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Originally Posted by boatin
I would consider active noticing to be the conversations I had with my uncle who was there, and my explaining the event/date to my daughter. Forgot the critical 3 lines on the internet.
Too bad we can't have a serious topic without a holier than thou response. Not surprising, however.
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It's admirable that you discussed the matter with your uncle and daughter. I wish a lot more of that went on. I don't think I would have classified Lebell's remark as "holier than thou," however.
For what it's worth, I happen to live in an area that has quite a few Pearl Harbor survivors and WWII vets. When I see them, I almost always ask them for a WWII "sea story." Some are initially reluctant, but they usually wind up telling me something fascinating. With absolutely no braggadocio.
Like the skipper of a ship that was hit by a kamikaze. Or the pilot who got shot down (twice), got his heel shot off while parachuting down, and was forced by the Germans to march or die. He was liberated from Moosburg when Patton drove a tank through its gates. Although it's not directly related, I also attended a gathering of over thirty men who were POWs in Vietnam.
If you admire mental and physical toughness, as I do, you'd like to meet all of these people.
At the time I'm writing this, six of the eight most recent thread titles are critical of the US. I thought it appropriate to remind everyone of Dec. 7th's significance, but also to compare conditions then and now.
To conclude on a related note, I've also talked with a few people on whose arms I've spotted German concentration camp tattoos. One of them talks to schoolkids about the experience, but most others don't like to dwell on it much.
I look forward to the time when I can speak with an Iraqi who was in disfavor during Saddam's reign.