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Keirl King breathed a sigh of relief when the
draft ended for the Vietnam War. He
was number 50 on the list and didn’t want to go.
Thinking back, he wishes he had served his country, wishes he
could feel that he had done his part for his country.
Recently he was wearing an American flag lapel pin when a Marine
and his wife, who was also in service, complimented him for the display. They had just returned from duty in Japan and
were met at the airport by protesters who got in their faces. The lady Marine responded in kind. A rally in support of American troops in Iraq was held at UTC in Chattanooga. It was intended as a political statement, not to support or criticize the war. It was sponsored by students to show support of Americans in uniform fighting there. Everyone, especially the media, took pains to emphasize confrontation. Gen. Bill Raines was the main speaker and he brought home the need to stand behind our military regardless of political feelings. Much of his message was overlooked by those who wanted to put their own philosophy onto the scene—for or against the invasion, for or against President George Bush. That has nothing to do with it. A soldier takes an oath to obey commands given
him. Their political,
religious or mental views don’t enter into it.
Discipline is the backbone of the military, unquestioning
obedience to orders. A
soldier in combat cannot pause from an attack to consider whether he
agrees with an order or not. He
may reflect later, but acceptance of a command is inviolate.
To blame a soldier for a military action is to criticize him or
her for something beyond his control. Veterans from World War II had ticker tape
parades. Korean Veterans
were asked, “Oh, have you been away?”
Vietnam veterans were derided as “baby killers,” as if they
had of their own accord decided to go to the other side of the world to
fight a guerrilla war where even the most innocent looking civilian
could be a death trap. Soldiers take the blame for following order they have no
control over. There’s no problem with protests.
That’s the American way. Men
and women in the military fight for the right for Americans to protest.
Freedom of speech is a guaranteed right.
But aim the protest where it belongs.
Someone can disagree with a policy without blaming the soldier. War or peace is decided by world leaders.
Be it a prime minister, dictator, monarch or president, they make
the call. It is the duty of
the military to follow orders. America is fortunate to have a loyal military.
They go where duty calls. They
fight on foreign shores in hopes Americans won’t have to fight on
their own homeland. Whatever the gripe someone has toward policies
from Korea to Vietnam, from Somalia to Iraq, that anger has no place
directed at the military. They
are there to serve and protect our democracy. No matter what political differences there may
be, we should all honor our military men and women who serve us
faithfully and without question.
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