Why can't we do both?

I got sucked in by a tag line.  It happens to the best of us.

"Why I Do Not Support the Troops" on youtube.  I won't post the link because frankly, I think this girl just wants attention and I am sad that I gave it to her.  I listened to her speech, tried to keep an open mind, possibly see if I could understand things from her point of view.  I read the comments posted below the video, calling for her to be kicked out, sent to the Middle East, and worse.  I am fairly certain that these are the comments she hoped to get because hey, even an angry audience is still an audience.  That is really all you can hope for by posting a video claiming all members of our military are either dumb, they can't get a 'real' job or they are just plain evil and like killing people.

Now, before anyone gets all hot and bothered on either side of the fence because you think you might know where I'm going with this...stop, breathe, read.

I am a liberal democrat.  I am pro-choice.  I think we should have taxes.  I think anyone is allowed to believe in whichever faith they choose, or not believe in anything at all.  We live in America.  We have these and many more freedoms.  Why do we have those freedoms?  Well mostly because a group of guys got together about 250 years ago and decided to take a flyer on this dream of a concept we now know and love as The United States of America.  But by taking that stand, many fought and many died to get this republic started.

I am also a very proud military wife.  That doesn't mean I blindly agree with everything the military does or that our government does.  For that matter, neither does my very proud uniform wearing husband.  My husband is exceptionally intelligent - please don't tell him I said that, I still giggle when people salute him.  He could get any 'real' job he wanted, probably making a hell of a lot more money than he does now.  He doesn't like to kill.  As far as I know, he's never killed anyone, yet.  But he puts on his uniform every day and goes to work.  Granted most every day is safe for him, but you never know.  He's one of the lucky ones.  For now.  At some point he will have to leave us to put his part in on the effort for keeping this country safe.  He is okay with that.  And I am okay with that.

My point in all of this is why do we have to be one thing or the other?  After listening to this video and reading the angry comments, that was my first question.  Why can't I be a proud American AND a bleeding heart, anti-war liberal?  Why can't I understand this woman's position while admittedly wanting to strangle her?  And taking it a step further, why can't I love God and my country and the military AND be a Buddhist, non-bug killing, non-hating pacifist?  Some of you may say that it's not possible to be all of those things.  Well, here I am, saying it is.

Sure looks like a dumb, lazy war-mongerer to me...
Not a chance.