Very Nearly Speechless--But Not Quite

For all that I love writing—journaling, blogging, writing stories and thoughts—I’ve found that when I feel particularly strongly about something, I usually have trouble translating those feelings into words.  It’s almost like I have to absorb the feelings first; take them and have time to form them into something that can be packaged and put out on a page (or in some cases, a screen, of course). 

Today I saw something that affected me on that level.  My feelings are still in a bit of a tangle in regards to it; normally I’d wait, think on it for a few days before posting, allow myself to calm a bit.  However, I think that what I read today is indescribably stupid and insulting enough that it deserves to be addressed in as unkind a manner as possible.  So, forewarning: If you a) can’t handle logic and never engage your brain before speaking, b) hate America, our troops, or our ideals, or c) are a general idiot, please don’t read this.  Better yet, do.  I’d love the opportunity to hold you up as a shining example of puerility.

So here’s how this will work:  I’m going to post the link to the blog post I read, so you can go there if you’d like to have your stomach churn and your blood boil.  If not, it’s all good—I’m going to quote and address some of the less ridiculous claims this writer makes.  Then I’m going to e-mail him a link to this blog post so maybe he can get a bit of an education. 

Here’s the original blog: http://mindprod.com/politics/iraqdisrespect.html

Idiot Point #1:” I explained in another essay why all Americans in Iraq are international war criminals subject eventually to prosecution and life imprisonment. I don’t find war criminals particularly deserving of respect. If you are an American soldier, and you are wondering why am requesting that everyone spit on you, read this essay [hyperlink on the original blog, I’m not going to include it here] to understand why. You deserve treatment no better than any other criminal on death row especially when you brazenly brag about your capital crime and encourage others to follow in your footsteps.”

                Wow, where to start?  I wonder if this guy has ever actually READ about a real war criminal.  Here are a couple:

                --Adolf Hitler. http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/docments.htm

                --Kim Jong Il: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-il

                --Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad_and_Israel

Compared to:

                --Michael Monsoor, Navy SEAL

-- Jason Dunham, US Marine Corps

--Ross McGinnis, US Army

--Jason Cunningham, US Air Force

--Their stories can be found here, and there are thousands of others just as heroic. http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/221056/lost-heroes-war-terror-jeff-emanuel#

                My solution to this writer’s obvious ignorance as to what a war criminal IS would be the suggestion that he quickly relocate himself to, say, North Korea or perhaps Iran, where he can personally meet one. 

Idiot Point #2: “Today’s soldier is not defending his country. Iraq had no WMDs. Iraq had no weapons at all with to threaten the USA. Bush Sr. disarmed it the end of the Gulf War. Iraq had not managed to hit a single plane as the US bombed Iraq between the two wars killing between one and two million Iraqis, mostly children. Today’s soldier is not fighting to defend, but to conquer and plunder.”

                There are several factually incorrect statements here.  Take the first sentence, for example: this writer evidently had his head so far up his rear on September 11, 2001 that he couldn’t see the horrific attacks that killed over 3,000 of our countrymen.  As to the last few statements: the fact that Iraq had an inferior air force to ours is not of our doing.  They did give us a bit of a fight on the ground, though our superior forces and expert training stood us in good stead and we were able to accomplish our goal—free the Iraqi people and disarm any WMD’s (yes, yes, I know we found none, but we DID find biological and chemical weapons that Hussein was testing on his own citizens—war crimes, anyone?)—quickly, and with only 66,000-100,000 civilian casualties (depending on whether you ask the Associated Press or the WikiLeaks Classified Iraq War Logs), not one or two million.

Idiot Point #3: “The motive for joining the army then can’t be defending your country. If the pay is terrible, why would anyone sign up? Very simple. Enlistees can kill people, mostly women and children. They can rape, murder and torture with almost no chance of legal prosecution. They are motivated by sadistic lust no matter what other crap they spout as a cover…. Any normal person when given the chance to slaughter children is horrified. Our young soldier leaps at the chance like a trout going for a grub. Any normal person, when told he ought to napalm children to death demands to know why. He will search for any possible way to avoid such mayhem. He will distrust those who ask him to commit such an atrocity. He will check and double check before considering such an act. Yet our young soldier can hardly wait. He does not even need a reason. He is horny for blood, anyone’s blood, though preferably non-white, non-Christian blood. He is overjoyed the government is giving him a license to act out his bigotry and sadism. He deserves no respect for indulging his dark side at the expense of people who did him or his country no harm.”

