An interesting exchange on my Veterans Day post:

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I wrote about Veterans Day here, back on Monday, November 11th.

Since then, there has been an interesting exchange in the comments section of that post, which I just now read today.

First, there was this comment from an individual called the bystander:

Comment 1Then, Joe, who reads regularly and chimes in occasionally, covered my six and replied to the bystander:

Comment 2Apparently the bystander, now the new and improved the bystande, had much more to say, and today responded to Joe and to myself:

Comment 3I find this interesting in one vein and yet deeply disturbing in a number of others.

It is interesting insofar as an individual feels compelled to respond to what is customarily a puff piece on a particular holiday (whose sole job is to honor those who have served this nation) with excoriation for slights he’s never suffered, and certainly not at my hands.

It is disturbing, however, in that this individual doesn’t believe he is a part of The Greatest Generation and, that he cares not for the appellation.  I find that curious.  According to his words, though, he did not fight in WWII and apparently was too young to do so, I can only conclude.

Further disturbing is the fact that the bystander believes that my attempt to honor my father and my two uncles, who all served in WWII — and by dint, my grandfather, who served in WWI, and all those tens of thousands of persons who served their country — is somehow shallow, superficial and insincere.  Even more disturbing, that it is totally unwarranted.

As, of course, the bystander clearly speaks for each and every member of The Greatest Generation, by overwhelming proxy.

Except I suspect this is not truly the case.

In the manner of attempting to keep this discourse as civil as possible, sir, I did not come to your home and pee in your pool.  I have not knocked at your door in order to insult you personally and diminish your work and your service.  I am wondering why you may believe that coming to my blog and insulting my attempt to honor people who deserve honor, and to insult myself as well, is worthy of your time.

In reply to some of your points: obviously, having served in law enforcement for nearly 40 years isn’t virtuous.  At most, you served for four years.  And yes, I have been shot at.  And yes, I have had to shoot.  One person is no longer walking on this planet because of me.  I worked for the FBI, was a sworn US Marshal, and have worked for my current department for 36 years.  I worked Patrol, and also as an investigator in Theft, Robbery, Child Abuse, Sex Assaults, Warrants and Homicide.  Every action I take is scrutinized in courts, sometimes for weeks.  Everyone watches and everyone second guesses.  I’m sure you operated in that climate where everyone second-guessed your every action as well.  My guess is: not so much.  Your ROEs were just a tad bit less restrictive than mine.

Overall, of course, you’re correct.  I don’t understand.  I have no concept of brotherhood or service or camaraderie or bravery or fidelity or duty or sacrifice.  I’m just a stupid cop.  As you write: “Handing out traffic tickets and pulling over dumb niggers for DWB is not combat. Law enforcement is to combat as jerking off is to sex.”

So yes, I had the opportunity, via the technology of WordPress, to eliminate your comments or allow them to stand.

I allowed them to stand for a very salient reason: I am using you as an illustration.  And that is this: age and experience does not always make for compassion or wisdom or understanding.  My mother-in-law, just before she passed away, said that some persons are put on this planet as an example of what not to do.

I allowed the comments to stand because you readily made yourself appear the racist bonehead — you certainly didn’t require my assistance for that.

And you, sir, are truly an excellent illustration for my points.

Thank you kindly.

BZ

P.S.
In case any reader would like to tell this gentleman how much you embrace his thoughts, his e-mail address is: dybee@aircar.com.  You see, sir, every time you comment on a blog, the technology captures your e-mail address.  You may care to know that.

 

 

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21 thoughts on “An interesting exchange on my Veterans Day post:”

    • True, but sometimes people are such Coneheads that I simply cannot wait to allow them to be their own worst enemies and to reveal themselves for what they are.

      BZ

  2. I hate to feed these “Salon” reading trolls. Bi-sitter claims to be a Korean War vet. Doubtful at best. What this is, is an attempt to throw his juvenile thoughts into the public realm. IF he is a Korean war vet, then it’s even worse. He/she might be having a medical issue. Maybe his vagina mesh has slipped or his dosage of midol needs to be up’d. Either way, the idiots name pretty much says it all “BYSTANDER” definition. Stand by watch everyone else do something then bitch. So basically, Fuck you, you ignorant piece of shit… And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

  6. Interesting how ByStander zeroed in on Fred yet not a word for anyone else posting who also have blogs. I wonder if b.s. just happened on this blog on this particular day ‘by accident’ or has he made the rounds of other blogs commemorating Veteran’s Day?
    It is a really hostile post and a defensive one. He writes that ‘we’ don’t talk about ‘our experiences because none of you would understand.’ It made me stop and think… I’ve known a couple of combat veterans of the first Gulf war, vietnam and my father from ww2 and it is true none of them ever seemed disposed to talk about things they saw or did. They preferred to change the subject or outright say they didn’t want to talk about it.
    So who knows what BS’s issues are.
    I find it sad that he chose such antagonistic words to slam someone for honoring those who serve(d) our country .
    Veterans and Veteran’s Day deserve better than that.

