fontman
05-28-07, 08:07 AM
Recognizing best nation has to offer
Editorial
The Jacksonville Daily News
Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have lost their lives while serving their country. It is also a time to remember that the men and women of the country are doing their job at the request of their government.Members of the U.S. armed forces do not make wars - they only fight them. That is one of the lessons this country should have taken away from Vietnam. That doesn't mean some won't try to make the military the bad guy in order to end a conflict with which they do not agree. This should not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Some of the saddest and most poignant lessons in U.S. history came during Vietnam. It was a war that was waged by young men who went there to fight, sometimes die, because their government told them to do so. In return for their loyalty and honorable service, they returned to a country where they were not welcomed by many if not most.
Treated as pariahs and outcasts for many years following the conclusion of that war, a lot of veterans tried to forget that it ever happened.
It took shameful decades for a memorial to rise in honor of those who died in the jungles of Southeast Asia. It has taken even longer for Americans to heal from the wounds opened by a war with a country so sharply divided.
When the United States became involved in places such as Kuwait, the Balkans and Afghanistan, the American people - mindful of the mistakes made during the Vietnam era - did not treat their military men and women with contempt, nor did they hurl abuse at them when the returned. Those who served in those actions and those who were wounded or lost their lives were accorded the honor and dignity they had earned.
In Iraq, a battle rages that has also sharply divided this country. It has left reasonable men and women at odds with their neighbors, and it has taken another generation of young people from these shores.
Additionally, many who joined the reserves or accepted civilian jobs in that part of the world never realized the depth of the enemy's perfidy and lack of reverence for human life - even the lives of their countrymen - have found their lives changed forever. Some suffer terrible wounds - both physical and mental. Others have lost their lives to a cause that is widely debated here in their own country.
Ultimately, it does not matter what individuals think of this war in the context of those who served there and return or have died in that service. No matter what takes place on that side of the world, these men and women deserve to be treated with respect and honored for their service.
With regard to those who do not return - especially their spouses, children, parents, siblings, loved ones and friends - they should be lifted up by others' admiration for their courage and sorrow for their loss. Any attempts to belittle these individuals or their service should not be tolerated - not for a moment.
No veteran who returns from fighting for his or her country should have to be exposed to ingratitude from fellow Americans. If those who oppose the war are bound and determined to place their focus on the men and women who fight it, then it is time for the rest of America to take a stand.
Never again should an American return from war to be mistreated by an ungrateful nation. Never again should an American service member lose his or her life and be laid to rest as anything but the best this country has to offer.
Editorial
The Jacksonville Daily News
Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have lost their lives while serving their country. It is also a time to remember that the men and women of the country are doing their job at the request of their government.Members of the U.S. armed forces do not make wars - they only fight them. That is one of the lessons this country should have taken away from Vietnam. That doesn't mean some won't try to make the military the bad guy in order to end a conflict with which they do not agree. This should not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Some of the saddest and most poignant lessons in U.S. history came during Vietnam. It was a war that was waged by young men who went there to fight, sometimes die, because their government told them to do so. In return for their loyalty and honorable service, they returned to a country where they were not welcomed by many if not most.
Treated as pariahs and outcasts for many years following the conclusion of that war, a lot of veterans tried to forget that it ever happened.
It took shameful decades for a memorial to rise in honor of those who died in the jungles of Southeast Asia. It has taken even longer for Americans to heal from the wounds opened by a war with a country so sharply divided.
When the United States became involved in places such as Kuwait, the Balkans and Afghanistan, the American people - mindful of the mistakes made during the Vietnam era - did not treat their military men and women with contempt, nor did they hurl abuse at them when the returned. Those who served in those actions and those who were wounded or lost their lives were accorded the honor and dignity they had earned.
In Iraq, a battle rages that has also sharply divided this country. It has left reasonable men and women at odds with their neighbors, and it has taken another generation of young people from these shores.
Additionally, many who joined the reserves or accepted civilian jobs in that part of the world never realized the depth of the enemy's perfidy and lack of reverence for human life - even the lives of their countrymen - have found their lives changed forever. Some suffer terrible wounds - both physical and mental. Others have lost their lives to a cause that is widely debated here in their own country.
Ultimately, it does not matter what individuals think of this war in the context of those who served there and return or have died in that service. No matter what takes place on that side of the world, these men and women deserve to be treated with respect and honored for their service.
With regard to those who do not return - especially their spouses, children, parents, siblings, loved ones and friends - they should be lifted up by others' admiration for their courage and sorrow for their loss. Any attempts to belittle these individuals or their service should not be tolerated - not for a moment.
No veteran who returns from fighting for his or her country should have to be exposed to ingratitude from fellow Americans. If those who oppose the war are bound and determined to place their focus on the men and women who fight it, then it is time for the rest of America to take a stand.
Never again should an American return from war to be mistreated by an ungrateful nation. Never again should an American service member lose his or her life and be laid to rest as anything but the best this country has to offer.