As I sit here tonight (for the first time in a long while I don't have homework) I think about how grateful we should all be. I saw a TV Show earlier that told the story of a Korean War vet that died from exposure at the Washington Monument. He was a homeless vet and a Marine. The 2nd of the 7th, Purple Heart winner. It took them an hour and a half to get the body...until then he just sat there, exposed on a bench. A man that didn't know him arranged for him to have a military funeral with complete honors. It's hard to express what this episode meant to me because my emotions about it are so jumbled inside me.
Maybe it's that we as people are so damned good at adapting. We can take anything and normalize it. We then take it for granted. I find this especially offensive when considering Veterans. These men faced death for our country. For us. And yet oftentimes we don't even blink when we mention the casualty rates of Korea or Vietnam. One youth was recently quoted as saying that if they re-instituted the draft he'd flee to Canada, because serving his country just wasn't "in his plans". I find this to be horribly depressing. Even if you are a pacifist and have no desire to physically fight for your country, please don't trivilize the sacrifice of those before you. Imagine what it would be like if it was you off in some foreign country, just trying to stay alive. Imagine if it was you that died. How would you like to be treated? Would you like your sacrifice to be in vain? Would you want kids to belittle what you did? No, I don't think you would.
No matter what our stance on War (the current "war" included) please remember the lives of all of the soldiers killed. I personally think the "War" with Iraq is a lie and I believe Bush should be brought up on charges. Does that mean that those soldiers that fought and died over there should be forgotten? Hell No.
It's not just with soldiers that we normalize either. How often do teachers get thanks for their tireless contributions to children? Sure, it's not risking your life, but it takes a damned whole lot of effort to go in every day and try to make a difference.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that moments like these are nice. When you realize how great you have it. When you realize how much so many people gave up so that you could have it. I'd just like to say thanks to them all. To the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and yes even the Swoopies, and to the teachers, policemen, firemen, and everyone else that wakes up each day and heads out to make a difference. Thanks. I appreciate it.
Maybe it's that we as people are so damned good at adapting. We can take anything and normalize it. We then take it for granted. I find this especially offensive when considering Veterans. These men faced death for our country. For us. And yet oftentimes we don't even blink when we mention the casualty rates of Korea or Vietnam. One youth was recently quoted as saying that if they re-instituted the draft he'd flee to Canada, because serving his country just wasn't "in his plans". I find this to be horribly depressing. Even if you are a pacifist and have no desire to physically fight for your country, please don't trivilize the sacrifice of those before you. Imagine what it would be like if it was you off in some foreign country, just trying to stay alive. Imagine if it was you that died. How would you like to be treated? Would you like your sacrifice to be in vain? Would you want kids to belittle what you did? No, I don't think you would.
No matter what our stance on War (the current "war" included) please remember the lives of all of the soldiers killed. I personally think the "War" with Iraq is a lie and I believe Bush should be brought up on charges. Does that mean that those soldiers that fought and died over there should be forgotten? Hell No.
It's not just with soldiers that we normalize either. How often do teachers get thanks for their tireless contributions to children? Sure, it's not risking your life, but it takes a damned whole lot of effort to go in every day and try to make a difference.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that moments like these are nice. When you realize how great you have it. When you realize how much so many people gave up so that you could have it. I'd just like to say thanks to them all. To the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and yes even the Swoopies, and to the teachers, policemen, firemen, and everyone else that wakes up each day and heads out to make a difference. Thanks. I appreciate it.