                Okay, up until now, dear writer, you have been simply ignorant.  Now you’re most definitely in “crazy” territory.   Do you personally KNOW any members of the United States Armed Forces?  Even ONE of them?  Because I do—I’m not in the military, but most of my friends are, and almost every male in my family has been at some point.  My best friend is training to be an Air Force Pilot, and I know him better than anyone in the world outside my own family.  I assure you, he is none of the things you assert above; and neither is my father, grandfather, or any of my uncles or cousins.   Your accusations that every member of our military—or even most of them—are sociopathic rapist serial killer wannabes is….preposterous, bordering closely on deranged.  Delusional.  Mad.  Take your pick, they all apply.  The bit about non-white, non-Christian blood makes you sound slightly like a crazed conspiracy theorist.  Which you probably are.  You say the reason anyone would sign up for the military when the pay is terrible, is simple.  It is indeed, but it’s not a reason a raving fruitcake like you could possibly understand.  Words like honor, courage, patriotism, and service mean nothing to you, how could you understand why anyone would sign up to defend their way of life?

I’ve had enough.  The writer’s accusations get crazier as you go down, and yes, I’ve only addressed three—but after that last one, I’m feeling a bit ill.  Go read the rest if you like, but I’d recommend not.  They really are sickening.

I began this post wanting to write something as a tribute to the brave men and women who protect us, who sacrifice everything to ensure we live peacefully here in our homeland.  I saw this writer’s blatant disregard for that sacrifice, and I couldn’t help but respond.  I suppose my tribute can come later.  But before I close this out (I’m sorry, I realize it’s a bit longer than I usually post), I have to point out something that floors me every time I see it.  American military personnel, when faced with this kind of insane reasoning and unfounded hatred, do something I never can; they smile sadly and say, “This is why we fight.  So this guy can believe what he wants to believe without fearing for his life.” 

They defend us, yet refuse to defend themselves. 

But I will defend them, because I owe my entire way of life to them, and probably my life itself.

I will not stand quietly in the face of such disrespect and unreasonable hostility.

God Bless America.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Monday to all!  I know, I know, shame on me; it’s been over a month since I last posted.  I apologize and can only offer the feeble excuse that my life has been completely crazy lately.  But I’m here now! 

A little less than a year ago, I stood in a hospital corridor, pacing in front of a closed door.  Inside I heard shouts of pain that made me cringe, because they came from my little sister (I say “little” in the same way an 80-year-old parent calls their 60-year-old child “young man”).  Thankfully, it didn’t last long until I heard a cry of a different kind; the indignant wail of a baby, newly arrived into the world.  The implications of it brought tears to my eyes as I rushed to the waiting room to tell my dad and brother—I was an aunt!  My sister had given birth to a son, created a little life that we had been waiting to meet for months—ever since the first time he’d kicked, and as we caught glimpses of his active personality even in the womb.  When I was invited in a few minutes later, and Sam told me to come meet my nephew, all it took was one look at his tiny red face, eyes shut tightly against the bright light of morning, and I was a total goner. 

That sweet little nephew, Anthony Thomas (aka Squirmy), turns a year old in a few days, and what a year it’s been!  I’m extremely lucky to be able to see him several times a week, and having him around has brought indescribable levels of joy to my life.  It’s also taught me a LOT—who knew a newcomer to this world would have so much to teach a seasoned veteran?  (okay, okay, SORTA a seasoned veteran.  24 years makes me a veteran, right?)

First, I learned that I am a hopeless sap when it comes to little ones.  My poor friends have been subjected to Squirmy Stories probably every day for the last year, and they usually involve me either gushing about how adorable he is or being in tears because I love him just so dang much.  I stopped apologizing for it months ago, because I know it’s just not going to change.   

Secondly, I’ve discovered a love that I never really understood before—a love that makes me sentimental, as previously stated, but more than that, makes me fiercely protective.  I would literally do ANYTHING to ensure that little boy’s well-being, even if it was detrimental to me.  I’ve experienced love that would sacrifice for the happiness of another, but never a love like that coupled with the knowledge that the other party is, for all practical purposes, helpless.  It adds a level of emotion that is almost physical, it’s so intense at times.  We hear a lot about the love of a parent for their child; and while by no means minimizing that, nobody ever told me that the love one carries for their nieces and nephews is almost equally as strong.  So it frankly caught me off guard a bit.  O.o

Also, Squirm has shown me life lessons; that it’s possible to be cheerful regardless of your circumstances (I’ve seen that boy vomiting his little breakfast out and then turning right around and giggling at a silly face someone makes); that it’s the little moments that count, not just the big milestones; that falling down isn’t the end of the world, so long as you get right back up;  that learning can take place in the most mundane of places; and that, to even the best of us, diaper explosions happen.

So here’s to my Lil Man, on this almost-one-year anniversary of his birth.  I love you, kiddo!  Being your auntie is more fun than I could ever have hoped for, and I look forward to watching you grow in the years to come. 

Happy Birthday, Squirt!