Unconditional Surrender

Scott Hardie | September 11, 2016
The nurse in the classic "V-J Day in Times Square" photograph has passed away at 92. (The sailor is still alive at 93.)

Maybe it's on my mind because I frequently drive past the unpopular statue in Sarasota, but that photograph has always struck me as creepy, or perhaps it's better to say that the widespread affection for it is creepy. The sailor was walking down the street grabbing and kissing random women against their will. It's not romantic; it's rapey. People say "times have changed" and I think times have changed for the better. Am I wrong?

Samir Mehta | September 12, 2016
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Scott Hardie | September 12, 2016
I like Demotivators, and for years this one has stuck with me. It really hits the nail on the head about our collective lack of morality.

I don't buy that "way of the world" argument either. We do all kinds of things in this country today that are socially acceptable but morally wrong -- execute our prisoners, factory-farm our animals, purchase our machine guns, poison our atmosphere, extrajudiciously assassinate our terrorists, and more. Future generations will look back on these practices as barbaric and heinous, and we'll be judged harshly, and we'll deserve it.

I don't want to make a federal case out of grabbing women on the street and kissing them; it's obviously not on par with climate change or murder. But it's not cute or charming either. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Samir Mehta | September 13, 2016
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