  7. BZ, hope you don’t mind but I feel obligated to respond here in hopes that the bystander will see it.

    Bystander, if in fact you are really a Korean War vet then, “Thank You for your service!” I mean that most sincerely, however, if you are NOT really the vet you claim to be, go fornicate yourself!

    I am a Vietnam Vet (5 Jan 1968–4 Jan 1969) and I never said shit about that war until the 1991 Gulf War. As our guys came home, sometimes 1 at a time, sometimes in small groups, WE, meaning the local Korean War and Vietnam War vets made damned sure that there was a HUGE welcome home celebration. A celebratory welcome home including THANK YOUs, a free meal and drinks for EVERY SINGLE RETURNEE! See, we wanted to make sure that NO ONE EVER had to go through what we endured when we came home.

    You were still dead wrong in your verbal assault on that previous post. I think you may possibly be helped if you went to get checked for PTSD. You do show the signs.

  8. Something doesn’t ring true with this guy.

    Let me think … as a Korean War vet, claiming to have served – but on whose side? I can’t really recall any of the Korean vets I know of using the word “wankers” with such … authority. It is usually an English expression, and by English I mean under the Crown, not the language. If he DID serve on the US side, then he was trained by members of The Greatest Generation – and yet he has no wish to be connected to them.

    As Joe said, if bystander DID serve, I would like to extend my thanks to him for his service.

    If, however, he didn’t, and just wanted to tee off against vets in general, then he can go pound sand.

    • Cary, excellent point. The term “wanker” is British in origin and not used by people allegedly of the Korean War era. The British, however, did serve in the Korean War but BS makes himself out to be American. That said, the term IS used by younger people, say, in their 20s. You are correct. Methinks he took umbrage where none was offered. Methinks he is a younger Leftist who doesn’t care for the US military and its veterans.

      BZ

  9. I have never had the privilege of wearing the uniform of the United States armed services. Nor have I ever worked in any law enforcement capacity. I cannot speak from first-hand experience from either perspective. However, after reading this exchange I feel compelled to at least comment.
    My father was part of “the Greatest Generation”. He served with the first Marine Division in Guadalcanal, Cape Glouster, and Peleliu. He was awarded two purple hearts and a bronze star for his service. My first understanding of serving in combat came from his remembrances of bloody battles, unquenchable thirst, the feeling of hot shrapnel tearing through flesh, and the smell of the battle. My father was able to paint a mental picture that is forever etched in my memory.
    More recently, I stood by and watched one of my close friends deal with the loss of both legs, one arm, and the ability to speak or dress himself. One of the toughest guys I ever had the good fortune to know, having to start his life over due to an IED. He has made it clear to me that he has no regrets, and would do it again. I am humbled.
    In a civilian capacity, I have spent a considerable time at FOB’s in dark dangerous parts of the planet. Although I was far from harms-way, I have seen the faces of those who have just returned from a combat situation. I have seen the depth of brotherhood that these men feel for each other. I will not pretend that I “understand” because there is no way that I ever could. Nor can I pretend to understand what it must be like to work in a LEO capacity where at any time, during any day, the situation could literally explode into the loss of life and/or limb. Every call that you take from the most routine traffic stop to a known active shooter may be your last call. How could I ever “understand”? I can only appreciate.
    What I can say for sure is that I (and many others) have a profound respect for those that stand in harms-way on my behalf. Regardless of the role they play those that “serve” have and deserve my respect and admiration. To me every day is Veterans Day; every day is LEO Appreciation Day.
    Bystander, thank you for your service. Please do not be bitter of those of us who could never “understand” your service, or know you, but choose to honor you and your service anyway. If you are like most veterans and LEO’s that I know, you are uncomfortable when you are “thanked” for your service. It was just doing your duty. And that is exactly the reason we wish to honor you.

    • Thankavet, thank you for coming to my site, thank you for reading, and thanks for taking the time to comment.

      I agree with you. I still find it perplexing that an individual took umbrage about my wanting to honor the American Veteran. That simply doesn’t make sense to me.

      BZ

  10. I guess this dufuss doesn’t understand that his post can be traced directly back to the exact location where his computer is.
    Messing with old Vets and old LEO’s like he has done just may cause him to have a visitor upon his abode.
    I tracked a lot of perps this way some years ago.

    • Professor Hale, I disagree, but in degrees.

      First, however, after reading your response in your own blog — which is yours, of course, and you deserve to write what you will, when you will, as you will, MY first response was: then why did YOU serve?

      I would ask that of “the bystande.” Then why did you serve?

      And if anyone falls back to the lame “I was drafted,” then I submit: there’s always Canada.

      I must admit, there are things that simply escape me.

      That said, Professor Hale, I’m curious: WHY were you deleted by Google?

      BZ

      • I was deleted by google because of their octopus-like reach, linking all my on line accounts together, even the ones I wanted to remain isolated and insulated. When I deleted an email account that I was no longer using, Google decided to delete everything that THEY associated with that account, which included my old blog.

        • Thank you sir, just curious. I had heard about those things and decided to kill my Blogspot.com site, and then sign up and re-design entirely with WordPress, and OWN my name and server time. Google can’t kill me now.

          Blog on, sir.

          BZ

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