05-29-2017, 09:58 AM
One of the coolest things I have ever seen was in a VFW hall back home. They didn't have a tank, or a plane, or a big bomb out front. Inside there weren't battle maps or guns in cases or statues of generals or enlisted men. The military branch logos were painted on one wall and there were a few generic military posters or pennants scattered around.
And on one wall was the cool thing: a large mural of a soldier on a battle field with an incredible look of anguish on his face. He was weeping. Another soldier was beside him, arm over his shoulder, consoling him.
I wish we spent more time acknowledging that dimension of military service, and not "the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air." I saw a news clip yesterday in which a well known news anchor called rockets being launched from a U.S. ship in a recent attack "beautiful." I disagree.
If we are more honest about the human cost of our militarism, if we acknowledge the scores of veterans (not to mention civilians) whose lives are taken or shattered by war, we may be able to achieve the objective set in the OP - having fewer veterans to memorialize. Until such time, hats off to the fallen, those who mourn them, and those who console the mourners.
And on one wall was the cool thing: a large mural of a soldier on a battle field with an incredible look of anguish on his face. He was weeping. Another soldier was beside him, arm over his shoulder, consoling him.
I wish we spent more time acknowledging that dimension of military service, and not "the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air." I saw a news clip yesterday in which a well known news anchor called rockets being launched from a U.S. ship in a recent attack "beautiful." I disagree.
If we are more honest about the human cost of our militarism, if we acknowledge the scores of veterans (not to mention civilians) whose lives are taken or shattered by war, we may be able to achieve the objective set in the OP - having fewer veterans to memorialize. Until such time, hats off to the fallen, those who mourn them, and those who console the mourners.
JOHN ROBERTS: From time to time in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly so that you will come to know the value of justice... I wish you bad luck, again, from time to time so that you will be conscious of the role of chance in life and understand that your success is not completely deserved and that the failure of others is not completely deserved either.
