Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
This is where you lose me. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but it doesn't take me a whole day to do this. I'll think about the sacrifice of our vets more on November 11 than probably any other day in the year, but I don't need a day off to do it and I don't need a ceremony, either. To me that's a depressing way to spend a day.
Better things to do: I have two small kids. Caring for them, providing for them, entertaining them are more important to me right now than anything else and it is more than a full-time job. It is an all day, all night job 365 days/year with no breaks. I think this is what the vets were fighting for in a lot of ways and my using the gifts they sacrificed for in such a way is a fair and honourable way to spend the 11th.
Re: the presumptuous comment. You're right - I don't think the vets would presume to think they know how I should spend my time. You seem to know what I should be doing on the 11th though, and that's a little presumptuous.  |
Okay there is so much wrong with your first paragraph it isn't even funny.
I explicity said that it doesn't take a whole day to go to one of the events, so using the excuse that you're too busy, or have better things to do is completely moot. And to use being a father in your second paragraph is at worst silly, and I think a little bit shamefull. What makes you that much different than any of the parents who make it down to a ceremony with their children? Using the "I have kids and better things to do" argument just reeks of disrespect.
What better way to teach your kids an important lesson about showing respect for the sacrafice of others than to bring them to an event on Nov 11th? This day hasn't been designated as a day to "entertain" your kids, it's to show respect for those who fought to ensure you can do that the other 364 days of the year, and to ensure that the lessons learned get passed down to younger people, like your children, so they don't have to learn them the hard way.
As to not needing a ceremony, that's not the point. The ceremonies aren't for you, or me, or anyone else who hasn't served. They are a way for those of us who weren't asked to make huge sacrafices for the life we live now, to show en mass that we are greatfull to those who did. Yes, we can all do that on our own is simple ways every day, but is it too much to ask to spend a couple hours once a year showing some solidarity, even if you do find it "Depressing"?
As for being presumptuous, sure, I suppose if your definition of thinking that someone using the argument of "I've got better things to do", or "I'm too busy on a day I don't have to work" to take a few hours to show some respect for those who have made some very large sacrafices on my behalf, is a pretty disrespectful attitude, then yeah, I guess I am being pretty presumptuous.
In any event you're the one who explicitly said that it was the Vets who were being presumptuous in EXPECTING a thanks from you. That was my point, I'd bet dollars to donuts that none of them expect anything, and thinking that they do, while at the same time saying you have better things to do than OFFER/SHOW that thanks that they so very much deserve, is so incredibly disrespectful.