# They Gave Their Lives... Why Can't You Spare a Few Minutes? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331 "2008-12-09T00:40:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/81 "2008-12-10T13:26:42Z")
I think both groups agree on one fundamental thing, but we’re talking past each other. No one in this thread has said that paying respects to the dead is a bad thing, and certainly no one has said that you can’t or shouldn’t pay respects by watching the motorcade go down the street, if it makes you feel better. But not doing that is not inherently disrespectful, as several of you have claimed, one rather vociferously. Ask 100 people of their opinion of the war and you’ll get 100 different ones. I myself tend not to watch funeral processions because I tend not to know the deceased, and such an act would imply an emotion I do not feel and thus makes it an empty gesture, an act not dissimilar to worshiping on the Temple steps. If respecting the troops means so much, try volunteering at a veteran’s hospital, or if you can, at the Canadian equivalent of the USO. Write letters and send care packages to troops stationed overseas. There are a lot of ways you can show your patriotism and commitment to the troops that mean something. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/82 "2008-12-10T13:28:38Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > If respecting the troops means so much, try volunteering at a veteran’s hospital, or if you can, at the Canadian equivalent of the USO. Write letters and send care packages to troops stationed overseas. There are a lot of ways you can show your patriotism and commitment to the troops that mean something. > > Robin This. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/83 "2008-12-10T17:12:44Z")
**CrazyCat Lady** no doubt when you snuff it you wont be wanting any sort of ceremony,just dump your body on the nearest rubbish tip. After all you wont know anything about it cos you’ll be DEAD. And I wouldn’t be so quick to put words into the mouths of your relatives who have been vets. Their opinions are their own not yours. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/84 "2008-12-10T17:59:17Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > I think it’s a good thing that our soldiers who have given their lives should be driven along a main artery at a time when people will see them, and perhaps give their lives and deaths a thought or more. Would that they’d tie up the streets for long periods of time during rush hour in Washington D.C. and Ottawa then. It’s the legislators, rather than the average citizens, who need to be reminded and re-reminded of the gravity of the sacrifice. Perhaps then they’d think longer before embarking on such wasteful loss of life. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/85 "2008-12-10T19:26:25Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > **CrazyCat Lady** no doubt when you snuff it you wont be wanting any sort of ceremony,just dump your body on the nearest rubbish tip. > After all you wont know anything about it cos you’ll be DEAD. On that, I defer to the wise words of Professor Cross: “People ask me, ‘do you want to be buried or cremated’? I don’t give a shit. I don’t really care, because I \*can’t. \*I mean, at least get some use out of my body—give it to a bunch of necrophiliacs or something. Yeah, just let em have a big ol’ circle jerk, fuck me in the ass, fuck me the in the mouth, fuck me in the ear hole, eye hole, make a new hole and fuck me there! I dont care!” ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/86 "2008-12-11T19:07:35Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > I was trying to keep this civil, but I can’t. > > Go fuck yourself. How dare you paint CCL with the same broad brush that you used on our government. The American government may be acting shamefully with respect to the servicemembers they put in harm’s way, but virtually every American I know is nothing less than respectful toward our military, and especially to our war dead. When Master Sergeant Scott Ball was buried in my hometown, people left work for the day to pay their respects. Reminders of him are all over town. > > If you want to play the outrage card, fine. But if you think you can tar every American as disrespectful, you can fuck yourself sideways with a rusted grill brush. > > Bitch. > > Robin I’m not a flag waver or superpatriot, but I echo your sentiments. Do not try to paint us all with the same brush. There are those of us who DO give a shit. Even if we don’t have the autocratic power to change any of it. ---
**Author:** ![robotic\_panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@robotic\_panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robotic_panda)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331/87 "2008-12-12T11:36:24Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > We Amercuns are obviusly a insullated, nucular group, far inferior to our friends up north. How dare you! America is great and.. oh shit. There’s a dead soldier going by my street. _HONK HONK HONK_ I have a Pro-Life meeting to get to! How dare that soldier! ASS! Those darn Canadians, trying to look all compassionate. I mean, no one in the US cares about the loss of thousands. Why don’t you get with it already. ASSHOLE SHITLICKER. Sorry, I guess that’s my road rage coming out again… [not directed at **foiegrasisevil** , just using his quote as a start. Pretty obvious who i’m directed at. ASS.] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-gave-their-lives-why-cant-you-spare-a-few-minutes/476331.md?page=4)