Poll: Would you pay $250 to pay for a proper military burial for someone you do not know?

ExtremePhobia

New member
Apr 1, 2009
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It really depends on my finances. As far as I'm concerned, these people deserve a proper military burial regardless of what their contribution was and $250 is a really small price to pay for that. Affording to do it is a different matter. But if I had the money, I would gladly pony up for probably several of these people.

I don't think that the general public should necessarily be on the hook for this though. I would say they should feel that kind of appreciation and should help out but at the end of the day, this is (to me) not actually a necessity so adding it to taxes would be wrong.
 

SageRuffin

M-f-ing Jedi Master
Dec 19, 2009
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Me being in the service myself, part of me says "yes." Losing another brother-/sister-in-arms is never a good thing, regardless of who they are, where they are, and what branch they belong to.

BUT, the other part of me thinks that $250 starting out is kinda high. Sure, the veterans that have had the unfortunate fate of being KiA should be properly laid to rest (if possible), but a blanket number like the aforementioned $250 seems excessive.
 

Abomination

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Dec 17, 2012
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Miss G. said:
We're a dot on the globe with only around 350,000 people, so while our Defense Force (like so many other things) may not be much in comparison to others, given that their member number is pretty much equivalent to the population of one of our islands, that's still a lot to us.
5 sea craft is pretty decent for such a small series of islands. New Zealand only has a roster of 3-4 frigates (not the types made out of wood, we're not THAT backwards) and we're like... a lot bigger than you with over 10x as many people.

I'm certain your navy essentially doubles as your army anyway. What's the point in having an army when your land mass is so tiny by comparison to your waters?
 

Xan Krieger

Completely insane
Feb 11, 2009
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The Enquirer said:
Xan Krieger said:
MrDumpkins said:
omega 616 said:
I don't think I would go whole hog and pay $250 to bury a guy I don't know. If there was a dude who had done some impressive stuff, I'd certainly throw the dude a bone if I could.

I don't mean to nasty but the guys who were the first to charge off the boats on D day, didn't actually do much... They allowed other soldiers to advance but all they did was die (was like "operation meat shield" ). If a guy did something that made you go "Daym, dude is THE manly man!" then I think he should have a big ass ceremony.

Although, I think people in WW1 AND WW2 are fucking hero's but these modern day wars seem more like bullies.
This is the most unbelievable thing I have ever read. Do you understand what those soldiers gave up? Everything. They'll never get to experience what a full life is, they might not have wanted to be in that battle, or the war. But their sacrifice was real.

Think about what you have, what you're going to have. Now imagine giving it all up, never getting to experience what life has to offer. Not everyone amounts to something, but everyone has the potential. They gave that potential up so that others could have it instead.
Pretty much this, don't think most of those guys had a choice to be in the first wave, many of them probably didn't even chose to be in the war. Also given the plan someone had to fulfill that role, that's why we sent so many. We knew they'd have machineguns and mines on the beaches with artillery providing support so we knew that we'd lose plenty on hitting the beaches. Those men who died did the job they were assigned, took the losses and still pushed forward. How many people on seeing a nearby transport explode or friendly soldiers getting cut down would try to run or hide? These guys who hit the beach were brave enough to see hell on Earth and run through it. They are deserving of everyone's respect.

OT: If it was from a war in which we were the good guys like WW1 or WW2 or most anything up until the invasion of Iraq in 2003. From that point forward however we were just bullies and I can't support that.
I'm with you on the WW2 thing. They gave it all up and a lot of them did want to be in the war. We (Americans) were pissed off about Pearl Harbor. No one really chose to be in the first wave (maybe some exceptions.

The thing is, and maybe I am a bit biased here having extended family in the military, but a lot of these more recent conflicts where we were just the bullies, many of these soldiers did not even want to be over there just as much as anyone else. So I think that they should be given some form of honors for that.
The thing is there hasn't been a draft lately so the people who got sent to Iraq had made the decision to be in the military. In WW2 there wasn't really a choice, we needed everyone we could get to defend the free world. Iraq was more just George Bush doing what his dad couldn't by removing Saddam.
 

Bellvedere

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Jul 31, 2008
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I can appreciate funerals as closure for close family and friends of the deceased, but this isn't the case here. For me personally, the idea of a bunch of strangers saying generic words and standing around awkwardly because they don't actually care that it's me whose dead doesn't seem any more appealing that being kept in storage.

I'd much rather spend money on the living than the dead.
 

TehCookie

Elite Member
Sep 16, 2008
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If I wasn't a poor college student I would donate some towards a group tomb or memorial to stand as a marker, but an urn? No way. Urns are for family who want to keep their relatives around, if you want someone to remember the dead you put a giant rock in the ground that says, "I WAS HERE". Not to mention how ridiculously overpriced urns are, they can go pick up an container for $20 at a craft or trinket store and it works just as well. My dad is chillin' in a treasure chest until his gravestone is finished and we can bury him. It looks way more classy than an urn.
 

