Memorial Day weekend is here, and most folks are busy planning their picnics and yardwork, with nary a thought as to what this holiday is truly about. The usual exception is anyone with family in any of the armed services or especially anyone who has lost a family member or friend to armed conflict in the service of our country.I somewhat dread writing about Memorial Day because I don't come from a military family and I don't have any close friends in the military. I like to write about what I know, and for me to preach about the sacrifice our veterans have made, especially those who have died, rings somewhat hollow to me, because I have never experienced that loss first hand. My father was too young to go to Korea (although I did have an uncle who fought in Korea), and too old to go to Vietnam. But I can't imagine what my life would have been like without him, if he had died in the service of our country. I've never been in the military (although I have fascination for naval history for some reason) and none of my close friends are. My kids are way too young for that to be an issue for me now, although I sometimes find myself reflecting on my usual hawkish views and wonder if I will find myself feeling differently someday if my kids are ever in the service.
But, just because I can't appreciate the service of our veterans on such a personal level, I strongly believe that anyone living in our country and enjoying the freedoms those veterans sacrificed their lives to protect, needs to appreciate that sacrifice. I think a strong military that can handle any challenge we need to around the globe is necessary, since we find ourselves in the position of being the only country, it seems, that is willing and able to act as the "world police." The fact is that given the world we live in, people who are willing to put on the uniform of our country and defend our freedoms and principles are going to die, sometimes. The world in many respects has gotten less safe, not more, since World War II, and America needs to be ready to respond to continue to protect its citizens and support our democratic (note the small "d") principles.
So, if you're like me, and the sacrifice of our veterans doesn't touch you on the ultimate personal level for losing a loved one in the service of our country, well then, you're just going to have to work a little harder to remind yourself on this Memorial Day weekend, as I do, what it's really all about. You'll be a better citizen, patriot and person for it.
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10 comments:
Beautiful post TA. My dad was in the Army during WWII and while he never went overseas due to an accident at Ft. Sheridan where three fingers on his left hand were cut off while inspecting some machinery I feel a close bond to the military. Of course working for the DOD for ten years had a lot to do with that as well.
Whenever I see a person in military uniform I make it a point to go up to them, extend my hand and thank them for serving our country. All you have to do is go up to Gurnee Mills and you will have ample opportunity to do so. These young men and women are shocked but get a big smile on their face and always say "thank you Mam, it's my pleasure." The look of pride on their parents face is awesome. It's just a very small way I can thank those who love our country as much as I do.
I will be proudly marching with the best Congressman in the whole USofA on Monday. He continues to serve our country in the Congress and as a member of the US Navy Reserve.
Baxter and Beau's Mom
TA, I agree - a beautiful post. Having family that served in the Korean War, Desert Storm and Gulf Wars, it is a humbling experience.
Praying for their safety on a daily basis - wishing they did not choose to go - respecting their commitment to sacrifice their lives for our freedoms, being proud and relieved upon their arrival home, feeling the pain, sorrow and again pride when they don't.
Each and every one of us should honor our military men and women tomorrow.
Well said. The latest and greatest post. Team America needs to run for state senate in 2010 because
1. It would drive her ellenness nuts.
2. you are superior to the opposition.
3. the state needs you.
4. the party needs you.
5. It would drive her ellenness superduper nuts and reignite the blog wars of twenty oh seven.
FOKLAES
As our current President alluded to, ways to honor our troops and Veterans include the following:
1. Minimize or avoid so-called 'pre-emptive strikes' based on questionable data and even more questionable motives. Further, don't just make plans for an invasion and occupation. Make plans for an exit.
Otherwise, what is labeled a brief, urgently necessary, and self-sustaining war could last 8+ years and future Presidents could face blame for its consequences (torture, endless detention in US territories, and oversight of contractors and contracts that lacked objectivity and competitive bidding).
2. When troops return to the States, don't send them back within 6-12 months, don't retroactively dishonorably discharge them due to a new-found 'personality disorder,' and don't make them await red tape, lost documentation and instances where they have to prove that they actually served!
There is more than flying a flag and parades when it comes to supporting our troops and veterans.
It is unique that those who claim to be the utmost supporters of our troops and Veterans were the first ones to support committing them to an unnecessary war, to cut their benefits, and to make them document their recent service.
If right-leaning oragnizations, public officials, and the like want to be taken at face value and have their comments have any effect on public debate, it would help if they weren't incomplete, disingenuous, or lacking in substance (as many a GOP'er complains about Democratic comments).
As our current President alluded to, ways to honor our troops and Veterans include the following:
1. Minimize or avoid so-called 'pre-emptive strikes' based on questionable data and even more questionable motives. Further, don't just make plans for an invasion and occupation. Make plans for an exit.
Otherwise, what is labeled a brief, urgently necessary, and self-sustaining war could last 8+ years and future Presidents could face blame for its consequences (torture, endless detention in US territories, and oversight of contractors and contracts that lacked objectivity and competitive bidding).
