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Memorial Day, 2006
Tonight, I sit on my front porch, listening to the sprinkler’s gentle patter, the flag fluttering softly on a late May breeze. I have a cigar, my dog, and a comfortable hammock. Inside, my family is safe– the girls tucked in for the night, my wife watching television.
I realize it’s daytime now in Iraq, where men and women of my country numbering in the hundreds of thousands, do work that I have chosen not to do. Granted, I will be 40 next week, but if I told you that I’d have enlisted at the age of 25, I’d probably be lying. This is a simple, undeniable truth. I’d like to fancy myself a man of great physical courage and bravery, but I can’t promise that this would be true.
So I listen to my sprinkler while men and women of my country listen to gunfire, people screaming in foreign tongues, and assorted other sounds that I can’t imagine. And though they’ve never met me, they do this job for me, and for my family. It is a reality that makes me uncomfortable: I feel as if I the ship is sinking and I’ve been given a seat on the first lifeboat.
That there has been debate about the War in Iraq is an understatement. It has been a vicious, partisan argument, with accusations of corruption, treason, and disregard for human life. The men and women of my country who do the job in Iraq that I won’t do must hear this debate. I wonder what they think.
They know that the debate does not make the bullets fly any less true or the bombs explode with less shrapnel. It would have been nice, once the debate about Iraq surfaced, if all combatants agreed to use only fists to avoid unnecessary deaths while the true purpose of the war was being hashed out. But death is not impressed with controversy.
So, the tragic result of the debate is that the men and women of my country who do the job that I won’t do now face death with less clarity of purpose, less certainty of rightness. They’ve been sent to an away game without the cheerleading squad yet with the knowledge that half the school doesn’t care if they win, and might even secretly hope that they lose.
Shame on us, with our soft paper-pushing hands and our hammocks and sprinklers. We expect the men and women of this country who do the job that we won’t do to create a united front in a foreign land, when we can’t muster one here at home. Shame on those of us who think we can simultaneously question the very purpose of the war and still be supporting the men and women who do the job that we won’t do.
It is Memorial Day. Around this country, people remember soldiers who gave their lives for our way of life. It is a day that has new, monumental significance for the families of some 2,500 men and women who died in Iraq doing the job the rest of us wouldn’t do. As they struggle with incomprehensible grief, as they visit cemeteries, shame on us if they have even the slightest doubt as to the nobility of their sacrifice.
Courage is fear that has said its prayers, or so the saying goes. Tonight, I offer the prayers of one family for the men and women of our country who willingly put their lives on the line to ensure that the rest of us can debate, and listen to sprinklers.
- Ike Turner On Iraqi Women’s Rights
- Veterans Day: Operation Re-Gift
- Top 9 New York Times Headlines Regarding Declining Troop Deaths In Iraq
- TNOYF’s John Kerry Interview
- Fake Quote Of The Day
Well said Potfry.
Awesome. Well said, and thanks!
Even when you don’t make us laugh, it’s damn good. A lot of big ideas in there.
But we shouldn’t debate, right? Because that’s like sending a football team on an away game without cheerleaders and uh, secretly hoping they lose or something.
Stick to the “satire” about killing and torturing animals, douchebag.
“Stick to the “satire” about killing and torturing animals, douchebag.”
Moonbat, if you want to see one of those, look in the mirror.
And, given a look at your blog, it’s obvious that you’re among the ranks of those who root against our soldiers.
Asshat.
Hey, Nate-Dogg.
It’s a blogsite. It’s written by Potfry for himself & like-minded readers.
If you don’t like the content, you have the right to leave the site…Douchebag.
Potfry thanks for the posting. Ignore Nate-Dogg. He doesn’t sound fit to carry the jock strap or douchebag of ANYONE serving in the armed forces.
Nate-dogg… you’re the only douchebag i see around here… you douchebag!!
Great post, Potfry. Nate resembles the possum I hit with my car last night: flattened, devoid of thought, and smelly! LOL!
In my country we cry out for douchebags!!
Great post!
What frustrates me most about Memorial Day in this country is that it’s totally lost its meaning, unless the meaning is to save big bucks on a mattress. We’re a nation that actually moves dates around in order to allow for the three-day weekend. We’ve consolidated the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington into a convenient “President’s Day.” And for what?
In Canada, they have a day where the entire country stops for one minute at noon. It’s amazing. No matter what you’re doing, no matter where you are, you stop and reflect on the meaning of the day.
The cynical part of me wonders if future generations will celebrate 9/11 on whatever Monday is closest. And how much will they save on a car?
All great comments. Thanks.
As for Nate-dogg, I want to thank him for reacting exactly as I expected people of his ilk to react: defensive, angry and bitter. And, judging from his lack of responses to my emails, I suspect he regrets having posted anything.
Well said, Potfry! Words like these should be read over and over by all Americans!
Do you really mean to suggest that the people of this country should never question a president’s decision to send our soldiers to war no matter how bad the decision was or how wrong the motives behind it.
Anonymous,
To answer your question: “No.”
However, a blog is typically one person’s opinion & a bunch of comments.
A blogsite is not necessarily a “debating forum.”
I learned this the hard way when I posted some “contrary” comments on a liberal guys blogsite…Geez, were those readers pissed at me!
There’s a time and place to question a President’s decisions, and that time has passed. Congress approved the use of force in Iraq. Those that continue to question the war and demand the withdrawl of U.S. troops make the situation more difficult (by empowering our enemies) and morale soft for the troops that are there. If you feel it’s more important to exercise your right to free speech and second guess U.S. policy than it is to give our troops every possible chance to survive and win, that’s your personal decision.
can i post this?
jeff
Sure. Who are you?
I just stumbled on your site. Love it.
Specifically, this thread is very worthy and thoughtful.
To bad some folks cannot separate their disagreemnet with policy; hatred of the President; or whatever gets their underwear in a wad, from the respect due to the young men and women who simply carry out the orders of our elected leadership. They always do so at some personal sacrifice, and too often at horrific cost.
Thanks for remembering.
Bit late but all I can say is “Well said” Potfry. When a country is at war the citizens should beat ploughshares into swords… not beat each other over the head about politics.
Wonderful post. I see great things ahead for you.
MM
Beautiful words, Potfry. Wow.