Comments on: Veterans Day

By: Antoni Jaume

Antoni Jaume — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 20:25:06 +0000

Steve, so you may have a more extensive answer to who is GHW Bush: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/G.-H.-W.-Bush However, I think that the Bush family had been trading with Hitler Germany up till they declared war on the USA a few days after Pearl Harbor. DSW

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:38:44 +0000

I wish I'd seen the Tacitus quote when I posted on Citizen Smash in response to this cartoon.

By: nick

nick — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:01:23 +0000

A contrast: North American obituaries tend to be much more biographical than their British counterparts. You get the whole life story related in the back of the Asheville Squirrel-Telegraph, whereas the Northern Echo only has ‘Died peacefully aged 87 after a long illness, beloved wife of Fred, mother of Tom, Dick and Harry, grandmother of Huey, Louie and Dewey.’ Perhaps the grave epitaphs compensate (though my experience is that they’re usually as succinct). The most eloquent memorials, though, are those honouring the Great War dead in small villages: people who often fell together, on the same day, neighbours and brothers and fathers and sons. Seeing surname after surname repeated for a place that counts perhaps a few hundred residents is heart-stopping.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 06:44:32 +0000

Steve, H.W. is W.’s father. Served in WW2.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 05:21:14 +0000

Why in the world do you owe anything to GHW Bush? He dodged the draft, and has now foolishly put so many Americans in danger. I did, and do support the war effort – but had I known how unprepared we were, boy would my attitude have been different. Bush is a moron, with a bunch of competent people around him calling the shots. Only problem is that the people calling the shots think its still 1960, when they first got into government.

By: rilkefan

rilkefan — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 02:24:25 +0000

Agreed. Incidentally, note that Tacitus writes (see http://38.144.96.23/tacitus/archives/001130.html#001130) re Kos’s Veteran’s Day posts: Honor veterans, but don’t trust those who use their vet status as a cudgel to claim moral superiority over you or others—especially when they equate their morality and their politics. Furthermore, don’t let anyone appropriate this day for partisan gain, left or right.

By: wc

wc — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 01:37:41 +0000

Alright language police. Enough is Enuff.

By: enthymeme

enthymeme — Tue, 11 Nov 2003 22:23:52 +0000

You missed the one in the second paragraph sir. Cheers!

By: Ted Barlow

Ted Barlow — Tue, 11 Nov 2003 22:16:00 +0000

Good point. It’s just been corrected; thanks.

By: enthymeme

enthymeme — Tue, 11 Nov 2003 22:11:29 +0000

Epitaff, epitaph.