Opinion of the jingoization of Veterans' Day?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Nonsense like this, for instance:



that turns Armistice Day into a celebration of imperialist war.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

tacky, but unavaidable

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Misguided.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

tacky, but unavaidable

[Redalgo]

I do not really have an opinion because the same people who make Veterans' Day jingoist seem to be the ones who do the same to every other military-related holiday, function, or reference. Some folks are just really enthusiastic about bundling fervent nationalism, Christianity, military service, and obedience to (the proper!) authorities together. Images like that show up regardless of whether an anniversary is occurring.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

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[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Veterans Day has always been jingoistic in my lifetime.  Memorial Day has always been the contemplative military related holiday.

[ElectionsGuy]

tacky, but unavaidable

Yes, this.

Though I do agree that it is annoying in some cases. (just a few minutes ago) Fox said the playing of the song "Fortunate Son" at a veterans concert was unfortunate do to its anti-war roots. I mean, seriously?

[dead0man]

Let us not forget what the real tragedy here is...I'm a veteran and I had to go to work anyway...also it was super cold!


(and yes, the flags and such on FB and what have you can be annoying.  But it's better than it was in the 70s and early 80s.  Can't we find a happy medium where the military is respected but not worshiped?)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I celebrated it by watching this episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSZosqXOyc0

[Person Man]

tacky, but unavaidable

Let us not forget what the real tragedy here is...I'm a veteran and I had to go to work anyway...also it was super cold!


(and yes, the flags and such on FB and what have you can be annoying.  But it's better than it was in the 70s and early 80s.  Can't we find a happy medium where the military is respected but not worshiped?)
[/quote

This. Pretty much. We must give thanks to honor, courage and discipline but not make society some sort of dumpster baby of Starship Troopers and Mussolini's Italy.

[H. Ross Peron]

tacky, but unavaidable

The unfortunate part about individualistic, atomistic American culture is that despite all this cheap patriotism, at the same time there rarely are solemn patriotic displays such as military parades on national holidays

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The unfortunate part about individualistic, atomistic American culture is that despite all this cheap patriotism, at the same time there rarely are solemn patriotic displays such as military parades on national holidays

Parades in general are on the decline.When I was a kid, the Orange Bowl Parade with its lighted floats on New Year's Eve was as important as the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's Day, but it degenerated to the point that there no longer is an Orange Bowl Parade. I also remember when Macy's sponsored a parade Thanksgiving morning instead of the variety show they put on now.

[DemPGH]

Yeah, it's tacky and it's a misrepresentation of what's going on. Still, it is a sacrifice to serve, and I'm sure it's appreciated by the people in all the branches. It's the politics behind it that's awful, and what's more, I find this sort of thing grating at sporting events. I mean they ram it in there every chance they get, and the national anthem stuff with football field sized flag and jets flying over and everything is excessive by a lot.

[New_Conservative]

I'm one of those people that thank veterans whenever I see them and I'm very patriotic, so Positive.

[Deus Naturae]

tacky, but unavaidable

The unfortunate part about individualistic, atomistic American culture is that despite all this cheap patriotism, at the same time there rarely are solemn patriotic displays such as military parades on national holidays

Why would we want those? That would make patriotism even less of a sincere belief and more of something you pretend to show support for because it's part of some meaningless ritual.

Plus, that would shift the focus even more away from the sacrifices of individual veterans and toward even greater glorification of the military as an institution.

[H. Ross Peron]

tacky, but unavaidable

The unfortunate part about individualistic, atomistic American culture is that despite all this cheap patriotism, at the same time there rarely are solemn patriotic displays such as military parades on national holidays

Why would we want those? That would make patriotism even less of a sincere belief and more of something you pretend to show support for because it's part of some meaningless ritual.

Plus, that would shift the focus even more away from the sacrifices of individual veterans and toward even greater glorification of the military as an institution.

There is no reason to think military parades would increase jingoism-France does them yet they are much less enthusiastic than us about engaging in foreign wars. The problem rn is that Veteran's Day tends to be ignored by much of the population, allowing the most jingoistic among us to monopolize it.

[Deus Naturae]

tacky, but unavaidable

The unfortunate part about individualistic, atomistic American culture is that despite all this cheap patriotism, at the same time there rarely are solemn patriotic displays such as military parades on national holidays

Why would we want those? That would make patriotism even less of a sincere belief and more of something you pretend to show support for because it's part of some meaningless ritual.

Plus, that would shift the focus even more away from the sacrifices of individual veterans and toward even greater glorification of the military as an institution.

There is no reason to think military parades would increase jingoism-France does them yet they are much less enthusiastic than us about engaging in foreign wars. The problem rn is that Veteran's Day tends to be ignored by much of the population, allowing the most jingoistic among us to monopolize it.

What do you mean "France does them?" You mean they have parades celebrating the military or the military actually marches through the streets as part of some solemn national holiday that everyone is expected to participate in? If you're referring to the former, the US already has those. If you're referring to the latter, that's frankly disturbing and even if it wouldn't increase jingoism per say it would certainly increase the degree to which the military is treated as a hallowed, unquestionable institution. Since the US military is inevitably going to be more interventionist than the French, this would increase support for and an unquestioning attitude toward any and all military actions.

Sorry, but I really don't see how replacing a "holiday" where people make inane "They protect our freedoms!!" Facebook posts (crap like that gets said all year round anyway) with an actual holiday where the military is worshipped as a sacred institution deserving "solemn" national celebration.