The Smallest Minority

You'll never hear a politician say this, but I stand by it. This was my response to an anti-war activist who was going on about how "thousands of soldiers have died for the sake of Bush's lies, stupidity and greed."
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Yes, soldiers are dying for the dishonesty, greed, stupidity and arrogance of their political leaders. They have done so for thousands of years. Soldiers dying for the selfish ambitions of their leaders can be documented back to the Roman Empire quite easily. At least these soldiers *volunteered* for the job.

And you know WHY they volunteered? Because on Sep 11 2001, they were shown that if they don't volunteer to risk everything to support their country and it's leaders, KNOWING those leaders are human and fallible and sometimes stupid and greedy.... if they don't offer to pay that price, civilians, who did NOT volunteer, WILL end up paying it in their place.

"We promise to remember the seventh of December."

"The what of what?"

We'll remember until we forget. Many have already started.

Actually, I am of the age where there were actual planned activities around December 7th. At least to the extent of a moment of silent. I remember in History a teacher playing a recording of the FDR radio address.

Is anything done now a days? Is anything done in schools about 9/11?

I'm 35 and until about 8 years ago I could not have told you the significance of that date. It's not widely recognized anymore. I would be surprised to hear of a school doing for Dec 7.

9/11 was a huge own-goal for Islamic supremacists. Not only did it bring down the wrath of the U.S. military upon their heads, but it also cast a harsh spotlight on their ideology itself, and on the kind of world they intend to bring about. Warnings about their growing influence in the West, particularly Europe, would be a whole lot easier to dismiss out of hand as so much right-wing paranoia if bin Laden and company hadn't tipped their hand in such spectacular fashion on that day.

Indeed, my theory is that this is the main reason why we haven't seen anything resembling a sequel to that attack since then - not just because it's become a lot harder to pull off, but because Islamic supremacists belatedly realized how counterproductive 9/11 itself turned out to be.

I don't remember there being much more than a passing mention of Dec. 7th when I was in school, but I can tell you that every year there is a ceremony to commemorate it where I work. Of course, since I am on Pearl Harbor Naval Base that is to be expected. There is no mention of it on my U.S. Goverment desk calendar, however.

Remember the Main! At least I have an M1898 Krag to help with that one. :-) The Carbine, Colt, and Garand help with August 2nd, January 22nd, and June 6th (Guadalcanal, Anzio, and Omaha Beach).
I guess my N4 is for 9/11.