Fireworks and Veterans

Categories: Opinion

Meme for your time.

Alright. Let’s talk about the big bad no-no in the room. Fireworks and veterans. The signs that some say get put out in yards. I’ve only seen them on Facebook pictures, never in real life, but I done have seen civilians (bad grammar on purpose) telling other civilians to be courteous of our veterans with fireworks.

Let us be clear. If you are sent into a dangerous state of mind over fireworks. GO GET PROFESSIONAL HELP. Don’t really know if we can be anymore blunt than that. It’s not an insult it’s the truth. If you’ve got cancer and you ask your neighbors to be courteous of your cancer, but you don’t go see a doctor to get your cancer fixed, but you continually lament to your neighbors about your cancer, you’re an idiot, but somehow we think talking to “Karen” or “Dave” next door about our mental health is a great idea. Go see a counselor or psychologist.

Secondly, what business is it of your neighbors to know the state of your mental health? If fireworks bothered me, I wouldn’t tell my neighbors, I’d tell a psychologist because they can actually help. Fireworks aren’t the problem. Your pride is. If you’re going to put a sign in your yard or bitch to your neighbors about fireworks, but you won’t take the time to do a cursory google search of VA or non-VA affiliated non-profits that will help you get counseling, then you’re afflicted with narcissism, not PTSD.

Basically, if you’ll talk with everyone EXCEPT a psychologist about your “PTSD” you’re not looking for help, you’re looking for attention.

Harsh words, I know, but it needs to be said. If I had a dollar for all the times I’ve heard the same stereotypical bullshit about how military dudes are all crazy and flip out, I’d have enough money to buy a private island and ride jet skis while being surrounded by a harem of beautiful women all day every day. I’m over it.

Yes many of us, myself included, had difficulty transitioning. But guess what, we dropped our pride and we got help, and not from our neighbors being courteous, but from you know…a mental health professional, not by talking to Karen down the street and her making a Facebook post about how we need the neighborhood in bubble wrap for the 4th of July. What a bunch of self-serving bullshit that is.

Veterans are, business owners, doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, authors, mercenaries, postal workers, store managers, general managers of arenas and guess what..pyrotechnic specialists *gasp*

Given how interconnected the Veteran community is nowadays, we have a real opportunity to do some cool shit like the Greatest Generation. We are in all areas of commerce, health care, and government. We stand poised to pave the future of this nation, but what kind of future will that be if everyone thinks we’re unstable because of fireworks on the 4th of July? A really shitty one.

Point is, your mental health is not your neighbor’s responsibility, if you REALLY get worked up over that shit, be proactive, buy some noise-canceling headphones, or get away from civilization in the woods with friends on a camping trip. Own your shit, it’s yours, not theirs.