Over and over we hear how how the Mainstream Media is misinforming us. How they lie, how they manipulate facts to present a particular political agenda. And if one listens to FOX or MSNBC news we can not much argue the contention. We also hear how the government manipulates the data it presents to the ones, us, who vote them into power. And when one reads or hears the bogus labor reports or reasons for Bank Bailouts, or how there is equal justice for all, well, we can not argue that either. But when the people themselves, US, put gasoline on the fires of misinformation then our demise is sealed. As Sheep we are easily led to the slaughter because we have a tendency to believe what we want to believe as opposed to what is. Kind of like contempt prior to investigation. We have done a number of posts on bogus forwarded email that comes into our mailbox. And we will probably do more as they multiply like spawn. It is interesting to note, we think, that rarely do we get an e-mail with fwd,fwd,fwd.......in it, that is anything close to the truth. But as P.T. Barnum never said. "theres a sucker born every minute!"There's a sucker born every minute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, PT Barnum Never Did Say "There's a Sucker Born Every Minute", Who said 'There's a sucker born every minute'.
In these days of heightened emotions and the continued balkanization of America, it would seem that the art of critical thinking would be a sought after gift. Were it not for the fact, that for the most part, the dumbing down of America has succeeded. And is exacerbated when those who should know, do not know, and out of some sort of misguided zealotry continue to spread what those who know less may believe. And that my friends is how America will fall. Because in the end it is you and I who are responsible. And if we can not be responsible for what we have it will be, and is being, taken from us.
So to the e-mail sent out by a Patriot Guard Ride Captain:
General Petraeus's to Vets
"IN GOD WE TRUST" "One nation Under God"
General Petraeus's remarks require much reflection by our society.
Thanks to my fellow veterans:
I remember the day I found out I got into West Point. My mom actually showed up in the hallway of my high school and waited for me to get out of class. She was bawling her eyes out and apologizing that she had opened up my admission letter. She wasn't crying because it had been her dream for me to go there.
She was crying because she knew how hard I'd worked to get in, how much I wanted to attend, and how much I wanted to be an infantry officer. I was going to get that opportunity. That same day two of my teachers took me aside and essentially told me The following:
"David, you're a smart guy. You don't have to join the military. You should go to college, instead."
I could easily write a theme defending WestPoint and the military as I did that day, explaining that USMA is an elite institution, that separate from that it is actually statistically much harder to enlist in the military than it is to get admitted to college, that serving the nation is a challenge that all able-bodied men should at least consider for a host of reasons, but I won't.
What I will say is that when a 16 year-old kid is being told that attending West Point is going to be bad for his future then there is a dangerous disconnect in America, and entirely too many Americans have no idea what kind of burdens our military is bearing.
In World War II, 11.2% of the nation served in four (4) years. During the Vietnam era, 4.3% served in twelve (12) years. Since 2001, only 0.45% of our population has served in the Global War on Terror. These are unbelievable statistics. Overtime, fewer and fewer people have shouldered more and more of the burden and it is only getting worse. Our troops were sent to war in Iraq by a Congress consisting of 10% veterans with only one person having a child in the military. Taxes did not increase to pay for the war. War bonds were not sold. Gas was not regulated. In fact, the average citizen was asked to sacrifice nothing, and has sacrificed nothing unless they have chosen to out of the goodness of their hearts. The only people who have sacrificed are the veterans and their families. The volunteers. The people who swore an oath to defend this nation.
You stand there, deployment after deployment and fight on. You've lost relationships, spent years of your lives in extreme conditions, years apart from kids you'll never get back, and beaten your body in a way that even professional athletes don't understand. Then you come home to a nation that doesn't understand. They don't understand suffering.
They don't understand sacrifice. They don't understand why we fight for them. They don't understand that bad people exist. They look at you like you're a machine - like something is wrong with you. You are the misguided one - not them.
When you get out, you sit in the college classrooms with political science teachers that discount your opinions on Iraq and Afghanistan because YOU WERE THERE and can't understand themacro issues they gathered from books, because of your bias. You watch TV shows where every vet has PTSD and the violent strain at that. Your Congress is debating your benefits, your retirement, and your pay, while they ask you to do more. But the amazing thing about you is that you all know this. You know your country will never pay back what you've given up.
You know that the populace at large will never truly understand or appreciate what you have done for them. Hell, you know that in some circles, you will be thought as less than normal for having worn the uniform
Just that decision alone makes you part of an elite group.
"Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few." -Winston Churchill- Thank you to the 11.2% and 4.3% who have served and thanks to the 0.45% who continue to serve our Nation.Never said by General Petraeus, http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/045percent.asp
General David Petraeus, West Point Class 1974
Original author here, I Wrote This.
O.k. so whats the problem with misquoting an elegant piece of writing that expresses a view point most will never have or understand. After all, historically, does it really matter whether P.T. Barnim said "there is a sucker born every minute" or not.
Well we say yes, it matters a lot. First, the gentleman that wrote it is not getting the credit he deserves. I would have difficulties finding more of what this gentleman has to say if everything he says is attributed to General Petraeus.
Second, General Petraeus, unlike many of us will probably have a place in history. What he has done or said will be studied by future students of military matters. As with all historical figures, misquoting them does them and us a disfavor. History is our guide book to avoiding future mistakes. History is our blueprint showing us what went wrong and where. It shows our mistakes and our achievements. History only repets itself or rhymes when we fail to record it accurately or give it even a cursory glance. The knowledge of History is our future.
That this comes from a Patriot Guard member is disturbing.
Patriot: noun
1.
a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her countryand its interests with devotion.
2.
a person who regards himself or herself as a defender,especially of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.
1.
to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over: toguard the ruler.
2.
Now call us crazy But if a person loves their country enough, it would seem they would take a bit of time to learn the truth of it. If not, what is it you will be guarding?
to keep under close watch in order to prevent escape,misconduct, etc.: to guard a prisoner.
Now we write this with full knowledge that this piece won't make the slightest dent in the amount of Fwds you get in your inbox. In fact if you are one of the ones that engages in the practice then it is likely you could care less about the truth or you would not be doing it. It also means you have not read this far.
On October 18,2005, the Patriot Guard officially began. I joined on December 4, 2005 and was #847 when we originally had membership numbers and cards. Most PGR members are not aware that such even existed. Anyway, having been a part of said organization from the start, I have seen a great number of changes in the ideas and ideals of that organization. As with any large, growing and changing organization, there are ideas that I strongly disagree wtih such as the changing of the original mission to cover funerals of anyone who ever served in the military in any capacity (just contact the local florists and roll us out with the flowers--we've become a fixture just like the tent and the folding chairs) but the seed core of the original mission is still there--honoring the active duty fallen that are serving our country (those are normally the ONLY missions I attend). My point is that as the organization has grown to over 533,000 members, the message has become "watered down" and the roles of Ride Captain as you mentioned in the article, are taxed to the point where some are doing 4-5 missions PER WEEK and many of the RC's (no pun intended but noted!) are older retired vets who have the time, but are not all that internet savvy. They mean well, but as in the case of this email, simply did not "fact-check" before sending/forwarding the email. I received the very same email from an RC-possibly the same one-and immediately did a "reply all" to correct him and attached the Snopes link. I detest those that blindly and unquestionly forward and don't "fact check" internet myths and mis/dis-information, but I also understand that some of these folks will never change or learn. I cut them some slack, correct them when I can, and hold myself accountable to only forward truth. I don't question their patriotism nor their intentions, just their marginal internet abilities!
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