Monday, May 29, 2006
Mine is the first generation in my family that has not hefted a big green (or grey) duffle bag over a shoulder and marched off to war.
My father was in the Pacific for WWII. His father was in Europe for WWI. His father's father was in the South for The War of Northern Aggression.
Mine is also the first generation to sit and watch our president be more excited about his gall bladder surgical scar than he was about Hugh Downs announcing the daily body count from Viet Nam.
I was in 3rd grade when I watched Tricky Dick's jowls proclaim him to be "not a crook". I was a teenager as I watched Georgia's favorite son age a million years in three. Then I watched Nancy spend more money on new china for the White House than my family would earn in a decade. And not too long after that, I watched Bill redefine for an entire world the definition of "sexual relations" as he embodied the concept of "no moral compass", all at the same time.
This is my government. I do not believe. I do not trust. I assume that if it is sound coming from a government leader's mouth that it is a lying sound.
And then there are the soldiers. The men and women who are able to look past all the lies, abuse, neglect, self enrichment, unsavory compromises, power plays, and criminal activity. These are people who can see the greater picture, the future beyond today's politicos, the belief that this country is bigger than its leaders, and greater than its current liars.
Thank you to all of the carriers of green duffle bags and wearers of combat boots. Thank you for holding onto your faith and hope when I appear to not have any.
Any Soldier
My father was in the Pacific for WWII. His father was in Europe for WWI. His father's father was in the South for The War of Northern Aggression.
Mine is also the first generation to sit and watch our president be more excited about his gall bladder surgical scar than he was about Hugh Downs announcing the daily body count from Viet Nam.
I was in 3rd grade when I watched Tricky Dick's jowls proclaim him to be "not a crook". I was a teenager as I watched Georgia's favorite son age a million years in three. Then I watched Nancy spend more money on new china for the White House than my family would earn in a decade. And not too long after that, I watched Bill redefine for an entire world the definition of "sexual relations" as he embodied the concept of "no moral compass", all at the same time.
This is my government. I do not believe. I do not trust. I assume that if it is sound coming from a government leader's mouth that it is a lying sound.
And then there are the soldiers. The men and women who are able to look past all the lies, abuse, neglect, self enrichment, unsavory compromises, power plays, and criminal activity. These are people who can see the greater picture, the future beyond today's politicos, the belief that this country is bigger than its leaders, and greater than its current liars.
Thank you to all of the carriers of green duffle bags and wearers of combat boots. Thank you for holding onto your faith and hope when I appear to not have any.
Any Soldier
Labels: opinion
# posted by Carol : 11:14 AM
