As a soldier, when I was stationed temporary duty at Ft Indiantown Gap, PA, I was tasked to assist the recruiting command on occasion. I went to Happy Valley and the University of Pennsylvania in uniform and was usually greeted by Nazi salutes. Disrespectful, especially since I had an uncle in WWII who was one of the group who liberated Buchenwald.
The overall opinion of the general populace in Pennsylvania concerning the armed forces was pretty low. Sure there were veterans but many of them were Vietnam vet draftees and they were disallusioned, especially if they had to use the VA.
What a difference after 9/11! All of a sudden everyone was thanking us for our service. High schools which had tried to block our recruiting activities were suddenly friendly.
The civilians had been frightened. The Homeland had been attacked and they were afraid. Liberals who seldom deigned to recognize our existence suddenly were waving American flags.
But we remembered who called us baby killers just weeks before. We knew once the fear factor lowered they’d be right back to their old ways.
Liberals don’t change. Not really. They only get worse. They went from calling the armed forces Nazis to forcing drag queen shows on to elementary school kids to secretly going behind parent’s backs to try to transition children to change their sex.
Probably all we can do is wall them off and let them devour each other.
I noticed this phenomenon as well. Joined pre-9/11 and it was not received as the greatest life choice. Had more than a few (well-meaning) of my friends parents and acquaintances ask me what I was going to do after I get out of the service and start a “real” career. Then 9/11 happened and it was a sea of change as War Pig noted.
Yes, I remember even that shrewish harpy Maureen Dowd briefly became an admirer of cops and firemen and then soldiers after the Twin Towers fell down. But eventually they go back to their natural man-hating ways.