I Am America's Son

Just watched a program about Arlington National Cemetery ... where America's military heroes are buried.  I make no claim to be a hero and have no wish to have a place in Arlington, although I could.  Too many real heroes are buried there for me to make such a request.

But here's the situation ... unlike many of my contemporaries, I've literally put my life and well-being on the line for my country.  I've been in a war zone, where one's security is defined by the compound perimeter guard.  No, I've never fired a shot at another human being in support of my country's mandate.  No, I've never been shot at as an individual target.  I know many who have experienced this sort of thing, including my son.  I can't begin to fill the shoes of those who have truly fought and died to fulfill their duty to our nation.  They are truly heroes and mere words can't begin to compensate for their heroism.  I definitely don't deserve to be mentioned in the same league.  They're people I honor and respect.  For those who have not risked what they have, I can only say:  Shut the fuck up!

Those who advocate participation in foreign wars without being willing to participate as warfighters have no justification for their bellicose support for intervention.  They're the proverbial "chicken hawks" - those who support military interventions without being willing to enlist as soldiers in that campaign.  They aren't patriots - they're cowards!  I have nothing but contempt for chicken hawks.  They're the scum of our society - more than willing to risk the lives and well-being of our warfighters without volunteering to put their own lives at risk.  It's easy to be in favor of interventions when it's not your ass on the line!  Or the lives of your sons and daughters!  There's a long, sordid history of those who have used political influence to avoid putting the lives of family members at risk in foreign wars.  When compared to those who have voluntarily chosen to serve, this relegates those chicken hawks to a well-deserved pit of shame!  Chicken hawks are the ultimate hypocrites - eager to sacrifice the lives of our warfighters without putting themselves at risk.  They deserve nothing other than our contempt!

On a regular basis, we ask our sons and daughters to risk everything on the orders of our civilian political leadership.  I went to Vietnam to fulfill political goals I didn't support.  How many of my conservative friends in favor of military interventions have done the same?  Not very many.  Despite their excuses, they haven't put their lives on the line.  How can I respect them?  The simple answer ... I can't. My father, my son, and I have all served in foreign wars at the "request" of our nation - how many of you can say the same?  I don't necessarily honor the wars in which we fought, but I honor the sacrifices made by those who stepped up to their nation's call, even when they disagreed with the war.  Our nation is forever in their debt ... a debt that simply can't be repaid!

I am a son of America.  I've proven that by responding to my nation's call even when I didn't think the political cause was justifiable.  Looking back, I did what was asked of me when my country called.  There are many now who claim to be patriots, but who've never served in the military.  Their putative allegiance to their nation isn't measured by their words, or by the icons they might wear on their lapels, or by their empty words of patriotism - it's measured by their non-commitment to serve their nation.  They're not sons of America - they're cowards who mask their venality with pseude-patriotic words.  Empty words.