Speeder, I'm exhausted, and apologize in advance if I'm a bit incoherent -- I hold no grudges, bear no ill will, or otherwise am upset with anyone here. I'd be more than happy to buy you a beer next time I'm travelling through your part of the world. Thank you for your apology, though I certainly don't believe that I in any way needed it.
FWIW -- your relatives who served -- I owe a deep debt to men like that. I usually feel like my job is easy, in comparison to guys who served in "real wars." I mean, I know this is a "real war," but submarines don't really do the same things that normal people do. Or rather than normal soldiers do. I'm totally incoherent -- 8 shots of espresso in the last 2 hours, and I'm still ready to pass out -- just disregard me. I'm just trying to say thanks to all the people that owe my current freedom to, such that I have a military in which to serve, I guess.
I guess the "hatred" vibe I get from the protesters is when they throw stuff at cars bearing the DOD stickers, and maybe the signs that say things like "We hate the military." Maybe I'm reading too much into all that, and maybe you've got a different batch of protesters. (sigh)
As to left-wing nut-jobs -- recall there are right-wing nut-jobs too. Heck, I'm one of them.
Hey, what about starting a "Can we agree on anything?" thread? I wonder if we could find any single item that this crowd can universally accept as true?
I have to go to bed. Really, honest this time. Cheers,
Dan