The Veteran as an Ethnic Group: "...you WILL NOT make me hide in the closet."

BootMurtha.com ^ | 9/6/2006 | IPWGOP

[IPWGOP]

The Veteran as an Ethnic Group
by George Mellinger

{NOTE: the following can be found on OldWarDogs.us}

     For at least fifty year now ethnic identity has been at the head of the American agenda. African-American, Hispanic-American or Mexican-American, Asian-American, and gradually Jewish-American, Polish-, Italian-, Irish-, and other Hyphenated-Americans. The rule is, we must never notice these differences, while remaining always carefully aware of them. We must remember which group is the "group of the month" and appreciate its unique contributions and specialness, while simultaneously denying that it is in any way different, or that its members can even be detected by appearance, accent, or name. More recently we have discovered Gay-Americans, and even deaf-mutes, and others with congenital disabilities are demanding to be treated as hyphenated minorities. Even women. Women who are neither "disabled" nor in any sense a minority often demand their Hyphenated recognition. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the desire of everyone for a special identity, and to have it recognized, just so long as it does not become self-satirizing.

     But what is an ethic group. It is not race or skin color, nor is it language, though these features may form a significant part of the formula. Essential is a uniquely defining background and shared experience, which sets the members of the group apart. Frequently a part of this experience involves being stigmatized. Essential is a sense of self-identity.

     Gradually, I came to realize that I am a Veteran-American. Am I kidding? Veterans as an ethnic group? How can that be, when they’re all sorts of colors, have all sorts of weird accents? True. But there is something else. For over half a century, we have been singled out by society, and while once upon a time we were not a minority, but the majority, like the American Indian, we have gone from being a majority to a minority in our own land.

     Special bond and experience? Of course. Its called war, though even those who served in peacetime share the experiences of training and barracks life. We have our own special language. Even if our language has dialects special to the World War, Korean, Viet Nam, and Gulf generations, we still understand each other as civilians cannot. We can understand military terms and make sense out of news reports as even the reporters cannot. And we have an understanding of what war is all about, and what is at stake in politics. There is a mindset which seems to be peculiar to Veterans, characterized by greater sense of self-discipline, and duty, of attention to detail and thoroughness, more attention to old-timey virtues.

     Like a number of the acknowledged minorities we have seen our members mistreated because of our identity. And called ethnic names. "Dago"? "Nigger"? "Kike"? Use those names at your peril. But "Babykiller", "Warmonger", "Fascist", they seem to be socially quite acceptable.

     Veterans are scorned, both by society and by government. Government budgets for caring for wounded and disabled Veterans is always limited, but budgets for the needs of other, civilian ethnics always seem to be limitless. And what company would deny a contribution to an Aids project or to a Rainbow Coalition shakedown? But when Military Veteran and Family Asistance came begging a few corporate contributions for programs to help our newest veterans readjust, the CEOs of major companies such as IBM, EDS, Raytheon and many others lined up to give us the doorknob up the butt. AIDS, self-inflicted in the line of hedonism, is more worthy than wounds inflicted in the line of duty by the enemy. [/sarcasm]

     And now I hear about the National Guardsman in Pierce County, Wa., attacked by a gang of civilians for being military. and other incidents also have happened in the recent past.

     Other ethnics have sometimes tried to conceal their identities, changing their accents, and sometimes even trying to modify their skin color or hair. And then, every so often a few will try to emphasize their ethnic identity for political purposes. For how many decades have Veterans been concealing their status, not mentioning that of which they are most proud, trying to explain "two missing years" on their resumes, as if it were time spent in prison. And if Blacks have Rev’run Al and Jessie, we’ve got Kerry, McCain, and Murtha. Blacks hear "I don’t date outside my race", we hear "I don’t date babykillers". And yes, we also have Veterans whom we consider traitors to our ethnicity. See the above list for a few examples. The big difference is, we tend to disown those who would self-anoint themselves as our spokesmen. So of course, I am not speaking for you, I am speaking to you, urging you, us all, to stand up and demand our own share of recognition.

     I’ve got a case of the ass. A big one. I’m not impressed with "Thank you for your service" which is becoming almost a cliche as "Have a nice day", or "welcome home" about forty years too late. It is appropriate for greeting someone at the airport dressed in DCUs. But to an old guy who’s been called a babykiller for forty years, its just rubbing in the salt. In January 1977, Jimmie Carter amnestied all the draft dodgers, deserters and other swine, proclaimed them my, our equals. That is a whistle which, like an ex-president, cannot be unblown. Then they elected a draft-dodger as president. Twice! Now they wish to honor us, equally with those who spat upon us?! No, not really. They’re willing, finally, not to honor, but to forgive us for our service, forty years after the fact. And only if we become penitents and supplicants, meekly standing in line to beg a pittance from some bureaucrat who "served" in Canada from 1968 to 1977.

