Glenn Koster wrote:

> John Dunlop wrote (in reply to the tribute to our veterans):
>
> > Umm, there's a place for this stuff. In my personal opinion this ain't
> > it!
>
> I'm don't agree with this John.  First of all, Tim did designate the message
> as "off topic".  This list has a tradition of accepting off-topic ideas and
> messages.
>
> If your concern is over the fact that this is an international list, let me
> assure you that the holiday has traditionally been celebrated in many more
> countries than just the US.  It was at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
> 11th month that the "war to end all wars" (WW-I) ended.  The holiday was
> originally created to honor those veterans.  When WW-II was over, the
> holiday declaration was ammended to honor those vets as well.  As it has
> been continuously since (with Korea, Viet Nam, etc.).
>
> If your concern is over the political implications of honoring veterans whom
> you do not respect or admire, that is your perrogative.  However, this is
> not a politically motivated holiday, but a holiday created out of gratitude
> by a grateful world for a job well done at the time.
>
> I personally feel that the world owes the veterans of this world a
> tremendous debt of gratitude for the freedoms that most of us enjoy.  I
> grant that not every war ever fought was fought for the best of reasons, but
> the veterans who fought did so with pride and gallantry.  The holiday is a
> tribute to both the living and the dead.  The number of years that we have
> left to honor living WW-I and WW-II veterans is fast diminishing.  I truly
> think that we should be reminded of this as we approach this historical day.
>
> I urge everyone, everywhere to honor not only the US servicemen who fought
> and died, but to honor servicemen everywhere who have gallantly given of the
> best years of their lives - and in some cases their very lives - to defend
> and preserve the freedoms that we now take for granted.  One day may we all
> live in peace and freedom.
>
> Glenn

Glenn,


I hope we get peace on earth for all. For the French have used this week to
issue a Law condemning the Turkish army in 1915 for killing a great amount of
Armenians.  The Turkish were fighting a war that they thought to be for a good
cause. The soldiers that died there are now condemned by a nation that was
fighting a war were war gasses were used near Verdun, none of the parties that
were fighting on the Western front were condemned for Genoside. Some parts of
the woods are still unable to recover and the Vetarans that survived had
breathing problems for the rest of their lives.

I admit that we have to honour our Vetarans, but there may be limits to what we
should honour in their actions. Especially the generals who knew what they were
doing and still gave the orders to destroy so many lives for no reason.

The USA may have to come to terms with the products of the Los Alamos project,
Horishima and Nagasaki or the Vietnam war.

As a Dutchman I have problems with the Dutch Politional Actions in Indonesia of
1949, I am not proud of the killing of millions of Javanians for Queen and
Country. How can I go to a country where some of my family members may have
killed some of the inocent people, without feeling sade for the local people?

Sorry for this reply, but the subject is really about politics. If I offended
you then I am sorry.


Regards,


Jan Gerrit Kootstra