Monday, May 31, 2004
The Other Victims of 9/11
On this Memorial Day, we stop to honor all of those who have given their lives for our freedoms and our American way of life—from the 18th Century to today.0 comments
Last week, while waiting for a bus in front of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, here in Manhattan, I actually met an elderly gentleman who was wearing his uniform and medals from the Abraham Lincoln brigade in the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s—which is where the world first faced Adolf Hitler's murderous war machine, for those of you too young to have heard of it.
We have also spent this week honoring many of our fathers and grandfathers with the WWII Memorial.
We are still enduring a 40-year-long torturous relationship with our gallant fallen from Vietnam, since we, as a nation, had so much difficulty separating the men in the uniform from the men in the White House—five administrations which engendered so much divisiveness and hatred. Who lied to us, civilian and soldier alike, with such aplomb. And with such consistency.
But what do we say to the men and women who are arriving home today, from Iraq and Afghanistan?
The New York Times: The War at Home—For Soldiers Back From Iraq, Basic Training in Resuming Life
What do we say after we buy them lunch and slap them on the back and say, "Nice job, son!"
"Now, go away?"
The Republicans and the conservative elements in the country (most of whom did not serve during Vietnam, and have no intention of going to Iraq or Afghanistan) have grasped onto "Support the Troops!" as a mantra, and a secret password among "true believers."
Of course, these are the same people cutting combat pay, and ripping the innards out of most Veterans' benefits and healthcare.
As for the good people in this country, however, I truly believe that, as opposed to 40 years ago, we clearly see the difference between the lies emanating from the White House and the service of brave men and women who did what they were told to do.
But how do we best support them as they cope with the horror of all that they were told to do? At the enormous price they've had to pay for carrying out those orders?
How do we look them in the eye and tell them that their service and their sacrifice was in support of a lie? And much of it in vain?
How do we tell them that their friends died or were maimed in support of an insane world view, propagated by religious radicals who have temporarily grabbed control of the White House and much of the rest of the government?
These soldiers enlisted to defend America. Not the wild notions of lunatics.
There is currently, in fact, a serious need to defend America from the al Qaeda horde of equally religious fanatics who were formerly trained and armed by the U.S., but who now have become our sworn enemies, as we continue to align ourselves with their greatest blood enemies, the Royal family of Saudi Arabia.
After correctly going after the murderers behind the 9/11 attacks, we've allowed Afghanistan to revert to its lawless state.
However, no one from this muderous al Qaeda horde happened to have been in Iraq until we took the place over last year. Iraq and its people and its leaders (for all their bluster) posed no threat to life in Altoona, PA or Shreveport, LA or Costa Mesa, CA or—everybody's favorite target—here in New York City.
Today, however, we have opened an Iraqi recruiting office for al Qaeda, the size of California.
So, our country today is grappling with the severely weighty dilemma of just how DO we support our troops?
How do we tell these courageous people they fought and died for a madman and his rabble in order to protect their mutual interests with the Saudis, but not to defend America?
And how DO we fight to end the madness before too many more scores of their comrades lose their lives and limbs?
Actually, we do it in the exact way that these men and women have died to protect through all of these wars and conflicts—WE VOTE.
We exact a huge political price from the arrogant, greedy crowd who wasted the lives of close to a thousand GIs, and tens of thousands innocent Iraqis.
We vote; not to vote them out of office by a simple majority. We vote them out with one of the largest pluralities the history of this great country has ever seen. Afterwards, we remove from them the cloak of respectability, and bring them to trial for their heinous crimes.
THAT is how you support our troops.
posted by Gotham 8:43 PM
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