RE: Another Urban (Local) Legend??

["Ron Force" <rforce@moscow.com>]

Here's the commentary from snopes.com:

The current climate of patriotic fervor encourages the spread of stories
such as this one. Through them, folks gain a vicarious sense of having
participated in defending their country (even if that "defending" amounts to
putting the run on loudmouth eggheads at the local Best Western). In times
of war, liberal attitudes are less tolerated, and old wounds (e.g., the
Hanoi Jane chapter of the Vietnam War) are again scratched open. Less
complex world views are adopted, and many draw strength from a return to the
jingoism of "Love it or leave it" and "If you're not with us, you're against
us."

Overly liberal attitudes are lampooned in this piece through the invocation
of diametrically opposed stereotypes: the armed services veteran who has
sacrificed much for his country and the stay-home college boor who is long
on opinion but short on real-life contribution to the greater good. But of
course the populace (in this case, the folks in the restaurant) rise up to
support the patriots, thus aligning themselves on the side of right.

As real as the feelings are that fuel this story, the tale itself is not
true.

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Ron Force	      	  rforce@uidaho.edu
Dean of Library Services  (208) 885-6534
University of Idaho     Moscow 83844-2350
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