Yeah...I'm doing good...

So, hey, I'm trying, however, I came down with something over the weekend, and life's been rather stressful.  Haven't had a whole lot to write about personally.  Sure Kim Jong Il died Saturday.  Yeah, ABC is putting out a series that for all intents and purposes is going to make my work a little harder.  And, yeah, I personally have gone through a strictly metaphorical (so far) shit storm of personal stuff in the last few days (don't really want to talk about any of those until there's some resolution).



Anyway...you've all seen "V-J Day in Times Square", right?  If not, here you go.

It's one of those photographs that inspire awe in something that might normally be trivial because of everything swept up in it.  It shows, to me at least, that the United States Armed Forces, though they can be the biggest idiots and greatest heroes (more on those in a minute), as an institution is still something more than a group of soldiers, sailors, pilots, and commandos.  They're people.  People who, like us, have foibles, feel pain, and enjoy love.  This is the image that reminds me of that whenever I'm truly disgusted with it for whatever it's service men and women have done over seas, as it reminds me that they are people.

The legendary flag raising at Iwo Jima is another that inspires that heroic side of the military.  It reminds me that, against all odds, these people in the service of, not our country, but its people, have fought to do what they believe is right, many to the end.

This one inspires respect of the institution.  Plain and simple.

This entire video, and the speeches, statements, and political campaigns of a similar note, make me lose faith is people in general.

However, the military comes back swinging.  Just under two weeks later, the U.S.S. Oak Hill docked at Virginia Beach, and for the first time on record, the first kiss upon landing was celebrated by a queer couple.

While it may not be as iconic for everyone as V-J Day...it will be for me.  The women in the photo, both naval officers, being able to celebrate the love they share is amazing.  It definitely joins my list of why to respect the Armed Forces as an institution.

-Sara

p.s. Since I may have made you sit through that horrible Rick Perry video, I want to make it up to you with my favorite two parodies of it so far:

Bad Lip Reading -
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2cd51d335b/bad-lip-reading-rick-perry-s-strong-ad
Jesus Responds -
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e23d1c26d4/jesus-responds-to-rick-perry-s-strong-ad

Enjoy.