It’s 9:30 PM on Veteran’s Day and at BMG it appears to be passing without comment…so lest it be totally lost in the din of politicians, their smooth handlers, their critics and admirers, I thought a reminder was worthy of a post…
It Is The Soldier by Charles M. Province, US Army
It is the Soldier, not the minister_
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter_
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the writer_
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the organizer_
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer_
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician_
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,_
Who serves beneath the flag,_
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,_
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
It is the American Soldier who has given us the right to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness in the greatest country on earth.
As progressives we sometimes get caught up in issues like abortion rights and health care. We must all take time to remember those who died fighting to protect the freedom that allows us to have these rights.
I agree with all the sentiments expressed. But it does partially serve what should be the main purpose–remembering the realities of what our government orders our soldiers to do.
…as the cemeteries fill with our dead youth and the hospitals with the wounded. The talk is for five more years of war in Afghanistan. Does anyone listen to the veterans?
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p>Are we to be thankful that the poppy fields will be well protected by our youths’ blood? I’m sure that the defense contractors such as General Dynamics, Raytheon, Xe (formerly Blackwater), MBR appreciate our soldiers’ blood as all the politicians that enjoy the
bribescampaign donations and favors of the war contractors. And another US military base has opened…<
p>Can’t we feel the “Hope & Change!”?
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p>Bring ’em home.
to you who served, your brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, relatives and friends, in the military, foreign service, civil service, peace corps, et al. thank you. Dad.
Background – video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22…
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p>Send Sen Coburn an e-mail:
http://www.congress.org/congre…
I am no hawk but the phrase “next time you vote thank a Marine” rings true to me. And although I opposed the war in Iraq from the start, and want our well-intentioned misadventure in Afghanistan to end as well, I think it speaks tremendous volume about the genorosity and the spirit of the average American that he or she is willing to risk his life not only to protect his country and its freedoms, but to defend the freedoms of complete strangers. It is powerful to see the images of Iraqis and Afghanis voting without fear, and such an accomplishment would not be possible without the selfless sacrifice of so many brave soldiers.
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p>The most moving war monument on the Washington Mall, to me, is not the better known WWII or Vietnam monuments, but the Korean War monument. The moniker is quite simple “They died fighting for the freedom of a people they never met and a country they never knew”. I can’t think of another country that would sacrifice its soldier’s to preserve the freedom of a complete stranger and that speaks volumes about our country.
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p>Also this Veterans Day let us not forget the soldiers who have died in the Ft. Hood massacre and their families who need our support more than ever. Those soldiers were willing to die a the hand of our nation’s enemies, but none of them expected to die on the soil of their homeland at the hand of a comrade. That is what makes that massacre especially tragic.
I have to agree with you about this monument. I saw it for the first time a little over a year ago and was moved by its intensity. It is unlike any other monument in the city.