I have a problem with euphemisms.
Settle down. This is not a rail against political correctness. They should be called postal carriers and police officers. That’s just fine.
My problem is with sanitizing and gentrifying the language.
People die. It might be hard to take, but people don’t pass away. They die. We die. It’s supposed to be hard to take.
I cringe when I hear people say September 11th. Remember September 11th. No, remember that the United States was attacked. September 11th sounds like a date that is about to become a 40 percent off sale at Macy’s. President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, September 11th. How long before someone wishes you “Happy September 11.” Call it what it is. The country was attacked.
And now, this week, everywhere you turn, you hear another one. We are “putting boots on the ground” to fight ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State. Every military correspondent/advisor/pundit is talking about putting boots on the ground. Sounds like something John Wayne would do. “We’re putting boots on the ground, pardner.”
That glosses over the fact there are feet in those boots. 18, 20, 22 year old feet. 50 people, not boots. No one is reporting there are 100 boots being sent to Syria.
Now, I have no problem with putting boots on the ground. Litter that whole damn country with boots, if that will help. Fine. I have a big problem with going to war. And that’s what we’re doing. Sending kids to war. Again.
And that’s wrong. Again.
Remember those kids the next time you hear someone say we’re putting boots on the ground.
News, to Me 
You’re so right, Lee. The reality is that so few of us have relations or friends who actually serve in the military. So it’s always someone else’s kids or cousins who are actually fighting the war, not our loved ones. It’s so much easier to send the kids from Appalachia and the inner cities to fight and die, but rarely our own.
We can hide behind euphemisms but you are right, it will be hard to deny what comes home in a body bag.
Absolutely and well said, as always. May I repost?