Recently, we took Mr. Baboon’s grandfather to buy a new car. His heart was set on an Infinity until he realized that it was a Japanese company.
He was a pilot in the south Pacific during WW2. His feelings on American and Patriotism are, as can be imagined, rather strong.
This made me think, as we head towards another major conflict:
What do other vets currently think about the ‘enemy’?
(to clarify,I am referring to the enemy that you fought against in the war).
Do you still feel that they are an enemy? Did you then?
Given a chance, would you enlist now?
Would you go visit that country now?
I am not looking into starting a discussion as to war is bad or good, but rather what your feelings are currently.
Thank you for sharing.
And thank you for doing such a difficult job, in case you haven’t heard it today.
[hijack]
If you think it will help, you can tell Grandpa that Nissan employs thousands of Americans at a few different manufacturing facilites right in the good 'ol US of A.
And the Nissan plant in Tennessee also makes parts for some American cars… the Ford Windstar comes to the tip of my tongue but I might be mistaken. (Just to clarify, Infiniti is a Nissan brand). They are opening a new plant in Mississippi that will employ 5,300 Americans.
I believe that Honda and Toyota both also do the majority of their manufacturing (of cars intended for sale in the U.S.) in the U.S.
“Buying American” is a VERY confusing business these days.
I agree that buying American is not so clear cut these days.
However, Grandad is rather set in his ways. While he only drives to church and to the grocery he is still very spry.
He went out and got a new computer and sends us e-mails! He has an I-Pod, even. You go Grandad!
We figured that if buying an “American” Car makes him happy, more power to him.
I was just wondering how other vets feel about those types of issues.
I will NEVER, EVER, drive an Iraqi car. AND YOU SHOULDN’T EITHER!!! Or a North Korean car, or a Vietnamese car. Hmm… we seem to have less opulent enemies these last few wars.
My “enemy” is the “enemy” again today, but I don’t consider the average Iraqi grunt a bad guy, he just has bad leadership. I do not plan any visits to Iraq unless I am armed and in uniform, and I would go if asked.
BNB, I am not a veteran, but have noticed some veterans of WWII going back to the sites of the battles they were involved in, with an attitude of CONTEXT…within the times of the battles and conflicts; I think this is good and healthy, for them as well as for the opponents they have sometimes met and talked with. To me, that seems so right, so honest, so forthright…it is to be viewed within the context of the times; and to be looked back on with forgiveness and understanding. If there is ever any lesson to be learned from war, please; let it be this.
Excellent points SRB. I was in the military but not during wartime so I don’t have any direct experience. Most of the war veterans I have talked with don’t seem to hold any animosity towards the soldiers on the other side. They seem to feel that the opposing soldiers were just doing their job the same as they were. Of course that is a very small sample so I don’t know how most combat veterans feel about it.
Same here, BNB. I would hope that is the final thoughts of the brave people who fought those wars, but I do know that is not always the case. It’s a hard point to reach in thinking, and not easily accomplished.
The examples I mentioned were gleaned from things I read of, about veterans returning to …the site of the Pearl Harbor attacks,while they were accompanied by Japanese men who had flown the planes that actually did the attacking. I have to say I was deeply impressed with their abilities to view things in the past…and within the context of that time, and…to see it slightly differently now.