POW/MIA Memorial Coming to Memorial

teachercd said:
Oh man...could you imagine how much more lame the PR forums would be if we were still a British colony?
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It would be bonkers. Ever watched Britain's Parliament? It makes anything happening in America's congressional halls seem super boring.

 
Khaake, 

I am most likely not the right person to be discussing this with.  26 years in the Marine Corps, had my best friend from high school die in my arms in Vietnam.  You have your oppinions and that is fine, that is what this country is about.  But the trivial amount of time at a football event or any event paying respect to those that gave their lives, and their families affected by that loss is a very minimal. 

Let me be the first to apologize to you for the loss of those precious seconds you have suffered thru.

 
skersfan said:
Khaake, 

I am most likely not the right person to be discussing this with.  26 years in the Marine Corps, had my best friend from high school die in my arms in Vietnam.  You have your oppinions and that is fine, that is what this country is about.  But the trivial amount of time at a football event or any event paying respect to those that gave their lives, and their families affected by that loss is a very minimal. 

Let me be the first to apologize to you for the loss of those precious seconds you have suffered thru.
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skersfan, I am sorry for what you had to go through - that must have been awful - and I am also sorry for the loss others must endure due to the military entanglements we find ourselves in. But it is a mistake to politicize that suffering, which many of these events do, and I wish the University wouldn't play a part in it.

 
There is a major difference between politizing and honoring.  The ones concerned about honoring are the target audience.  I guess the ones that think it is politicizing can put their hands over their ears and put their heads down as not to be offended.  Maybe memorial stadium can provide some safe spaces...

 
I lean more with khaake on this topic, for similar reasons.  There was some interesting dialogue about this a few weeks ago on NPR talking about how "patriotism" made a made re-surgence post 9-11.  That initially it felt right in the weeks after, but that it didnt' abate, (I'll post it later if I can find it).  They went through the lack of rationale for military tied into sporting events, siting the history of it (or lack of) and the marketing and money being made off it most recently.  And the evolution of the athlete that spoke up vs those who then recognized their sponsorships would dry up if they expressed opinions on such topics.

Here's my deal - I am from a family of military members.  I respect them and all of you who sacrificed to do that job for me and others who take our freedom for granted.  Because it's Labor Day weekend I think this is appropriate to do something special at all the stadiums with games this weekend and there should be a lot of focus on what this "holiday" really is.   But then stop with the FB sensationalism.  If you don't know about the money exchanges happening to capitalize on your "patriotism" at sporting events you should look into it. 

I don't understand why people debate this stuff and the kneeling for the anthem so hotly and then are seemingly fine with BBQing and sleeping in on Memorial Day and Labor Day etc.  Invest the money and the attention on these designated holidays to remember those veterans and join in with your town parades, decorate graves, send a care package or letter to someone serving, go visit military hospitals or nursing homes - get a veteran out for a walk -  do something productive to honor the fallen and those serving current or past on these days dedicated to them.  

 
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khaake said:
skersfan, I am sorry for what you had to go through - that must have been awful - and I am also sorry for the loss others must endure due to the military entanglements we find ourselves in. But it is a mistake to politicize that suffering, which many of these events do, and I wish the University wouldn't play a part in it.
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"Polititicizing" it is simply what you are reading into it.  You refuse to believe that it is only a simple "thank you" so you keep reading more into it to validate your objection to it.

 
NPR Episode (you can listen or read the transcript, it's all very interesting but the info on patriotism starts after " (soundbite of benito gonzalez, essiez ...) 

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/13/619515355/how-taking-a-stand-for-justice-can-threaten-the-careers-of-black-athletes

If you were born in 1990, you were 10 or 11 years old on 9/11. And everything about sports that you've seen ever since has been shaped by militarization, jingoism, patriotism at the ballpark - all of these different symbols and images that are now embedded into the game-day experience.

If you were my age, sports teams and sports leagues did not want to get involved in politics because they didn't want to anger half of the fan base. If you get involved in politics, somebody is going to be mad at you. But post-9/11, the attitude was very different. Who could possibly be against patriotism? Who could possibly be against supporting the troops? And so you start to look at how the game actually appeared on the field and on your TV screen. You have first responders singing the national anthem now. You have soldiers in the crowd. You have police in every sort of part of the game when you look at the game. Pregame, you have the surprise military inductions and surprise military homecomings. And all of these different things are part of the selling of sports now. That's completely attributable to 9/11.

And what's even more, to me, sinister about this was the fact that it was underwritten by the Department of Defense while being sold to the public as organic - that the teams were doing this because they were being patriotic. And they were joining the war effort when, actually, it was the National Guards across the country that were paying these sports teams to sing the national anthem and to have these homecomings and all of these things. It was a complete deception to the American public.

That is a staged event, and so this has become part of sports. And so the two Republicans, John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona - they authored the report "Tackling Paid Patriotism," chastising teams for this practice, for charging the military for these displays and deceiving the public and, on top of that, forcing these teams - and sometimes to give the money back. 
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NM11046 said:
NPR Episode (you can listen or read the transcript, it's all very interesting but the info on patriotism starts after " (soundbite of benito gonzalez, essiez ...) 

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/13/619515355/how-taking-a-stand-for-justice-can-threaten-the-careers-of-black-athletes
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However it is fine for popular products that tug at American heart strings (products owned by corporations that avoid paying taxes, outsource jobs, and intentionally deceive the public about their profits) to advertise everywhere during games.

It isn't okay for the military to advertise by paying places to showcase what they can do for today's youth as far as paying for college and superior job training?

Holy double standard, Batman.

 
In the Deed the Glory said:
However it is fine for popular products that tug at American heart strings (products owned by corporations that avoid paying taxes, outsource jobs, and intentionally deceive the public about their profits) to advertise everywhere during games.

It isn't okay for the military to advertise by paying places to showcase what they can do for today's youth as far as paying for college and superior job training?

Holy double standard, Batman.
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Did you read the transcript or just react immediately?  I'm not clear I understand the comments from you and whistlepig if they're directed at me.  

 
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