Our Soldiers
I received this emial from a co-worker and thought that it was appropriate for my blog. The original sender or author is unkown.
—– Original Message —– No matter what your view, how can your heart not respond to this?
you stay up for 16 hours
He stays up for days on end.
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
You complain of a ‘headache’, and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
You put on your anti war/don’t support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
You make sure you’re cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
You talk trash about your ‘buddies’ that aren’t with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn’t get to eat today.
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn’t have time to brush his teeth today.
You’re angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He’s told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love’s perfume.
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they’ll ever meet.
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don’t.
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.
REMEMBER our Troops, and do not forget them LATER
Lest we forget -
February 4th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
[...] Our Soldiers [...]
February 5th, 2008 at 8:07 am
This was very meaningful. I have seen something like this before, again through an email, but not this powerful. Talking about different perspectives in class this does run a comparsion. This makes viewers like us think, pray, and hope that our troops come home safe. I wrote something in my blog about a reading I did on this type of this reaction and while the war has been going on for longer than anticipated, I need to know that people that walk the streets everyday through a mall or just on a beach on vacation or walking from class to class are still thinking about the troops. Their viewpoint on the war means nothing. Those troops are there and I feel without emails like these some people are forgetting, not a purpose, but it isn’t like it was Sept 12, 2001 or Nov. 2001. Those times people were 100% supporting the troops, consitantly keeping them in their thoughts, Flags were everywhere on peoples homes, cars, and businesses. Now it feel that some have moved past and contiuned with their day to day life. Emails like these do still have an impact and I encourage you to send that to as many people as you can, even if they don’t have time to read it, they will see the headline and their thoughts will go towards the troops.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I don’t care how insensitive this sounds, I hate getting those stupid forwards. The whole forward itself isn’t aimed at solely inspiring the support for the troops, but tries to cut as a double edged sword against all who opposes the war.
U.S. Flag lapel pins and yellow ribbon magnets on your car don’t make you any more patriotic than someone who wears an anti-war patch on their hippie man-purse. It talks about making jokes about the soldiers and how anti-war is interchangeable with “don’t support the troops”. You find me one idiot on the street corner with a “don’t support the troops” shirt on and I’ll show you an idiot who is about the get a second black eye, because chances are they would already have one by the time they made it to the street corner.
My “heard doesn’t respond to this” because it is like saying if you’re not for the war in Iraq then you are against America, or on the other side of the isle it is like saying if you’re not for gun control then you want your children to kill other children. It’s basing false facts onto false scenarios and trying to shit them out as truths. The same as the attempt of negatively labeling Barack Obama s a Muslim and the media trying to over-pander the supposed sex affair scandal with John McCain.
It’s easy to FORWARD, but harder to REPLY.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
[...] Bruce David T. [...]