- 4 Oct 2012
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Okay, well, to be fair, NOBODY truly deserves automatic respect just for membership in a group. Every group has its devils. But we cannot separate the devils from the angels just by looking at them, so it has been decided by society that members of certain groups get automatic respect until its proven beyond a doubt that certain individuals don't deserve it.
Soldiers and vets are groups that society tells us deserve automatic respect. But for me, it depends largely on what wars have been fought lately, if any, and such other proofs. So my answer is no.
I think I know one of, if not the, biggest reasons say soldiers deserve automatic respect, and I think it is so that men will join with less hesitation than they otherwise would. Its a big benefit to get automatic respect in life, whether its trying to get a job or trying to get a date. So joining is an automatic guarantee of a leg up unless you really screw up. Of course, another big reason to say soldiers deserve automatic respect is simply from people who NEED such advantages in life. Far be it for them to attempt to nix such a possibility.
I would automatically show respect for Swiss soldiers. As far as I know none in recent memory have been in involved in any atrocities or wars. They are there for the self-defense of Switzerland only and have none alive have been at war as far as I know. The only thing I have that would downplay the respect is that they had to join up by law.
For some reason though I don't feel the same about Japanese SDF soldiers, although I cannot think of a logical reason why. Every one of them joined up of their own free will. I guess I question their motives for some reason. Somehow I don't think its all about defending Japan.
American soldiers I respect the least of all, excepting perhaps soldiers of the Syrian government. Of course that is based on my own personal knowledge, and some country's military may have escaped by attention. About the only free pass I have is for American WWII vets. I always start from a position of respect for them. But as I cannot find any reasonable validation for American participation in any war since then, I cannot automatically respect any soldier after that, with the Korean War being a border-line case. And on top of the question of validity of the wars themselves, there has also been the question of how the wars were prosecuted and the secrecy surrounding the fact that ever idiot is aware of. So I have very little respect for American soldiers and if any tell me he fought for my freedom I am liable to flip him the bird.
I also have little respect for Chinese and Russian soldiers given Chinese actions against their own people and Russian actions against the Chechnyans.
If any of those want respect from me, they better talk a good talk and make a great accounting of themselves. It would be precious few who could convince me I think.
So anyway, some say that if we don't automatically respect soldiers, we won't get many to join up. And that is my point EXACTLY. We don't need so many soldiers. Its not worth the death that comes with them.
Soldiers and vets are groups that society tells us deserve automatic respect. But for me, it depends largely on what wars have been fought lately, if any, and such other proofs. So my answer is no.
I think I know one of, if not the, biggest reasons say soldiers deserve automatic respect, and I think it is so that men will join with less hesitation than they otherwise would. Its a big benefit to get automatic respect in life, whether its trying to get a job or trying to get a date. So joining is an automatic guarantee of a leg up unless you really screw up. Of course, another big reason to say soldiers deserve automatic respect is simply from people who NEED such advantages in life. Far be it for them to attempt to nix such a possibility.
I would automatically show respect for Swiss soldiers. As far as I know none in recent memory have been in involved in any atrocities or wars. They are there for the self-defense of Switzerland only and have none alive have been at war as far as I know. The only thing I have that would downplay the respect is that they had to join up by law.
For some reason though I don't feel the same about Japanese SDF soldiers, although I cannot think of a logical reason why. Every one of them joined up of their own free will. I guess I question their motives for some reason. Somehow I don't think its all about defending Japan.
American soldiers I respect the least of all, excepting perhaps soldiers of the Syrian government. Of course that is based on my own personal knowledge, and some country's military may have escaped by attention. About the only free pass I have is for American WWII vets. I always start from a position of respect for them. But as I cannot find any reasonable validation for American participation in any war since then, I cannot automatically respect any soldier after that, with the Korean War being a border-line case. And on top of the question of validity of the wars themselves, there has also been the question of how the wars were prosecuted and the secrecy surrounding the fact that ever idiot is aware of. So I have very little respect for American soldiers and if any tell me he fought for my freedom I am liable to flip him the bird.
I also have little respect for Chinese and Russian soldiers given Chinese actions against their own people and Russian actions against the Chechnyans.
If any of those want respect from me, they better talk a good talk and make a great accounting of themselves. It would be precious few who could convince me I think.
So anyway, some say that if we don't automatically respect soldiers, we won't get many to join up. And that is my point EXACTLY. We don't need so many soldiers. Its not worth the death that comes with them.