self-indulgent" generation.

I don't disagree with you on much of what you say, but and it's a big but, institute a draft and watch how eager the current generation is to go to war. Remember there were more Americans in Vietnam then there are in the United States Army today. Don't ascribe the patriotism of the men and women in the armed forces to their entire generation until that generation is called on as a group to answer the call. Thus far they haven't been called.

About the draft - as I recall, WWII had drafts and there were few if any protests.

I know, different situation (US attacked vs just going in to clean up the Frenchie's commie mess). But it's not all about a draft.

I stand by the % of dissenters being the main reason for this (think of just how many protests there were for both Bushes' Iraqs; MSM tried to hi-lite them but they were few and not very exciting either, so few stories were even generated).

Any idiot who judges a 50yo as 1 of those "anti-war" idiots because of those latter idiots is just that, an idiot. I don't think many of us judge individuals unfairly based on their group. But we're not afraid to call groups what they are as a whole (or at least all too much).

BTW, I've doubted the patriotism of my own later gen myself. Certainly when you live in MD, it's hard to be convinced. (OOps, another group characterization - but believe me, way too much of MD IS liberal.)

My dad was went to college in 67' and received a deferment due to college and having to help run the family farm. according to my mother, it was the hardest thing for him not to enlist. he had a hard time not being with with his friends that were being drafted.