Cut his Social Security, Medicare and food stamps! After all, what's that old coot ever done for me?

[Scuba]

[Frustratedlady]

1. Wow! Think they'll catch on to the meaning of that picture? eom

[rhett o rick]

10. Hell no. The ruling class doesnt give a shit. We are all just cannon fodder. And their minions

arent smart enough to figure it out.

[valerief]

23. Yes. He's already helped the rich get richer. He can't do that for them now.

Just another waste of oxygen to them.

[earthside]

27. And Americans fall for it with every war.

Armistice Day was about the end of the horror of 'The Great War'.

Veterans Day has morphed into essentially a glorification of war day, like Decoration Day into Memorial Day ... and how virtually every holiday has become a 'don't forget the troops' occasion.

No matter how awful war is, no matter how often we are usually deceived into the reason for them, average Americans (and regular folks in other countries, too) are suckers for the patriotism and nationalism that feed the military machine that makes billionaires out of arms manufacturers ... and grinds working class 'soldiers' into blood and bone.

One of these days you'd think we'd learn that there is no separating the warrior from the war ... or perhaps better put ... the warrior from the war machine.

I really regret this 'holiday' -- instead of all this sentimentality about war and sacrifice, wouldn't it be great to hope for a day a few generations from now when there finally wouldn't be any veterans left?

In the mean time, the cartoon makes a very valid point that is too often forgotten -- the rich get richer and the soldier, the laborer, the poor, the working peole get scapegoated for all the nation's problems.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. That might be

One of the best 'illustrations' of the point and what's at stake I've ever seen. Many thanks for posting this!

[COLGATE4]

3. A classic!! This should (but won't) be

appearing in every US media outlet this Veterans Day.

[trotsky]

4. A powerful picture, but I have mixed feelings about using it for that purpose.

Entitlements like Social Security and Medicare are earned by everyone, not just soldiers. And food stamps should be given not because someone earned them fighting in a war, but because we should be doing the compassionate thing and feeding our fellow citizens.

[Scuba]

5. I understand your point. The shadow might as well be a doctor, teacher or fireman.

[pinboy3niner]

6. The point is that those hurt by cuts are not the "lazy freeloaders" of RW claims

Highlighting war veterans suffering benefit cuts counters false RW portrayals of benefit recipients. Effects of cuts on children also have been highlighted to show the real consequences.

[DonCoquixote]

20. I see your point, however

The fact that we do not even feed people that did fight for their country shows an even greater crassness and meanness, as well as one point, if we do not respect our veterans, who DO we respect?

[cui bono]

34. I was thinking the exact same thing.

Only I would add that also, why is that the most noble thing a person can do for their country? A lot of people slaved, literally, building all the infrastructure, people save lives on a daily basis as civilians, people raise quality people, people teach other people, etc... etc... etc... Everyone contributes in their own way.

[woo me with science]

37. +1

[AAO]

7. I like it!

Is there anyway you can put the: "Cut his Social Security, Medicare and food stamps! After all, what's that old coot ever done for me?" imeded in the photo? Then I could make it my desktop background and really piss off the rightwingers where I work!

[Scuba]

8. Good idea. Maybe one of our photoshoppers can help out, please???

[Johnny Noshoes]

9. As it is written so shall it be done....

[malaise]

11. K & R

for truth

[Scuba]

14. Thank you!

[AAO]

15. Awesome! I'm stealing it!

Thanks, Johnny, your a real pal!

[Johnny Noshoes]

16. You're welcome.

[azurnoir]

32. K&R

[azurnoir]

33. another question why should a veteran

have to be on foodstamps in the first place?

The way in which we care for our veterans is shameful

[Aviation Pro]

12. Based on his age...

...his shadow should be carrying an M-1 and he should be wearing a steel pot.

Thank you, each and every WWII vet, for your service. You are a dwindling few.

[Scuba]

13. Yeah, probably too old for the gear, but point made anyway.

[dickthegrouch]

17. That's premature aging

Due to handling depleted uranium munitions without adequate safeguards or training, being exposed to CS and tear gas, being flown around the world in inadequately air-conditioned cargo holds, and a host of other indignities we put our so-well-supported troops through.

[Aviation Pro]

18. I handled depleted uranium sabot rounds...

...and was exposed to them every time I was in my tank. Hasn't affected me thus far.

[jmowreader]

21. "Honey, turn off the light." "It IS off."

Have you ever had this conversation? It might be because of the sabot rounds.

[bvar22]

28. Not everyone who has smoked cigarettes develops Lung Cancer,

....but smoking is directly implicated in causing this disease.
It sometimes doesn't manifest itself until many, many years after smoking the last cigarette.

Your anecdotal testimony is noted.
Good Luck!

[progressoid]

31. The unexploded ordnance aren't a big concern.

It's likely, your tank may even have been lined with DU.

But once exploded...

