Pris & David 7: Wall to Wall Wallers

[luv2laugh]

Ever since Joshgate, the Wallers practically went radio silent and off grid. They used to do YouTube videos almost weekly, frequent blog updates, Instagram pics, and had daily twitter updates. It was basically like a part-time ministry job for them. Now they mainly stick to Instagram and send out a YouTube video, tweet, or blog post a few times a year or so. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

11 hours ago, luv2laugh said:

Ever since Joshgate, the Wallers practically went radio silent and off grid. They used to do YouTube videos almost weekly, frequent blog updates, Instagram pics, and had daily twitter updates. It was basically like a part-time ministry job for them. Now they mainly stick to Instagram and send out a YouTube video, tweet, or blog post a few times a year or so. 

It’s probably a smart move. Pecan has a job in IBLP and he needs to draw in new families if he wants to keep that job. So he is sticking to the safe posts about family and friendship. 

[Audrey2]

12 hours ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

@Audrey2, there was a couple on my local news making the same point as you, about "Happy Memorial Day" being inappropriate. Their 19 year old son died in Afghanistan 15 years ago. It was a good reminder of the original intent of the day. 

This reminds me of when I was a kid. My home town always has a Memorial Day Parade that processes to the town cemetery for a very nice service put on by the American Legion. As you can imagine, there are lots of flags, marching Veterans' Groups, and older veterans who ride in cars. As a child, I remember the cars carrying WW 1 veterans, as well as the cars carrying Gold Star Mothers. Even as a child, I remember being very upset to learn what it meant to be a Gold Star Mother. It's the most elite, heartbreaking club that no one wants to join.

(Starting at least during World War 2, families would hang a special flag in their window with a blue star for each man that was serving. When the dreaded telegram came, informing them of their husband or son's death, they'd replace a blue star with a gold star. Even typing this is getting to me.)

[HarryPotterFan]

14 hours ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

@Audrey2, there was a couple on my local news making the same point as you, about "Happy Memorial Day" being inappropriate. Their 19 year old son died in Afghanistan 15 years ago. It was a good reminder of the original intent of the day. 

How the fuck has this war been going on for that long?

[Augustus]

Wow, the US is so different from Canada. I never thought about what Memorial Day was for. I would have guessed it was just a "We are a great nation day, let's have then day off and picnic." In Canada we have Remeberance Day. It is on November 14th, people wear poppies and most people have to go to work. There are ceremonies performed all over and in schools to honour those who fought in the war. (Ontario, i know other provinces do things differently.) also weird memeorial day is always after Victoria Day, which is just a start to summer and a good day to go camping in Canada. And that is proper holiday, again in Ontario.

[ViolaSebastian]

52 minutes ago, HarryPotterFan said:

How the fuck has this war been going on for that long?

I calculated the other day that the U.S. has been at war for half my lifetime. It’d be unbelievable if it weren’t so sad. 

39 minutes ago, Augustus said:

Wow, the US is so different from Canada. I never thought about what Memorial Day was for. I would have guessed it was just a "We are a great nation day, let's have then day off and picnic." In Canada we have Remeberance Day. It is on November 14th, people wear poppies and most people have to go to work. There are ceremonies performed all over and in schools to honour those who fought in the war. (Ontario, i know other provinces do things differently.) also weird memeorial day is always after Victoria Day, which is just a start to summer and a good day to go camping in Canada. And that is proper holiday, again in Ontario.

The U.S. has Veterans Day in November, and that’s when you’ll find people selling/wearing poppies. 

[HarryPotterFan]

54 minutes ago, Augustus said:

Wow, the US is so different from Canada. I never thought about what Memorial Day was for. I would have guessed it was just a "We are a great nation day, let's have then day off and picnic." In Canada we have Remeberance Day. It is on November 14th, people wear poppies and most people have to go to work. There are ceremonies performed all over and in schools to honour those who fought in the war. (Ontario, i know other provinces do things differently.) also weird memeorial day is always after Victoria Day, which is just a start to summer and a good day to go camping in Canada. And that is proper holiday, again in Ontario.

