Any vets among the Audiophiles here?

Hear, Hear, Coltrane1.

I'm glad you brought that point to our attention. Our military budget is probably 4 times as large as it has to be to keep us safe. It's really just a way to justify channeling tax dollars into the hands of favored corporations year after year.

If 75% of our defense budget went against our national debt we would get out of trouble very quickly. Very little of the funding goes to feet on the ground. Most goes toward building unnecessary aircraft that will be parked in the desert, never having been used. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of them out there already. Still we buy more. But we don't take very good care of our veterans. We just use them for parades and photo ops.

Well, I suppose that the issue of War was eventually going to come up on this Thread. The reason I believe that we have been at war so long, is because we have a tendency to go and fight for those who can't fight or defend themselves. Jews in Nazi Concentration Camps, Koreans- Chinese-Philipinos enslaved by the Empire of Japan. We do this even to a fault (Vietnam). I don't think that there shouldn't be any misunderstanding, there are always going to be those who interpret our reluctance to fight as weakness. They will use this as a tool or excuse to torture, enslave, conquer, commit genocide against those too weak to defend themselves. Lest we forget the lessons of one of the most important Wars in U.S. History, the American Civil War. As horrible as War is, it was decided that accepting slavery for peace is way too high of a price to pay. How many gave their lives for that principle. I think that they believed the monetary cost was the least of it.

Coltrane and MJ -- Can we just leave the politics of war out of this thread? Before you flame me, the thread is about audiophiles who also happen to be vets. Can we just let it go at that?

Thanks.

Leaving out the Politics of War, sure. Leaving out the Politics of Slavery? How can you do that to something that is just wrong on so many levels, and transends Politics on all levels? Slavery still continues even till this day, unfortunately because of that, War is not far behind. The only way to prevent the horrors of War is to eliminate Slavery. Just wasn't done soon enough prior to the Civil War, and damn if this Country didn't pay for that. Have we learned anything from that History? O-kay, I will keep it on Stereo's from now on-Sorry!

Well its only been my observation but, how does one separate the vet from the politics when the politician uses the vet to serve their own selfish aim every chance they get? Might we as a country begin to question our governments decision to wage continuous war? It seems to me that SOUNDS like a great beginning to eliminate DISTORTION, use of audio terms intended.

And if that questioning would/could establish a better form of democracy than we've experienced the 55 or so years of my lifetime then I for one would be proud if that questioning began on an AG forum. I feel just as passionate as some flag waving, self proclaimed patriot broadcaster whose never served anything but himself, yet stands on the steps of a memorial mocking those who've actually served by urging them to send their children off to serve whilst he rakes in millions. Get a clue America. That's got to be worth as much as making some Stereophile A component list.