In military conflicts involving DU munitions, the major concern is inhalation of DU particles in aerosols arising from the impacts of DU-enhanced projectiles with their targets.[69] When depleted uranium munitions penetrate armor or burn, they create depleted uranium oxides in the form of dust that can be inhaled or contaminate wounds. The Institute of Nuclear Technology-Radiation Protection of Attiki, Greece, has noted that "the aerosol produced during impact and combustion of depleted uranium munitions can potentially contaminate wide areas around the impact sites or can be inhaled by civilians and military personnel."[9] The utilisation of DU in incendiary ammunition is controversial because of potential adverse health effects and its release into the environment.

...
Militaries have long had risk-reduction procedures for their troops to follow, and studies are in consistent agreement that veterans who used DU-enhanced munitions have not suffered, so far, from an increased risk of cancer. The effects of DU on civilian populations are, however, a topic of intense and ongoing controversy.

...

Iraqi population

Since 2001, medical personnel at the Basra hospital in southern Iraq have reported a sharp increase in the incidence of child leukemia and genetic malformation among babies born in the decade following the Gulf War. Iraqi doctors attributed these malformations to possible long-term effects of DU, an opinion that was echoed by several newspapers.[74][125][126][127] In 2004, Iraq had the highest mortality rate due to leukemia of any country.[128] In 2003, the Royal Society called for Western militaries to disclose where and how much DU they had used in Iraq so that rigorous, and hopefully conclusive, studies could be undertaken out in affected areas.[129] The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW) likewise urged that an epidemiological study be made in the Basra region, as asked for by Iraqi doctors,[130] but no peer-reviewed study has yet been undertaken in Basra.

A medical survey, "Cancer, Infant Mortality and Birth Sex Ratio in Fallujah, Iraq 2005–2009" published in July 2010, states that the "Increase in cancer and birth defects…are alarmingly high" and that infant mortality 2009/2010 has reached 13.6%. The group compares the dramatic increase, five years after the actual war 2004, or exposure, with the lymphoma Italian peacekeepers[131] developed after the Balkan wars, and the increased cancer risk in certain parts of Sweden due to the Chernobyl fallout. The origin and time of introduction of the carcinogenic agent causing the genetic stress, the group will address in a separate report.[132]

Four studies in the second half of 2012—one of which described the people of Fallujah as having "the highest rate of genetic damage in any population ever studied"—renewed calls for the US and UK to investigate the possible links between their military assault on the city in 2004 and the explosion in deformities, cancers, and other serious health problems, even though no depleted uranium was found in soil samples taken from Fallujah.[133][134]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium#Gulf_War_syndrome_and_soldier_complaints

[Aviation Pro]

35. Yep...

...we used radiology buttons to monitor the rounds in the tanks and one of the chief concern was a bent tip (the projectile's nose). Once a live round exited the gun tube there was a 10' halo of contaminated air all the way through to the target. Once the slug impacted the target - especially if it was a hard target - the heat would reenergize the uranium and splash the stuff all over the place.

Nasty business.

[Orsino]

19. Well, it's hard to argue that all those wars were for you...

...but the essential point stands tall.

[sulphurdunn]

22. The image is moving. As a veteran

it makes me feel good, but to this hypothetical asshole who wants to know what this old coot did for him today, I say that I don't know and I don't care. I worked and served this country for 40 years in one capacity or another. As for receiving benefits shrimp dick wants to cut, I've paid far more into them than he has, and I don't much give a shit whether he likes paying into the system or not. I intend to see that the thumb sucking, whiny little fuck pays his taxes, and that I get the part I've earned from them. And, unlike the gentleman in the picture, I'm not stooped and I don't use a cane, but I could use one to administer a little educational, non-verbal persuasion upside this asshole's teabags, because my patience with these knuckle walkers has reached the breaking point.

[SnowCritter]

24. ^^^^^

What he said!

[ConcernedCanuk]

25. USA treats its Veterans like shit

.
.
.

I know - I lived in San Diego 79 - 80

First room-mates were 2 young vets from Vietnam

Had occasion to visit a vets hospital more than once in SanDee

What I heard from my room-mates, and what I saw in the VA hospital disturbed me greatly.

What I see now on how the USA treats its veterans convinces me the mentality of the "powers that be" has not changed for the better.

And not likely to in the near future . . .

(sigh)

CC

[HockeyMom]

26. Sending this to my Republican, Veteran husband

Yes, I think even he will give it a thumps up!

[WillyT]

29. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[stage left]

30. great big K&R

For a very powerful image. I'm reposting it. Thanks Scuba and thanks Johnny for the lettering on the picture.

[KT2000]

36. this is great!

Going to share it.
We could do a series on this. The shadow could be any number of people. It seems what is on the table now is our humanity.

[world wide wally]

38. Everyone should see this picture. It's worth far more than just a thousand words.