I wrote the following last Memorial Day and I think that it's still worth a read today.
See if you agree...
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It's Memorial Day Weekend, here in the United States, and it's a time to pay tribute to those who have sacrificed so much, so that the people of this great land can live in peace and freedom. It's a time for parades, patriotic concerts and pontificating politicians.
And it's a time to think about where we are right now as a people...and as a nation.
I just finished watching what can only be described as a 'hit piece' aimed at the current United States administration and it's policy regarding Iraq. It aired on 60 Minutes and was supposed to be an impartial look at the Iowa National Guard...a fine group of patriots who have been serving in that war torn land for a year and who have had their tour of duty extended through August.
I hate seeing the media use our fighting men and women, and their family's, to sell it's own political agenda. That's what 60 Minutes did tonight. No one wants to see these fine men and women spend one unnecessary day in that country. But that's where the bad guys are right now. Sworn enemies of our way of life are waging an on going battle against our troops and their allies. No matter how we got there, we're there now and so is our enemy.
If 60 Minutes and television news coverage was around after the Battle of Gettysburg, what would have been their position? If they had correspondents on the beaches at Normandy, would we have pulled our troops in the summer of '44 and would that have given Hitler and his cohorts a second wind and the opportunity to win that war?
Do we pack up and leave because it's difficult? Have we as a country lost our backbone? Are we such a 'fast food' society that we no longer have the stamina to withstand a long fight? If that's what we've become then we're doomed as a nation.
No decent human being wants war. War is obscene. War is mankind at it's worse...and it's best. The butchers who set off car bombs, decapitate innocents and who fly airplanes into buildings are the worst. Men and women like the the Iowa National Guard and their families are the best. They deserve our thanks, our prayers and our support as a nation. They don't deserve to be exploited for political purposes by an agenda driven news media.
Are your listening CBS?
This war can't go on forever. But wars aren't scripted. They end when one side gives up. For the sake of our country's future, we can't allow that to be us.
And to the service men and women past and present...thank you.