2. When troops return to the States, don't send them back within 6-12 months, don't retroactively dishonorably discharge them due to a new-found 'personality disorder,' and don't make them await red tape, lost documentation and instances where they have to prove that they actually served!
There is more than flying a flag and parades when it comes to supporting our troops and veterans.
It is unique that those who claim to be the utmost supporters of our troops and Veterans were the first ones to support committing them to an unnecessary war, to cut their benefits, and to make them document their recent service.
If right-leaning oragnizations, public officials, and the like want to be taken at face value and have their comments have any effect on public debate, it would help if they weren't incomplete, disingenuous, or lacking in substance (as many a GOP'er complains about Democratic comments).
I was in the navy for 21 years, and I was near Baghdad, in the Triangle of Death, in a marine infantry battalion, Sept. 2004-Mar. '05. While I was there, I rarely heard my co-workers (mostly marines and soldiers) complain about American presence, in Iraq. After I returned to the U.S., I heard many people, who haven't served, in the military, complain about it. The servicemembers know that we protect the Americans from terrorists, but too many Americans aren’t grateful.
To make a generalization that too many Americans aren't grateful for our troops is not well taken.
Doesn't the government have a duty to not put troops in harms way based on inadequate intelligence, a pre-conceived 'need,' and without a comprehensive plan?
Also, IF the government puts troops in harms way, is it right for the government to expect troops to pay for their own home-made armor, to charge troops for items left in Iraq, and to initially state the need for an urgent, brief war and then to state that after 8 years, we can and will be there another 10?
Why is it that to expect government contractors to provide what they agree to on time and on budget is wrong?
Why is it that the military is just now figuring out that repetitive tours is not good for our troops or their families and may be contributing to untoward reactions to this stress?
Why is it that to exercise our right to disagree with the previous President - the one who wants to spread Democracy across the world - is wrong and is viewed in a dichotomous with us or against us approach?
Also, does the Democracy the previous President tried to spread include torture, warrentless wire-taps, and indefinite detention?
You cannot have it both ways.
You can't be for our troops AND in favor of retroactive discharges for trumped up disorders.
You can't be for our troops AND commit them to multiple, lengthy tours where some of these are beyond the initial agreement made with our troops.
You can't be for our troops and what they are fighting for AND have no problem with torture, putting mechanics in charge of security, etc.
"When will they ever learn; when will they ever learn?"
Back to politics. Fightin Tim Stratton was a star of the 08 fight and hopefully he'll take another shot at Karen May, about as awful as her predecessor, Lauren Beth Gash was and grace mary stern before that.
If the state party reads this from its witness protection program hopefully y'all will buck up and help tim.
This was in the chicago tribune tomorrow morning and hopefully he'll get the good word out about that aging scumbag.
If the tribune hadn't become a local pravada (that was the commie organ in the ussr)we wouldn't have may in the first place but that's another matter.
61 Dems block recall
May 27, 2009
Remember last year when Democrats in the Illinois Senate robbed you of a chance to add a recall amendment to the state constitution? On Tuesday, 61 Democrats in the House did the same thing. Republicans tried to discharge a recall amendment from the Rules Committee, where Speaker Michael Madigan has buried it. They wanted to bring it to the House floor so every member could vote on the amendment, which would permit the recall of state executive officers and legislators. The vote to keep the amendment buried: 61-47. Here are the 61:
Speaker Michael Madigan (Chicago), Julie Hamos (Evanston), , Karen May (Highland Park), Elaine Nekritz (Northbrook), Al Riley (Olympia Fields), Kathleen Ryg (Vernon Hills), Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights) Eddie Washington (Waukegan),
FOKLAES
Foklaes: Your post above is both offensive and so ludicrous that I should be shocked that TA even allowed it. Then again, I guess I'm not shocked that you referred to Karen May as an aging scumbag. Recalls are just an excuse for lazy campaigns and an excuse to keep the campaigns going no matter who wins. The argument that a recall would have done anything to prevent Blago applies with full force to George Ryan, and at least with Blago, no children were killed. A recall would have been a good thing to oust Pate Phillip as well, but rational people understand that recalls are just second kicks at the cat, prone to fraudulent manipulation, and are prohibitively expensive. I love you guys: no new taxes, no casino AND you want a multi-million dollar recall. Foklaes, you ought to lay off the sauce and go to bed, because in your post above, YOU SIR, sound like a bitter old scumbag.
Look how 'well' the recall did in California. While Grey Davis will not go down in history as a stellar public servant, Arnold is having the same problems Grey did:
A reliance on an out-dated referendum system (put in place by progressives when US Senators were chosen via State Legislature - in California this was the railroads), nation-wide economic instability, and untoward recent Republican Presidential policies that even Arnold didn't always believe in.
Further, Grey Davis is another example of the importance of electoral choice that it appears those on the right side of the aisle cannot bring themselves to comprehend:
Put up decent candidates and let the people decide (Alan -the carpet-bagger- Keyes, Jack Ryan, Judy -politically connected loan forgiveness- Topinka, and Mark - I can't get a bill co-sponsored to save my life - Kirk need not apply).
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