The Fourth of July is more about celebrating our nation. Fireworks, hot dogs, hamburgers, parades, drunken screaming about how we are the world’s greatest nation ever...

16 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

I calculated the other day that the U.S. has been at war for half my lifetime. It’d be unbelievable if it weren’t so sad. 

The U.S. has Veterans Day in November, and that’s when you’ll find people selling/wearing poppies. 

Fuck, over half my life time since I think you’re a couple years older than me. I feel like a lot of our generation doesn’t even remember what it’s like not to be at war, and the generations after us have never experienced that. People who have always lived in a nation at war can soon fight in them.

I can’t even remember the time before all the extra security in airports took place...

[Carm_88]

1 hour ago, Augustus said:

Wow, the US is so different from Canada. I never thought about what Memorial Day was for. I would have guessed it was just a "We are a great nation day, let's have then day off and picnic." In Canada we have Remeberance Day. It is on November 14th, people wear poppies and most people have to go to work. There are ceremonies performed all over and in schools to honour those who fought in the war. (Ontario, i know other provinces do things differently.) also weird memeorial day is always after Victoria Day, which is just a start to summer and a good day to go camping in Canada. And that is proper holiday, again in Ontario.

November 11th is Remembrance Day, the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. Every province in Canada commemorates it the same way with services at the War Memorial where people lay wreathes and later poppies. It's a National Holiday and I'm not sure that most people have to go to work. I know it's a holiday that we always had off. Some people do need to work for it, especially if you're in the service industry or work in a hospital. Most stores tend to be closed or only open after 11. 

Victoria Day is in reference to the birthday of Queen Victoria and falls either directly on the 24th of May or the Monday before that. It's considered the first long weekend of Summer, aka May 2-4 weekend. 

That being said Remembrance Day or Memorial Day was July First in Newfoundland when it was a province and there is still a morning ceremony at the War Memorial in St. John's on that day. People often place Forget Me Nots down at the War Memorial to commemorate the Newfoundland Regiment being wiped out at the Somme. 

[Audrey2]

Remembrance Day is honored in the nation's that make up the British Commonwealth, as all of those countries sent mant troops to fight alongside the British in World War 1. These countries were involved in a hideous, bloody war caught in the trenches from 1914-1918. Up until World War 2, it was the most awful worldwide conflict. Much of a generation of young men was wiped out. The United States became involved in this conflict in 1917. Armistice was declared on the 11 day of the 11 month at 11 a.m. in 1918, which is the foundation for Remembrance Day, known as Armistice Day or Veterans Day in other Countries. The United States had fought it's most devistating war, the American Civil War from 1861-1865, so it already had a day in place, May 31, to honor those who had died in the Civil War. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe in the South there is also another day, that's kind of like a Confederate Memorial Day, that is still celebrated. At some point, after the Armistice ending World War 1, the United States adopted this date as a day to honor all of those veterans who have served and not just remember those who have passed away in armed conflict.

[Augustus]

15 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

I calculated the other day that the U.S. has been at war for half my lifetime. It’d be unbelievable if it weren’t so sad. 

The U.S. has Veterans Day in November, and that’s when you’ll find people selling/wearing poppies. 

 

18 minutes ago, Carm_88 said:

November 11th is Remembrance Day, the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. Every province in Canada commemorates it the same way with services at the War Memorial where people lay wreathes and later poppies. It's a National Holiday and I'm not sure that most people have to go to work. I know it's a holiday that we always had off. Some people do need to work for it, especially if you're in the service industry or work in a hospital. Most stores tend to be closed or only open after 11. 

Victoria Day is in reference to the birthday of Queen Victoria and falls either directly on the 24th of May or the Monday before that. It's considered the first long weekend of Summer, aka May 2-4 weekend. 