Yuuki

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Mar 19, 2013
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Do people know how much $250 would help towards actual charitable causes? I'm pretty sure the soldiers THEMSELVES would rather see that $250 go towards something more meaningful.
I sure as hell don't care what happens to my corpse after I'm dead, feel free to barbeque my legs...or preferably donate my organs+blood to people who need it :p

Meaning no disrespect to the dead soldiers, if they have been identified then their names will forever go down onto memorials/walls. It's their identity and their deeds during their life/service that counts, that's the mark they leave upon the world.

I feel spending money on dead people is silly as long as there are living people who need it far more. Yeah, I'm looking at those people who blow $5000-20000 on a funeral. I get people's loved ones mean a lot to them, but spending so much money...why...
 

Longstreet

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Jun 16, 2012
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Maybe, and only if i knew them in person.

Like someone else mentioned, burials are to give the living some closure. The guy that is being buried is, well... dead. So i don't really think he gives a fuck.

But back on topic, shell over 250 to bury someone i dont know, and who's family is probably already dead? hell no. I got better things to spend that cash on.
 

GundamSentinel

The leading man, who else?
Aug 23, 2009
4,448
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1. I believe the last time a soldier died defending my country was close to 70 years ago. Soldiers are not heroes. They're people doing a job. I don't see why they would need to be an exception.

2. Where I live, soldiers already get loads of benefits (although they will deny it). I see no reason to give them more. As I've said, they're people being paid to do a job.

3. A burial is for the bereaved, not so much for the deceased. If no one is feeling bereaved, why care? I don't see the point on wasting money on a corpse no one cares about. Hell, I wouldn't want people to spend money on my funeral either.
 

Thaluikhain

Elite Member
Legacy
Jan 16, 2010
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Where I live, a lot of people working for the government get government funerals. Police come to mind. Politicians and the like as well.

Now, I don't see a reason why they shouldn't be given military funerals. OTOH, no hero worshipping bullshit, no glorifying war to get the kids to join up.
 

siomasm

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Jul 12, 2012
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MrDumpkins said:
omega 616 said:
I don't think I would go whole hog and pay $250 to bury a guy I don't know. If there was a dude who had done some impressive stuff, I'd certainly throw the dude a bone if I could.

I don't mean to nasty but the guys who were the first to charge off the boats on D day, didn't actually do much... They allowed other soldiers to advance but all they did was die (was like "operation meat shield" ). If a guy did something that made you go "Daym, dude is THE manly man!" then I think he should have a big ass ceremony.

Although, I think people in WW1 AND WW2 are fucking hero's but these modern day wars seem more like bullies.
This is the most unbelievable thing I have ever read. Do you understand what those soldiers gave up? Everything. They'll never get to experience what a full life is, they might not have wanted to be in that battle, or the war. But their sacrifice was real.

Think about what you have, what you're going to have. Now imagine giving it all up, never getting to experience what life has to offer. Not everyone amounts to something, but everyone has the potential. They gave that potential up so that others could have it instead.

Took the words out of my mouth and posted them far more eloquently.
 

The Lugz

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Apr 23, 2011
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everyone should be cremated and buried in a pot at the bottom of the ocean, and i do mean everyone not just 'people we don't know' why? well were actually running out of space and cemeteries are big places where lots of still living people could quite plausibly reside!

that burial would probably cost £40, including a fairly fancy weighted pot whilst taking no space and completely removing all corpse related problems now, there might be a new issue of sea rising after a few thousand years but just dredge some silt and problem solved really.
 

SaberXIII

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Apr 29, 2010
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I'm sure that those involved with the military or related to those who are would see a military burial as important, but as somebody to whom it does not concern I say just leave them where they are. They're been alright there so far, so why even touch them?
 

SaberXIII

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Apr 29, 2010
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The Lugz said:
everyone should be cremated and buried in a pot at the bottom of the ocean, and i do mean everyone not just 'people we don't know' why? well were actually running out of space and cemeteries are big places where lots of still living people could quite plausibly reside!

that burial would probably cost £40, including a fairly fancy weighted pot whilst taking no space and completely removing all corpse related problems now, there might be a new issue of sea rising after a few thousand years but just dredge some silt and problem solved really.
Stupid as it sounds, I've never actually even thought about that before. Now you have me wondering how we have any space left at all....
My only issue with your idea is the inclusion of the pot; why go through the making of a lovely pot and why bother filling the ocean with them when we can just get rid of the ashes? I mean, they dispose of burnt rubbish well enough, so why not just do the same with cremated ashes?