After Lackland: Rage, Rage against the dying of the light...
President Ronald Regan famously once referred to America as "a city upon a hill", a beacon of light and hope for all around the world to see; he was right. America is that, to a great degree, because we have among us the best and the brightest, with many of them coming from those that serve, of their own choice, in our military. This past weekend I spent two days, give or take, at Lackland AirForce Base in San Antonio, Texas. The occasion: my younger brother was to graduate from Basic Training, and graduate he did, from a class of 600 fellow Airman.
While I was there I saw the sacrifice and dedication our men and women put forth to defend us, because these indiviuals give up everything: family, friends, comforts, and home to be transformed into confident and disiplined warriors, and this was JUST Basic Training. As these trainees come through the grueling seven weeks they learn honor, respect, reliance, love for country, and the importance of family. I say it because I saw it, because I heard it. It is an incredible sight to see 600 graduates march in perfect unison, to see them stand tall and strong, to see a chapel filled with those that desire the righteous and just spirit of the warrior, willing to go where they are called and defend the freedom of those that cannot defend it.
Yet while I was away to see this wonderous sight, word reached my ears that the Iraq Supplemental was passed by a vote of 218-212, just a six vote spread. While on it's face this may seem like it is not a problem, such is not the case. Among the defense bill, generous amounts of "pork projects" had been inserted, funding that would go to the home districts, not to our troops in harms way that defend us around the clock by keeping the conflict from our shores. Beyond that, is the much media covered stipulation that by September 2008 the withdrawl of our forces will be complete, as the majority within the House sees this conflict as "unwinnable". The good news here is that, although passed in the House, the bill is destined for the legislativie netherworld, as it will be vetoed if it passes the Senate.
The issue here is the idea of there being those within the Congress that seek to diminish the the light that is America, illustrated by a pervasive unwillingness to support the mission that our military men and women are engaged in at present. Rather, there seems to be a willingingness to undercut the efforts overseas by bickering and warring politically at home. If this continues, the just light of freedom that our military is working hard at spreading in that volitile region may be diminished and subsequently snuffed out.
To prevent this, we must work hard as a nation to show our support for our armed forces, letting them know that we as Americans do love and support them, even if some in Congress do not; we must do as poet Dylan Thomas once wrote, we must "Rage Rage against the dying of the light..."
While I was there I saw the sacrifice and dedication our men and women put forth to defend us, because these indiviuals give up everything: family, friends, comforts, and home to be transformed into confident and disiplined warriors, and this was JUST Basic Training. As these trainees come through the grueling seven weeks they learn honor, respect, reliance, love for country, and the importance of family. I say it because I saw it, because I heard it. It is an incredible sight to see 600 graduates march in perfect unison, to see them stand tall and strong, to see a chapel filled with those that desire the righteous and just spirit of the warrior, willing to go where they are called and defend the freedom of those that cannot defend it.
Yet while I was away to see this wonderous sight, word reached my ears that the Iraq Supplemental was passed by a vote of 218-212, just a six vote spread. While on it's face this may seem like it is not a problem, such is not the case. Among the defense bill, generous amounts of "pork projects" had been inserted, funding that would go to the home districts, not to our troops in harms way that defend us around the clock by keeping the conflict from our shores. Beyond that, is the much media covered stipulation that by September 2008 the withdrawl of our forces will be complete, as the majority within the House sees this conflict as "unwinnable". The good news here is that, although passed in the House, the bill is destined for the legislativie netherworld, as it will be vetoed if it passes the Senate.
The issue here is the idea of there being those within the Congress that seek to diminish the the light that is America, illustrated by a pervasive unwillingness to support the mission that our military men and women are engaged in at present. Rather, there seems to be a willingingness to undercut the efforts overseas by bickering and warring politically at home. If this continues, the just light of freedom that our military is working hard at spreading in that volitile region may be diminished and subsequently snuffed out.
To prevent this, we must work hard as a nation to show our support for our armed forces, letting them know that we as Americans do love and support them, even if some in Congress do not; we must do as poet Dylan Thomas once wrote, we must "Rage Rage against the dying of the light..."
posted by A. R. Welty at 8:02 PM
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