Thread: Down right Un-American...

I too am gonna jump this ship now as I have said my peace. I thank all the vets who served us and are currently serving. You gave/give the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless the flag and all it's tenets. I respect it and know how to treat it. If you or yours don't that's your gig I guess. You live with your own conscience. Have a great day to all in whatever country you reside and peace to you. Peace is rarely free and usually but not always has to be fought for at some point in time whether it's a nation or a village...don't forget it.

I've thought about posting or not. Currently I am really not in the best frame of mind to interact with people over political issues. I should probably just withdraw into my basement for the next couple of weeks and make knives and pretend the world doesn't exist. However I think I can explain my point properly enough without making things worse so here goes.

You obviously feel very strongly about your flag. That is not a bad thing. There is protocol surrounding something you hold dear, and the protocol matters. I can understand you stopping, and getting it out of the bin. I can also understand you would want to talk to the occupant and explain why you think that it was inappropriate. Up to there, I think everyone can agree.

We all believe different things, and we all have different protocol surrounding the things we hold close to our hart. Whether the topic at hand is how we treat a flag or bible or koran, or any cultural or political controversial issue really, disagreement over cultural values should happen within the confines of the law. And usually a reasoned approach yields the best result anyway. In your case a positive approach might have educated the owner of said flag, but hammering the door, scaring his family and possibly assaulting him most assuredly would not have achieved anything positive.

Physical violence or physical intimidation over a violation to the protocols surrounding something you hold dear, that is something the world has too much of already, no matter what the actual topic at hand is. Adding more of that will not make things better for anyone.

I sat back in shear disbelief and watched you guys go off on a tangent that was entirely created by a few of you. At no point did I ever say that I was going to get physically violent with anyone. Thats just not my style. Never has been and never will be.

I have to admit that is was both fun and scary watching a few of you create that topic and run with it like you were experts on me. Might I suggest that next time you have an issue with how I word something that is unclear to you, or causes you pause, ask my to clarify my meaning or intent before you jump off that bridge like a tribe of lemmings.

The flag was in our shirt pockets, next to our bibles our family pictures while we were sent out to do violence to our enemies, the flag was also something to look at and feel like there was something to look forward to at home, we fought , we bleed , we lost friends and comrades, for the very rights we have. The flag stands for that freedom, the same freedom that an inconsiderate person has because of the men who swore an allegiance to the flag. When I come across someone who doesn't understand the disrespect, I like to see if they will go to a national cemetery, in particular the Wall at Arlington to see all the headstones who fought for that same flag that flies high at the gates. I won't condone violence to the ignorance of some, but see what me and my brother soldiers have seen, bleed the same blood in the same mud, and maybe then you will see what gets a lot of us riled at the disgrace shown to a national banner for the freedoms we have because of those of us that have served it. End of rant, please if you don't feel the respect for the flag, remember someone else bled so you can disrespect it. Very respectfully US Army Ranger 71-72 combat wounded for country and flag. Tc

Originally Posted by Suticat

I sat back in shear disbelief and watched you guys go off on a tangent that was entirely created by a few of you. At no point did I ever say that I was going to get physically violent with anyone. Thats just not my style. Never has been and never will be.

I have to admit that is was both fun and scary watching a few of you create that topic and run with it like you were experts on me. Might I suggest that next time you have an issue with how I word something that is unclear to you, or causes you pause, ask my to clarify my meaning or intent before you jump off that bridge like a tribe of lemmings.

Well, you did mention freaking out, slamming the brakes, making an illegal U-turn, banging on the door for a couple of minutes and that it was a good thing that no one answered given your state of mind at the time.

Originally Posted by Suticat

I sat back in shear disbelief and watched you guys go off on a tangent that was entirely created by a few of you. At no point did I ever say that I was going to get physically violent with anyone. Thats just not my style. Never has been and never will be.

I have to admit that is was both fun and scary watching a few of you create that topic and run with it like you were experts on me. Might I suggest that next time you have an issue with how I word something that is unclear to you, or causes you pause, ask my to clarify my meaning or intent before you jump off that bridge like a tribe of lemmings.

I can't comment on who you feel has created an imaginary idea that you're intent was violence or went off on tangents based on your original post. I certainly did neither. I did however follow what ultimately ended up being your suggestion above and asked for your clarification on comments made in your 3rd post. I was surprised you choose not to "clarify your meaning" as you suggested here. You certainly have a right not to respond but you seem to suggest a willingness to rationally discuss issues.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Well, you did mention freaking out, slamming the brakes, making an illegal U-turn, banging on the door for a couple of minutes and that it was a good thing that no one answered given your state of mind at the time.

Well. There is that .......... maybe it was all just for dramatic effect?

Originally Posted by Suticat

I sat back in shear disbelief and watched you guys go off on a tangent that was entirely created by a few of you. At no point did I ever say that I was going to get physically violent with anyone. Thats just not my style. Never has been and never will be.

I have to admit that is was both fun and scary watching a few of you create that topic and run with it like you were experts on me. Might I suggest that next time you have an issue with how I word something that is unclear to you, or causes you pause, ask my to clarify my meaning or intent before you jump off that bridge like a tribe of lemmings.

It's like a train wreck,I couldn't resist.I re read your OP and you are actuallly correct. There was definitely communication breakdown going on in this thread followed by Inflammatory comments which blew the gas up here. I am willing to bet that it was assumed you were going to be violent when comments like"After beating on the door for a few minutes they didn't answer or weren't home."and "Which in hindsight was probably smart given my state of mind on the issue at hand." and " Ive never been so infuriated at anyone that lived that close to me." These three key statements I beleive are what set the paranoia machine rolling. But when you really look at the OP carefully ,you never said you were going to beat the life out of them upon them answering the door. So the sky is not falling. This along with a few personal opinions on the flag I believe is where it fell apart. That being said and this is not a personal chew on you but, as you have seen ,political stuff here can get hot quick which is why we have bans on certain types of threads . So there ya go. Peace my brother....your a father ,a family man and you were just mad at the time and wanted to say something to the person that set it off. Fair enough.....again not meant to be a personal attack,maybe the descriptions of your anger may have or not been a bit too descriptive but you are correct in that "WE" should've read more carefully and been a bit more mature in our assumptions and If I am only speaking for myself and am alone here then fine too but I'm just saying. Have a peaceful day sir.

Originally Posted by Suticat

I sat back in shear disbelief and watched you guys go off on a tangent that was entirely created by a few of you. At no point did I ever say that I was going to get physically violent with anyone. Thats just not my style. Never has been and never will be.

I have to admit that is was both fun and scary watching a few of you create that topic and run with it like you were experts on me. Might I suggest that next time you have an issue with how I word something that is unclear to you, or causes you pause, ask my to clarify my meaning or intent before you jump off that bridge like a tribe of lemmings.

'I hit the brakes scaring my passengers a bit, did an illegal u-turn and pulled in their driveway. After beating on the door for a few minutes they didn't answer or weren't home. Which in hindsight was probably smart given my state of mind on the issue at hand.'

That passage from the original post seems to be at odds with the one above 'At no point did I ever say that I was going to get physically violent with anyone. Thats just not my style.'

If it's not your style - maybe you need to re-consider how you word your posts - you certainly came across to me as if there was a purple vein throbbing in your forehead.