Some of the approximately 4,000 cadets in formation on A Day 2012
I’m in a motel near West Point this morning, getting ready to head home after a too short day-and-a-half with our second son, a cadet at the United States Military Academy.
Saturday was Acceptance Day (commonly known as A Day) at the the Point. Approximately 1,000 cadets finished six weeks of Cadet Basic Training (commonly known as Beast) and officially joined the Long Gray Line in a formal ceremony on The Plain, a huge parade ground on post.
We then enjoyed a day-and-a-half with our son, before saying our goodbyes Sunday evening.
I normally post Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So I was planning to post this morning.
But another one of our kids, who lives on the East Coast, skidded in last night to see her brother before he returned to post. As a result, we get to spend a few hours today with her before we scatter again.
So I’m spending this morning hanging out with my daughter instead of with you. I’ll hope to see you again on Wednesday. But for now, back to the coffee and conversation. . . .
I was wondering if you noticed, while at West Point, anyone showing the flag upside down? Or is that something you do on your blog as a proud mom to show your disrespect for your son and nation?
I wonder what response you would have had while at West Point if you had carried a flag in such a fashion. It seems easy for you to display the flag in a disrespectul fashion as you do on your blog, but then you have the chutzpah to make yourself so ‘red-white-and-blue’ with a son at West Point.
There are no words to underscore how many Americans–I would arge the majority if put up to a poll–feel about the way you dishonor the flag on your blog. You can prance all about how the flag in such a state is meant to send a message.
That is just horse rot and you know it–you are in no position or pay grade to offer such a message, or make such a conclusion.
I really wish you had to the chance to hear from real men who have finished their time at West Point and serve this nation about the way you present the flag they serve–but you willfully dishonor.
Well, Gregory.
I was wondering when you would be back to throw darts at this blogger.
I guess you don’t really understand the significance of an upside down flag.
(It’s an international symbol. When a flag is put upside down it means that that country needs help.)
“Real men”? Wow. Just wow. You owe a huge apology, Gregory, to all the female cadets and old grads at West Point, not to mention all soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and veterans who are women.
You show a lack of understanding of how the military functions in our society with your comment about me not being in a pay grade to conclude that our country is in distress. We have gone to great lengths throughout our history to keep our military under civilian command. As civilians, you and I outrank the Joint Chiefs. That’s accepted military doctrine, and they would tell you the same thing. Your notion that you have to have a military pay grade to be entitled to conclude that your country is in distress is bizarre. It would be out of place in a Third World country ruled by a military junta, and it’s even more out of place in a liberal democracy.
And you continue to manufacture and attack a straw man rather than my actual position in your attacks on my upside down flag.
First, you need to go back and actually read this post. I wasn’t making myself red-white-and-blue. Nor was I “prancing” about the flag. I was merely explaining why I was wasn’t posting.
Then you need to go back and read this post. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time–which I know you have–the notion that I’m an uncritical fan of the U.S. military making myself red-white-and-blue (whatever that means) is ridiculous.
And you need to go back and read the Flag Code:
And that is, of course (as I told you the last time you attacked my flag photo), exactly how I’m using it–squarely within the parameters of the Flag Code. I’m using it as a signal of dire distress because we are in a situation of extreme danger to liberty, as well as to life and property.
And, ironically, you’re right–you literally do have no words to describe how Americans feel about my use of the flag! You have yet to adduce any evidence, other than your own say-so, that my use of the flag is disrespectful. On the contrary, it’s a sign of my respect for our flag and for the republic for which it stands: I care too much about our nation to remain silent and say nothing.
Finally, Gregory, I wonder how many of your friends are “real men” (and real women!) serving in our nation’s military. I’m married to a 26-year combat veteran, and have had friends on active duty, both men and woman, my entire adult life. Several of them read this blog. None of them have ever expressed any heartburn over my symbolism. I’ve asked some of them about it specifically, and they get the symbolism. So I’m not worried about your hypothetical “real men” and their hypothetical outrage.
Okay, Gregory, you want to hear a “real man”‘s opinion. Let’s see if you think I qualify. No, I’m not a West Point grad. However, I served more than two decades in the United States Air Force, flew 21 Joint Chiefs of Staff directed Special Operations missions, completed 5 combat tours, and retired as a Colonel. My awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal for combat sorties, Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf cluster for life-saving missions, Aerial Achievement Medal for combat support sorties. And I’ve buried 31 friends who died in the line of duty over the course of that career. Is that real enough for you?
So what about you? What has YOUR service been to this nation? What sacrifices have you made? How have you earned the right to question the motives of someone who has sacrificed as much as the author has? She supported and stood by a husband for 26 years of deployments. She was both mom and dad to her kids on way too many holidays, birthdays, and special events. She supported a daughter through two of her son-in-law’s combat deployments in Iraq. She helped friends bury their son when he was killed in Iraq. She is now supporting a son at West Point, in spite of knowing all too well what risks that entails. She’s more than earned her right to express her opinions. What have you done to earn your right to attack her?
This isn’t my opinion, it’s a fact: The author is expressing her constitutionally protected opinion that this country is in trouble. She has a right to her opinion and she is expressing it in a way that is specifically authorized by federal statute.
Now for my opinion: Neither this blog or its use of our flag is disrespectful of our flag, our nation, or the men and women who serve in our military. This blog is far more respectful of the flag and our country than those who burn the flag as a protest. It respects our service members more than Senator Patty Murray (D, WA), who advocates cutting medical benefits and retirement pay to help balance the budget while she votes to raise congressional pay. And this blog is much more respectful than someone who accuses the author of hypocrisy and false patriotism when all she did was explain why she didn’t post as usual on Monday.
I’m not offended by this author’s use of the American flag. I AM, however offended by your baseless attacks. I am offended by the way you slight the women who have served this country. (Only “real men” have a right to an opinion? REALLY? What rock do you live under?) I’ve read some of your previous responses to this blog and I am offended by your personal attacks. You don’t address the issues, you attack the author. If you disagree with her opinion, feel free to express your opinion in a civil and respectful manner. If you can’t do that, and I’ve seen no evidence that you can, feel free to shut up.
destroyed^^^ haha.