What I'm Thankful For
1- Marya and David, who are my light at the end of the tunnel.
2- That my Mother is fighting the cancer, and will be around to be David's "Bubbe" for many years to come.
3- The rest of my extended family for all the support they've provided during my deployment.
4- That by the grace of God I was born an American. Until you see firsthand what it is like to live in a society torn asunder by its divisions, it is difficult to appreciate how petty most of our problems back in the US are (the rantings of various demagogic politicians aside . . . but that's another post).
5- Finally, that I have the honor to serve in this military at this time in history. It is a tragedy that because of the media's assorted biases and agendas, the American public has seen and heard far more about the degradations of a few soldiers at Abu Ghraib than the heroism of soldiers like Marine Corporal Jason Dunham and Sergeant Paul Ray Smith. (If you don't know who they are, look them up). George Orwell famously wrote:
In Iraq, young Americans are enduring more than their share of violence in order to help protect a newly liberated people from the reimposition of tyranny. Although we all want to come home safely, seeing what we have seen here, we also want very much to win this war. I pray that next year I'll be able to say I am thankful that we have done both.
2- That my Mother is fighting the cancer, and will be around to be David's "Bubbe" for many years to come.
3- The rest of my extended family for all the support they've provided during my deployment.
4- That by the grace of God I was born an American. Until you see firsthand what it is like to live in a society torn asunder by its divisions, it is difficult to appreciate how petty most of our problems back in the US are (the rantings of various demagogic politicians aside . . . but that's another post).
5- Finally, that I have the honor to serve in this military at this time in history. It is a tragedy that because of the media's assorted biases and agendas, the American public has seen and heard far more about the degradations of a few soldiers at Abu Ghraib than the heroism of soldiers like Marine Corporal Jason Dunham and Sergeant Paul Ray Smith. (If you don't know who they are, look them up). George Orwell famously wrote:
"People sleep peacfully in their beds at night knowing that there are rough men ready to do violence on their behalf."
In Iraq, young Americans are enduring more than their share of violence in order to help protect a newly liberated people from the reimposition of tyranny. Although we all want to come home safely, seeing what we have seen here, we also want very much to win this war. I pray that next year I'll be able to say I am thankful that we have done both.
posted by Ben at 7:18 PM
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