CVN-72

November 2nd, 2008 at 09:58pm Mitch Mulhall 171

Today I took my children to Target on a quest for birthday gifts—two kids, two birthday invitations, a host of presents, wrapping, cards, the whole nine yards. Mind you, I’m probably not the best leader for this kind of expedition, but I got stuck with the responsibility and did the best I could.

I’ve got this baseball cap my best friend’s nephew sent me. I don’t wear it often, but I threw it on today because my hair is badly in need of sheering. The bill says, “USS Abraham Lincoln. CVN-72” and features a silver silhouette of the daunting Nimitz class aircraft carrier. That’s right, the same deck President Bush landed on, the same tower that held the much-maligned Mission Accomplished banner. Ordinarily I wear a 12X felt cowboy hat, but when I do wear this cap, I notice the visceral scowls and double-takes. I’d say I give a crap, but I do not.

Today was different.

As I was walking into Target, a young woman in line to check out ran up and said, “Sir, Sir, thank you for your Service to this Country.” I had to explain to her that I have never served, and how my cap happened to come into my possession. She replied, “You make sure that young man knows how much I appreciate his service.” I assured her I would.

It wasn’t five minutes later, herding the kids toward the back of the store, I passed a much younger man who looked up at my cap, then into my eyes. “CVN-70” he bellowed and held up his thumb as he walked by. CVN-70? All I could do was nod and keep walking. I had to go home and Google his reference to the USS Carl Vinson.

The closest I ever came to military service was registering for the draft when then-President Carter mandated selective service registration at the end of his first and only term. I was a freshman at Abilene Christian University and dutifully obliged…

Yet this afternoon, before I could complete an impression that there were American citizens who actually appreciate our military, the check-out clerk looked at me as if I might at any moment tear her head off and drink her blood.

Some are critical of the Democrats because they are functional if not overt pacifists. As a Democrat, I don’t share in this thinking. Where I’m concerned, there’s really nothing wrong with being a pacifist. This view just isn’t very helpful when you go to war.

Cheers,

Entry Filed under: Politics, Aspen, People