That being said Remembrance Day or Memorial Day was July First in Newfoundland when it was a province and there is still a morning ceremony at the War Memorial in St. John's on that day. People often place Forget Me Nots down at the War Memorial to commemorate the Newfoundland Regiment being wiped out at the Somme. 

I don't know why I always think of it as the 14th, stupid typo. And yes in my area nothing extra is closed besides government jobs. 

[Palimpsest]

3 minutes ago, Augustus said:

I don't know why I always think of it as the 14th, stupid typo. And yes in my area nothing extra is closed besides government jobs. 

As @Audrey2 said, it is November 11 for the Commonwealth.  I remember from my youth the 2 minute silence "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" observed very conscientiously.  I'm not sure when that stopped.  It was never a day off though.

Nowadays in the UK it is celebrated on Remembrance Sunday (second Sunday in November).  Hardly anyone observes the 2 minutes of silence unless they are in church or at a war memorial.

3 minutes ago, Audrey2 said:

the United States adopted this date as a day to honor all of those veterans who have served and not just remember those who have passed away in armed conflict.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day

[Hane]

6 minutes ago, Augustus said:

 

I don't know why I always think of it as the 14th, stupid typo. And yes in my area nothing extra is closed besides government jobs. 

That’s OK: November 14 is my birthday—and the day I’ll be retiring!

[PennySycamore]

I was watching the Downton Abbey episode where the family and servants all gathered in the hall to hear the clock strike 11 on 11 November, 1918.  I'd like this year to have a clock striking at 11 AM GMT to honor the centenary of the ending of The Great War.  Does that sound weird?  One of these days, I'd also like to visit the grave of my grandmother-in-law's brother who was killed in the war and is buried in France.  

[feministxtian]

On 5/30/2018 at 10:44 AM, Audrey2 said:

Starting at least during World War 2, families would hang a special flag in their window with a blue star for each man that was serving. When the dreaded telegram came, informing them of their husband or son's death, they'd replace a blue star with a gold star. Even typing this is getting to me.

We hung the blue star flag in our window when my son deployed to Iraq (twice). I'm relieved to say we never had to change it to a gold star. My cousin did. Her son was killed in action...

I still have that flag. We also had magnets to put on our cars. 

Today I got to meet a Purple Heart recipient at the VA hospital. 

Would it be wrong to say that I'm glad that neither of my sons will serve in the military again? 

[Audrey2]

8 hours ago, feministxtian said:

We hung the blue star flag in our window when my son deployed to Iraq (twice). I'm relieved to say we never had to change it to a gold star. My cousin did. Her son was killed in action...

I still have that flag. We also had magnets to put on our cars. 

Today I got to meet a Purple Heart recipient at the VA hospital. 

Would it be wrong to say that I'm glad that neither of my sons will serve in the military again? 

I had seen the blue star flag in stores, but wasn't sure if there was still widespread use of them or not.

My heart is breaking for your cousin. If you feel that it is appropriate, please give her a hug and a thank you from me.

I, too, am so grateful that your sons are safe, and pray we don't get ourselves into a big enough mess that they'd be called up to serve.

If anyone is interested in a very  powerful movie, I recommend Taking Chance. It follows the body of a deceased soldier from Dover, the first stop back on American soil,  to his home town in Wyoming, and shows the dignity and respect his body is treated with. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who has an active duty loved one but, for all of us civilians, it is a powerful and thought provoking movie.

[Pecansforeveryone]

Thank you for the above suggestion. I also recommend Thank You For Your Service. It shows the struggles of returning soldiers as they navigate the VA and the return to civilian life. 

[feministxtian]

1 hour ago, Audrey2 said:

My heart is breaking for your cousin. If you feel that it is appropriate, please give her a hug and a thank you from me.

I have...She's in Texas so it's quite a distance from me, but we talk pretty regularly. 

1 hour ago, Audrey2 said:

I, too, am so grateful that your sons are safe, and pray we don't get ourselves into a big enough mess that they'd be called up to serve.

