September 6, 2005
Opinion
Our children choose to serve our country for many reasons. Lance Cpl. Phillip West asked his father, “If I don’t, then who will?” Sadly, Edward West’s editorial reported that his son died in the line of duty.
My son goes into the military next year for what he hopes will be a long career because as he put it, “Our fathers knew when the Bill of Rights were drawn up, liberty would be a lifetime battle.”
People like Mrs. Sheehan and those who oppose her are proof that some of our liberties remain intact. I thank them for using these rights and doing so without violence.
Real republicans have seen to it we still have our right to bear arms while the real democrats have seen to it that we still have our rights of free speech. However, due to the necessity for Homeland Security, the one liberty that united both of the largest political parties has gone by the wayside, much as the credibility of both parties has. High-tech crimes and policing, surveillance cameras on highways and tracking cards used for shoppers and gamblers, leave the average person stripped of privacy.
Freedom and liberty come at a high price. If we don’t use them responsibly, we stand to lose them altogether which wouldn’t hurt the World Order’s agenda of globalization. While our children are fighting wars this fast-tracking out-sourcing tax deferring corporate government creates and sponsors, it is up to us to secure our liberties so our children have some left to return home to.
A reminder: Governor George W. Bush’s words when Clinton was president. "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." --Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
2 comments:
Dear Chelle--I also read Edward West's poignant opinion piece in the Times-Herald and was saddened by it. He and Phillip's family have kept quiet far too long, perhaps, in the hope of having their sacrifice justified by further developments in Iraq. The situation there, though, continues to unravel and deviate from the script followed by the Bush-Cheney team.
Cindy Sheehan has been pointing out how deceptive military recruiters have been in dealing with the public in general and the families of our servicemen and women in specific. Recruiters really do promise many young people the world inorder to get them to sign up for the armed forces. Their children, though, volunteered to serve.
Narrow notions of duty, honor and devotion--all encouraged by war propaganda--might have blinded them but they were idealists in their hopes of improving life by putting themselves in the line of fire. They believed they were serving the common good by carrying out orders regardless of the consequences. That we can now see is the recipe for the disaster which we find ourselves in today. Remaining silent and hopeful cannot shorten this military adventure anymore than it can bring our war dead back to life. This war will only come to an end when people speak up and make their views known.
Respectfully,
David Grumio.
Dear David,
Thank you so much for reading what I wrote. Liberty is not something to be taken lightly and Ms. Sheehan is so eloquent and compassionate. I'm sad because of this corner we have painted ourselves into. Deep down I wonder if it wasn't England who orchestrated this all. It doesn't really matter at this point. It is time we American stand together and hold ourselves responsible for the actions we have allowed those who represent us to create.
Best thing we can do, David, is to focus inward on America's shortcomings and make right our internal wrongs.
Thank you so much for your words.
Chelle
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