     Then I observe the hedonistic slackers around me, those who do not, and will not serve. Those with no self-discipline or any willingness even to wipe their own lardbutts. Who demand, but do not give, who seek to cash in on the colors of their hides or their choice of sexual oddity, who worship only the Eternal ME. I say to myself, these are NOT my people.

     I do not care what the color of your skin, or of your uniform. If you served honorably, you are my brother or sister. By the Grace of God and the US Congress, I am a Veteran-American. And proud. And you WILL NOT make me hide in the closet.
 

BootMurtha.com

[bannie]

I'm proud of that ethnicity!

[IPWGOP]

OldWarDogs.us article ping

[samm1148]

"Veterans are scorned, both by society and by government. Government budgets for caring for wounded and disabled Veterans is always limited, but budgets for the needs of other, civilian ethnics always seem to be limitless."

Great line but only somewhat true. We are the heroes of the moment when Japs sink ships in Pearl Harbor without warning or Arabs run airplanes into buildings. But after the hubbub dies away and our blood is spent on some foreign soil we are just another handout group; used by liberal lapdogs and vilified as welfare cases by the right.

[Coop]

I have never, EVER seen conservatives vilify veterans are welfare cases.

[Triggerhippie]

Veterans scorned by government?

I guess he never got his 10 point preference, GI Bill, or eternal heath care from Tri-care...

Nothing sadder than the "victim class."

[samm1148]

Look below your reply to me.

[Ace the Biker]

I am an Vet-American also, and am very proud of my 8 years of service and my tour in Viet Nam.

Freedom is not Free.

4th Inf Div, 67-68

[Neoliberalnot]

Veteran-Americans are actually the most worthy of the group having EARNED the designation in honorable fashion.

[HIDEK6]

I’m not impressed with "Thank you for your service" which is becoming almost a cliche ...

I hated that the first time I heard it.

I think, "A little late, aren't you? What did you do during the war?"

[HIDEK6]

It's as if the person saying it has put himself in a class that has no obligation other than to say "Thank you for your service."

[sarasmom]

Maybe he did, maybe he didn't.
I did not.
I served two terms.
I can not find a single point on which to disagree with the author, in this essay.

That you threw up a straw-man "argument" tells me many things about you.

Care to guess what those may be?

[PzLdr]

F*UCKIN' A!

[Rembrandt]

I would be most proud to buy you a beer!!!

I served in Danang during '68-'69-'70 and, I agree, we do recognize each other and we do share certain traits. And I like the "difference" issue; Vamericans or what? We need contributions here, something catchy.

[Rembrandt]

"..vilified as welfare cases by the right."

I don't agree with your statement at all and it makes me question your POV.

[samm1148]

Please see post #6. I know many liberals masquerade on here and the poster may be that. My point of view is 20 years of military service to a public who often didn't know that a base was near to them and mostly looked on it as a source of federal employment for locals.

[sarasmom]

"They" are never going to accept any clear explanation from you.
OTOH, "they" never come back for more information, when you call them on their "freely voiced ignorant opinions".
hmmmm

Changing topics slightly...
We all swore the same oath, and the vast majority of us have at least one piece of pretty parchment paper that says we faithfully honored that oath between two arbitrary dates, but that piece of paper does not say we are entirely done with that oath, and I know of no un-oath-swearing ceremony that relieved any of us from our original oaths.

Perhaps we could all unite and demand "they" make it official and final, for all those who wear the boots now, and in the future?

[ASOC]

Humm Interesting. In the book, Starship Troopers, R.A. Heinlein went this one bit further. IF not a vet, no vote. All police had to be combat vets and so on. As an adult commentary, it is worth the time to read again. Favorite quote - "There are no dangerous weapons, only dangerous people".

[ASOC]

Humm Interesting. In the book, Starship Troopers, R.A. Heinlein went this one bit further. IF not a vet, no vote. All police had to be combat vets and so on. As an adult commentary, it is worth the time to read again. Favorite quote - "There are no dangerous weapons, only dangerous people".

[bdfaith]

Glad to see George's piece getting a little of the publicity it deserves. Thank you.

It's going to take a couple of days to make it happen but watch Old War Dogs for information on buying Veteran-American bumper stickers, tees, hats, etc. Proceeds will go to one of the vet-oriented charities on our sidebar.

-- Bill Faith, webmaster, Old War Dogs