My older son was medically retired from the Army at 27 years old. He had a TBI after their armored humvee ran over an IED. Fortunately, no one was killed in that incident but they all got messed up in one way or another. My younger son is (hopefully) now too old to be drafted (he's going to be 28 this month). 

 

1 hour ago, Pecansforeveryone said:

Thank you for the above suggestion. I also recommend Thank You For Your Service. It shows the struggles of returning soldiers as they navigate the VA and the return to civilian life. 

I'm not seeing us watching that movie. We've lived it. Fortunately, the VA system here and where my older son lives is pretty good. My husband and son both get excellent care through it. 

[Pecansforeveryone]

21 minutes ago, feministxtian said:

I have...She's in Texas so it's quite a distance from me, but we talk pretty regularly. 

My older son was medically retired from the Army at 27 years old. He had a TBI after their armored humvee ran over an IED. Fortunately, no one was killed in that incident but they all got messed up in one way or another. My younger son is (hopefully) now too old to be drafted (he's going to be 28 this month). 

 

I'm not seeing us watching that movie. We've lived it. Fortunately, the VA system here and where my older son lives is pretty good. My husband and son both get excellent care through it. 

Oh, I agree. I meant for civilians who get all the "kick-ass, hooyah" movies, this i s a much-needed balance. I am not snarking on anyone for watching those movies. Balance is important, especially as there is some unintended consequence that comes out glorifying war. 

[feministxtian]

25 minutes ago, Pecansforeveryone said:

Balance is important, especially as there is some unintended consequence that comes out glorifying war. 

I've had all of war I care to see...

My father - Japanese Occupation forces, Korea, VietNam. 

My husband - Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Iraq

My son - Iraq, was discharged right before he'd have ended up in Afghanistan. 

I'm OVER it. 

[Pecansforeveryone]

My grandfather was Marines at the Battle of Mid-way. It changed  him in many ways.  I am 100% antiwar and 100% pro-veteran at the same time. 

[frumperlicious]

The gold star flags are still around...I wish they weren’t. I do think Memorial Day honoring of those families is so important though, because it is so rare and removed these days to have lost a child to war for most Americans. 

 

[Lillymuffin]

My paternal grandfather served in WWI and was awarded a Purple Heart. Unfortunately, it’s been lost in some move or other, along with any other insignia or medals he might have had. He didn’t talk about his service, except to say he lied about his age to get in, so I don’t even know what unit he might have served with. That makes me sad. He died before I was really old enough to know him. Taught me to sing Mademoiselle from Armentieres, though. 

[feministxtian]

46 minutes ago, Lillymuffin said:

My paternal grandfather served in WWI and was awarded a Purple Heart. Unfortunately, it’s been lost in some move or other, along with any other insignia or medals he might have had. He didn’t talk about his service, except to say he lied about his age to get in, so I don’t even know what unit he might have served with. That makes me sad. He died before I was really old enough to know him. Taught me to sing Mademoiselle from Armentieres, though. 

If you have his name and DOB and possibly his service number, you may be able to get his service record and decorations. I'm doing that with my father now to finish his shadowbox. 

[Audrey2]

My maternal grandpa served in World War 2. He never talked about it, except my mom told me he served in France and that he had seen a boatload of his buddies go down. After he passed and the Internet was widely available, my brother looked up his unit patch. We figured that he had seen the Leopoldville go down in the English Channel around Christmas, 1944. 

My Dad served in the Army 58-60, mostly on an island near Seattle.

I agree with @Pecansforeveryone- I only believe in war as the last resort (WW2, for example), but live my country and support our troops. A close family friend had a grandson deployed to Iraq. Even though he and I didn't directly know each other, I sent him a post card every week he was deployed. 

[Lillymuffin]

7 hours ago, feministxtian said:

If you have his name and DOB and possibly his service number, you may be able to get his service record and decorations. I'm doing that with my father now to finish his shadowbox. 

I know his name, DOB, and I’m sure I can get his Social. Would that work? It’s not a terribly common name. 

Where would I start looking?