Recently, I was having a conversation with someone about the military and their presence in New Jersey's schools. They frequently come into our schools either for recruitment efforts or school related programs. As an educator, I always go out of my way to walk up to someone in the uniform and thank them for their service, whether it's in front of the students or not. I make sure it is as I want to teach them by example that those who do not serve should honor those who serve. As a result of one of these public displays of gratitude, I had an exchange with an administrator, who is actually a really good person, but far left politically:
Administrator: Wearing your Republicanism on your sleeve, aren't you?
Me: With all due respect, I am wearing my Americanism on my sleeve. This is something my parents taught me to do and thanking them also honors my father, who wore the uniform to defend this nation.
It was not a contentious exchange, as this administrator was one with whom I had a positive professional relationship, and simply wanted to provoke a political debate. I highlight this exchange as an example of some in this country and the way they feel about the military.
As we all head down the shore, get the barbeque grills ready and call this Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial weekend of summer, I would like to take a moment to
give a thank you and a tip of the caps to our men and women who serve and who have given their lives for our country (as that is the true meaning of Memorial Day...and you think a president, even one who is not participating in the Arlington Memorial Day ceremony, would know that...) Without them, I wouldn't have been able to make decisions for myself on how to lead my life, write The Calling to Lead and I would not be able to write this blog! Again, thank you and God Bless!
I will end this entry with one the most solemn ceremonies relating to the military: The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Bravo :) !
ReplyDeleteThanks! :) I try to make it over to Arlington to watch the Changing of the Guard every time I'm in DC...very moving.
ReplyDeleteEw. That admin's comment is just ... ew.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, it's a common sentiment among some on the left. Let's look at it a bit, though. I think in many cases it's not that there's a blanket disparagement of the armed forces per se. There is, however, discomfort as to just how they should feel about the military. Is it exploitative of lower-income Americans? Is it jingoistic? Where are the lines between strict national defense, aiding allies, and advancing U.S. corporate interests? Is it appropriate to use the military in a situation that seems to be mostly about gaining/maintaining access to resources? And if you do see a particular war as being mainly about resources, how do you respond to those who describe soldiers as "defending our freedom"? Etc. There's an alienation that comes with these lines of thinking. My guess is that there's also a little buried envy of the unambiguous feeling of esteem that Republicans generally have toward military service (even if they do tend to romanticize). So I think that might be where the "Republicanism on your sleeve" thing is coming from. On the other hand, having these doubts doesn't make someone less of an American. Even though it's a neat comeback, rhetorically, saying that you're wearing your Americanism on your sleeve is quite the barbed response. It may hit harder than you intended. (Or it may hit exactly as hard as you intended--that's your call.) OK, and now I'm done over-analyzing that one =)
As far as showing gratitude is concerned, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable thanking strangers for their military service. I think you need to tread lightly where psychology is concerned. Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive but this is coming from personal experience. You never know what kind of PTSD or other combat-related distress the person might be grappling with/trying to stifle while in public and in uniform; you don't know if they secretly feel regret about the way a dicey situation played out, or if they are struggling to come to terms with a friendly fire incident or something. To then have a stranger come up to you and treat your service as unquestionably honorable when you feel much more conflicted about it -- that's a tricky situation. So my suggestion would be to treat them with respect, but refrain from showing overt gratitude (unless it is clear that it would be welcome, ie, they are speaking about their experiences with ease, etc.).