Yesterday was Veterans Day! As a family we sometimes all go out and eat, There are many restaurants offering free meals to veterans. Yes, we still had to pay for the rest of the family to eat but it is all good, right?
Let's think about this for a moment! It is great for all the vets that are homeless they get a free meal, right? Many times they are turned down because of not having the required documentation for that. Many times it is that the restaurants think they are doing a service to veterans or is it the fact that many make this a commercial holiday, so to speak, as most veterans will also bring family members with them to eat. This is all a money-making thing for most restaurants. They all know this and to me use this as a lure to make more money.
I have to say this about Memorial Day also. How many times have we went to the grocery store around Memorial Day and many of the bread and chip shelves are empty? Not to mention all the meat counters are mainly bare!
Ok, let's talk about the VA they are good at treating symptoms but ignoring the problem. They always say it was not documented in the records so we cannot diagnose the problem but we can give you medications to treat the symptoms. Keep you numb and medicated so you are not a bother to people or the VA.
Sometimes there are signs on the wall but it seems it has two meanings. I think that rings true to many Veterans with the commercial side of those specific days. The restaurants it is a packed house and with the grocery industry on people having BBQ and spending money. I think it is more for the people that have never served to sit and think about what the freedoms they enjoy means. The lives that were sacrificed and the lives that are broken and damaged by what many did to keep the freedoms many enjoy in place. To the Veterans, it is not a day to remember really but to thank our fellow brothers and sisters in arms for their sacrifices and do our best to honor their memories, because, as veterans, we will remember it every day and through the nightmares, many of us have at night.
I think we live in a world where these two holidays are simply being commercialized and the true meaning of the holidays is missed. Many may not see it like this and that is fine, you have the freedom to disagree with this. Just remember what the cost for those freedoms has been and without a doubt still cost many people in future years. Just my two cents and my opinion on this! What are your thoughts on this, leave them in the comments below!
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