75% Have Favorable Opinion of U.S. Military This Memorial Day

I don't see anything wrong with the military. I won't go out and wave a banner for them or anything, but they serve a function in society. The people I take issue with are our leaders who tell them what to do.

Kali said:

If you had any respect for our Constitution then you would not have any real problem with that 11%. You either support our Constitution or you do not and you sound as if you do not since you seem to have a problem with freedom of thought and speech.

That 11% have just as much a right to feel the way they do as you have every right to wanna be some chest pounding pro military buffon. Do you really think that if you are not pro-military that you have no respect for our heritage?

Since when did it become some loopy idea in this country that if you do not agree with the military in general that you lack common sense and have no respect for our country or our heritage? This country is all about Freedom and maybe you should remind yourself of that. :roll:

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Wow, welcome to planet earth. The military are the defenders of the Constitution and have been since their inception. They are the ones that allow that 11% that don't have a clue (which it appears you are a member of) to hate the military, even though they provide you with the very blanket of freedom that you have no respect for. It's the "biting the hand that feeds you" mentality that sickens me to no end. What has the military ever done to you personally that makes you feel this way? I'm gonna go with nothing, but maybe you can enlighten all of us.

I have no problem with freedom of thought and speech, but since you know the Constitution oh so well, maybe you can point out where it guarantees us freedom of thought? :roll:

Give it a rest Kali. I'm no "chest pounding pro military buffon", but I do appreciate the personal attack, as lame an attempt as it was. The military has protected us, defended the constitution and come to the aid of millions and millions who cannot help or defend themselves. Those who hate the military are very similar in their thought process of those that hate guns. The problem that anyone should have with the military is not in the military itself, but with those that direct the military (the administrations), just like the problem isn't with the guns, it's with the people who use them to commit crimes.

I agree that this country is all about freedom and I also realize how that is defended and protected. I served in the military and I know exactly what that entails. I don't need to remind myself of anything when it comes to freedom or the price that so many have paid to defend it. It appears as though you are the one who lacks common sense, so in a way I guess my original post was directed at the likes of you (hence why you went off the rail in a feeble attempt to defend your ilk). And just so you know, I've earned the right to my freedom of speech. I've also aided in protecting your right too. So before you decide to vomit all over your keyboard again, maybe you can show a little decency and respect, that is if you are capable.

Orius said:

I don't see anything wrong with the military. I won't go out and wave a banner for them or anything, but they serve a function in society. The people I take issue with are our leaders who tell them what to do.

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Somebody gets it! :applaud

Orius said:

I don't see anything wrong with the military. I won't go out and wave a banner for them or anything, but they serve a function in society. The people I take issue with are our leaders who tell them what to do.

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This is why I got puzzled at the 11 %. I have nothing but respect for any group that stands on their principals, even when I disagree with those principals(ok, within limits...I am sure there are some racist skinheads who stand on their principals, and maybe not them...). What I don't understand is why they would be negative on the military, who volunteer to do a job that this society deems necessary, but don't make the actual decisions.

Put another way, when I see the military, I do not see politics, I see a group of people who have volunteered to help their country and society. leaving aside any other consideration, that alone makes them worthy of respect.

Maybe as a veteran I am being abit touchy on this, I dunno. I just find it harsh that any one in this country would think poorly of our military.

Well, I for one have an incredibly positive view of our military, maybe even beyond that of your typical American. I certainly didn't support the Iraqi War, but I definitely support our military personnel who were sent over there to fight.

Orius said:

I don't see anything wrong with the military. I won't go out and wave a banner for them or anything, but they serve a function in society. The people I take issue with are our leaders who tell them what to do.

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So I interpret from what you said as those of us who served in the military are just your "usefull idiots". That's insulting.

F107HyperSabr said:

So I interpret from what you said as those of us who served in the military are just your "usefull idiots". That's insulting.

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Then it sounds to me like you are looking to be offended, which is pretty sad.

F107HyperSabr said:

So I interpret from what you said as those of us who served in the military are just your "usefull idiots". That's insulting.

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Yes, that's obviously what I meant... just that, exactly. :roll:

You take reading between the lines to a hilarious extreme.

F107HyperSabr said:

So I interpret from what you said as those of us who served in the military are just your "usefull idiots". That's insulting.

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I am a vet and did not see anything at all wrong with what Orius wrote.

F107HyperSabr said:

So I interpret from what you said as those of us who served in the military are just your "usefull idiots". That's insulting.

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I am in agreement with others. Nothing of that sort was said, nor implied by Orius.

Degreez said:

11% can be conscientious objectors, believers in nonviolence, and pacifism. I find nothing wrong with people staying true to there morals, despite how "disturbing" and loony you believe these people may be.

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But there is no excuse for this...these people should learn to have more respect for others..
their morals...I think they are short on them...and short on intelligence.
If they wish to think poorly of others, then the others should be the powers that are; the executives, the politicians, the President..

How on earth could 11% of people fail to understand the distinction that Redress pointed out?




oh. hm.

F107HyperSabr said:

I really fear that doing away with the draft has removed too many people from serving, knowing soneone who served, and therefore not caring about those who served !!!

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There was a very valid point to doing away with the draft and going to an all volunteer force. The quality and moral of the troops in the AFV is head and shoulders above anything that mandatory conscription would produce. You would see the quality of our military drop noticeably with a draft.

Moon said:

Damn...almost sorry I posted this thread.

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Don't be, you did nothing wrong here.

Here are my thoughts. The poll questions are simply not that good, almost to the point of being to broad. I would bet that a more focused poll that actually delved into some questions that identified how opinions are formed and were more targeted that figure would climb.

