“We — those of us in the non-fighting America, those of us for whom the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are abstractions — perhaps remain too comfortable, detached from something of desperate importance: the duty done far from home in our stead by the children of other people. And removed and distant from how the “best and brightest” of their families risk and sometimes give up everything they hold dear.”
Thank you, Dr. Stein, for reminding us of the families in the “Other America” who are making the ultimate sacrifice in America’s endless wars.
Some of our fathers and brothers, even our sisters and aunts, served in wartime. Some serve now. Perhaps you too.
Today is the day we honor the fallen in all the many conflicts of this, our country.
Can two Americas fit into a holiday designed for one?
Thus do the two Americas array themselves: those for whom service is a calling and those for whom it is an economic necessity; those powerful and those without prospects; those respected and those afraid; those with fat wallets and those with empty purses; the few who are part of our volunteer army and the majority who choose not to be.
When my father did his duty in World War II, walking the Champs-Élysées on the first Bastille Day after the liberation of Paris, there was such a thing as military conscription: able bodied young men were required to participate. In post-war Germany, as…
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Conflicting emotions, for sure. I make a distinction between soldiers who bravely do their duty and the often warmongering politicians who send them into harms way.
So do I, Robert.
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Thanks for sharing, Cyril. Have a great week 🙂
Poignant write. Indeed we must dwell on TWO AMERICAS in a memorial reflection. But also important, we must keep in mind the THIRD AMERICA of the UNDOCUMENTED who listen for the knock on the door and mapping their way to a grocery store. Even to dwell in a life of uncertainty.
~Leonard Dabydeen
So true, Leonard. We’re becoming a fragmented society.
Rosaliene, Thanks for the re-blog. I read the post on Dr. Stein’s blog and commented there.
I agree, Katharine, we need to do more for our veterans.
The vets I’ve worked with are some of the most peace-loving people around. They want to support the troops but think the wars are wrong. I wish they would become more vocal. Instead, they are hiding in the woods and avoiding contact with Humanland.
I, too, would like them to speak out about our immoral wars. More broken bodies, minds, and souls.
They don’t know their own power, maybe, to inspire positive change. So many of them live in isolation and feel alone. However, the “been there, done that” crowd of vets could teach us a lot about what not to do.
So true, Katharine.
This is a very interesting read. Thanks for sharing it.
So glad you found Dr. Stein’s post interesting 🙂 You should check out his blog.