What has happened to America over the summer of 2015?

Protests. Riots. Racial divide. Flags being stomped on. Flags being taken down. Flags being deemed offensive. Criminals are being hailed as heroes while cops get executed in their patrol cars. Almost every little thing is offending someone.

When did America lose its spine?

Perhaps the better question is, when did everyone decide to get bent out of shape over issues that quite frankly don't affect them?

Ferguson has idiots protesting police corruption and accusing the department of racism after a man was shot and killed because he A) failed to comply with the officer's instructions and B) attempted to take the officer's gun away. Protests and riots ensued about his death being unnecessary and that the level of force was unwarranted. It didn't help matters any that lies regarding the situation escalated events. But, this was an unsavory person who broke the law. Why protest that?

The same could be said about the events in Baltimore. The only difference is that the cops involved could be found negligent and if that's the case, so be it. An inmate is entrusted to a cop's care while in custody. Still, did it warrant a riot and shut down of the city for a few days? No.

Then, we have the summer of everything offends me.

Confederate flag, LGBT flag, US flag. All of them offending someone, but only one was forced to be taken down. The former has even created a ripple effect across the south and the nation as a whole. Now, the NAACP wants the carving of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson that is depicted on the facade of Stone Mountain to be removed. My question, what did those men ever do to anyone in the 21st century? They represented the Confederacy? That's you're only argument? Please, I know that slavery was a big issue that brought on the Civil War, but it wasn't the only issue. Gen. Lee opposed slavery but would not go to war against his home state of Virginia. I'm sure anyone can respect that. If the carving in Stone Mountain is removed, I'm sure Mt. Rushmore will be next. But, what is interesting is that people have been getting bent out of shape of a rainbow flag flying on VA grounds or on military installations. It's a flag people. It's not a representation of how you should live your life, but rather a freedom of speech which is a right granted to all Americans and defended by all those here.

Speaking of flags, the US flag continues to be desecrated by legions of a-holes in this country. I can understand radical militants in the Middle East doing that because they hate America, but you're not going to stomp on the stars and stripes today and then cash your welfare check the following morning. Freakin' hypocrites.

One final note on people being offended by flags. The POW/MIA flag being construed as racist? What the hell? Good luck bringing that down because an army of active duty, reservists, guardsmen and veterans will have something to say about that.

It's unfortunate we've arrived in an era where we have to cater to everyone's feelings. Many of us were raised in an era of it was there, we accepted it and moved on. We didn't agree on everything, but that is what makes America great! There are some countries where saying something out of line with the current regime will result in death. I think people have lost sight of just how great it is to live in the US. It's not a perfect society, but I can't imagine living anywhere else.

I appreciate the opportunity to vent. I'm curious as to how my fellow veterans feel about the state of affairs in the year of the easily offended in America.