As has been so intelligently pointed out here, there are many facets that form one's opinion about the "military" and unless you dig into those I don't think you are going to get a clear understanding of what people actually think about the organization itself, the politics that go into using the military, or the individual men and women who make it up.

I think the number is actually quite a bit higher.

Lerxst said:

Don't be, you did nothing wrong here.

Here are my thoughts. The poll questions are simply not that good, almost to the point of being to broad. I would bet that a more focused poll that actually delved into some questions that identified how opinions are formed and were more targeted that figure would climb.

As has been so intelligently pointed out here, there are many facets that form one's opinion about the "military" and unless you dig into those I don't think you are going to get a clear understanding of what people actually think about the organization itself, the politics that go into using the military, or the individual men and women who make it up.

I think the number is actually quite a bit higher.

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Oh, I don't think I did anything wrong.

I don't think the poll was intended to be scientific or to make any kind of point. I think it's main purpose was to show the military, and the families of veterans, that the people of the United States support them. What better day to do that than on Memorial Day?

Moon said:

I don't think the poll was intended to be scientific or to make any kind of point. I think it's main purpose was to show the military, and the families of veterans, that the people of the United States support them. What better day to do that than on Memorial Day?

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I understand this, but I think maybe it left the door open to skewed results. I'm being parochial here when I say this, but I believe that number is actually higher than 75%. I would just like to have seen it be a little clearer.

And I agree, today is the day to highlight honoring our troops...something we should do everyday regardless.

Lerxst said:

There was a very valid point to doing away with the draft and going to an all volunteer force. The quality and moral of the troops in the AFV is head and shoulders above anything that mandatory conscription would produce. You would see the quality of our military drop noticeably with a draft.

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That is possible but just because we have a draft it does not mean that we need to place those who are not up to the job in a job. We also would need to adjust the time served because when we had a draft back during the Vietnam days I beleive that the time draftees served was 2 years and I am not inclined to train a trrooper someone for almost a year and they only serve one year. The jump in technology alone renders the 2 year active duty draftee serve time obsolete.

I didn't see the draftee problem directly when I went in because we in the Air Force were an all volunteer service.

I understand the chalenges of a draft but I still beleive taht we can work out the active duty served time for draftees if we try.

I feel that there is a long term benefit in inviting more people to serve in the military!!

dclxvinoise said:

Then it sounds to me like you are looking to be offended, which is pretty sad.

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No I am not looking to be offended but I am looking out for people who are looking to offend those who serve or have served. THAT'S ALL !!

While I feel that as American's everyone has a right to their opinion, I am fully behind our military and find there is nothing more inspiring and honorable than those who risk it all in the preservation of this nation.

Orius said:

Yes, that's obviously what I meant... just that, exactly. :roll:

You take reading between the lines to a hilarious extreme.

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Could be that I am new here and do not have a good read on all the usual characters yet so I was asking a question. Maybe I was a bit critical with your wording !!

F107HyperSabr said:

That is possible but just because we have a draft it does not mean that we need to place those who are not up to the job in a job. We also would need to adjust the time served because when we had a draft back during the Vietnam days I beleive that the time draftees served was 2 years and I am not inclined to train a trrooper someone for almost a year and they only serve one year. The jump in technology alone renders the 2 year active duty draftee serve time obsolete.

I didn't see the draftee problem directly when I went in because we in the Air Force were an all volunteer service.

I understand the chalenges of a draft but I still beleive taht we can work out the active duty served time for draftees if we try.

I feel that there is a long term benefit in inviting more people to serve in the military!!

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For combat arms you don't need a year to train someone, basic and advanced individual training can be done in four to six months. The rest is done at the unit level.

Here is the problem with conscripted service. Those who are forced to serve against their will will compromise the effectiveness of our military. In the service, as I'm sure you realize, we depend upon the entirety of those serving, down to the man and woman, to fulfill their job duties to the utmost of their ability. It's even more important now in our downsized, technology heavy military. We don't just fill grunt platoons anymore. We are talking joint operations/combined arms/land, air, sea, space battle doctrines. We need motivated, dedicated professionals. Not people who are mandated to show up whether they want to be there or not. Those folks are quite likely to perform well below their potential simply because their mentality will be adversely affected by their forced servitude.

I very much appreciate your position on this, and I've thought over the idea of the draft and conscription quite a bit. I've studied it quite a bit and simply can't find any redeeming factors in it. At least in what has been presented.

I did not say I am anti-military ... My point was that 11% have a right to feel the way they do without being hated or attacked. Also my grandfather was in the service and so was my stepfather so do not try to paint me as some hater of our military

Kali said:

I did not say I am anti-military ... My point was that 11% have a right to feel the way they do without being hated or attacked. Also my grandfather was in the service and so was my stepfather so do not try to paint me as some hater of our military

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Nobody has a right to say anything without being criticized for it.

RightinNYC said:

Nobody has a right to say anything without being criticized for it.

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That pretty much sums it up. Thread over.

:lol:

75% may have a favorable opinion of the US military, but some of them are clearly hypocrites, who only put up yellow ribbons, and do little else. Right now, there are more than 150,000 vets living in the streets, and IMHO, that is a crime. Where is the support for them? Oh, that's right. Once they are used up, they are discarded like yesterday's garbage. This started under Clinton, continued under Bush, and Obama does not seem to be acting any differently. It is easy to say "I support the troops", when talk and not actions guides one's ideology. So how about ALL of this 75% raise a little hell with the government, until the government finally decides to do the right thing and REALLY support the troops? Supporting the troops is more than just a slogan to be bandied about by hypocritical politicians who don't really give a damn about the sacrifice our soldiers make for this nation. After all, if they DID give a damn, they really WOULD support the troops, along with our vets.