May 19, 2006
If Only There Were More Men Like Him
A Day In The Life Of...:
Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
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 on 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 walks 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 does not get to eat today.
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for months, 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 are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.
You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
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 government and remembers why he is fighting.
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him.
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does what he is told.
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire.
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men like him
And a tip of the GM Derby to my wonderful daughter Jennifer for the email with the above in it.
Linked at Woman, Honor Thyself and The Mudville Gazette
Posted by GM Roper at May 19, 2006 08:12 PM | TrackBackAwesome. Just totally awesome.
I hope all the liberal whiney ass spoiled brats read this and...THINK. Oh wait...they don't know how to think.
Maybe this will help them.
Posted by Raven at May 19, 2006 08:22 PM
Awesome....
Posted by kender at May 19, 2006 08:24 PM
I think awesome is the word!
Posted by Ben USN (Ret) at May 20, 2006 12:07 AM
Wonderful!
Posted by Jo at May 20, 2006 05:32 AM
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him.
This rings false... Nobody does this... except the most extreme radicals. Rewrite it like this:
You sit there and judge the leaders who sent him into this hostile environment for no good reason
Now that's more like it. That's what I do, at any rate.
Posted by E. Nonee Moose at May 20, 2006 04:48 PM
But Moose, you are an acknowledged exception. And yes, I am refering to the idiots on the hard left, folks like Kerry (with his damnable Ghengis Khan remark) and Jack Murtha who accuses Marines of Cold Blooded (but at the same time in the "heat of passion") murder without the investigation or trial or anything except his own big mouth and desire to keep in the lime-light.
Posted by GM Roper at May 20, 2006 06:55 PM
Also Moose, I might mention that it rings false to you but that doesn't mean it is false. In fact, there are an awful lot of good people, with good brains, who think and reason who believe that it is true.
Posted by GM Roper at May 20, 2006 08:24 PM
I have a copy of Alastair Horne's TO LOSE A BATTLE. It is an old copy. What's it about? How France was defeated in a matter of weeks in 1940. Horne explains just how it happened. More importantly, he examines the divisiveness within the French Army and the nation in general.
When armies are controlled by civilian political leaders that are elected by the general populace, then the real "seam" is located on the proverbial "home front". America has mostly produced very high quality military units. They do not get beat on the battlefield. Our weak point is the voters...and non-voters...of America. If they are ignorant, mislead, partially informed...they do not (as they cannot) make informed, intelligent choices. This is more than scary. It, I submit, is criminal.
In today's world, all are - to some degree or another - part of our nation's defense. See UNITED 93 and you might get what I am talking about. The "ordinary" people on that flight prevented that aircraft from hitting the Capitol or the White House.
Another point: The lads and lasses that we recruit into the armed forces come from the general populace. Has anyone noticed that military recruiters have to work VERY hard to meet their monthly quotas. Why, exactly, do not more young people want to be first in line to join the service(s)?
They are influenced by: parents, media, schools and the entertainment industry. The simple fact is that we, as a nation, don't really seem to want to confront the reality that we are at war. Make NO mistake, we are. Like Chamberlain and all the French politicians, we mostly want to look the other way. Thus, the burden of service is on the few...in uniform AND their families.
Shame on the rest, say I.
Posted by tad at May 21, 2006 09:07 AM
Outstanding comment, Tad! I salute you, Sir!
Posted by Ben USN (Ret) at May 21, 2006 07:08 PM
God bless our troops. May they all get home safely.
Posted by mike at May 21, 2006 07:34 PM
Ben USN (Ret),
Thank you. Be assured the salute is returned. While I was a Marine, I was lucky enough to have served on very many ships of many types. For a Marine, I have a fair amount of sea duty: five years, five months and 27 days.
The Navy (with the Marines added), makes our defense establishment truly unique. Ask a knowledgeable soldier or airman and they are envious of the Navy's ability to go all 'round the globe and not have to ask permission...i.e. permission to overfly countries or to land. "Forward Deployed" is what the Navy is all about and my hat is off to them. Tough job...done very well.
BTW, thank you for serving your country.
Posted by tad at May 21, 2006 08:16 PM
Bravo!...its perfect GM!..wish the trackback would work !...argggggg!
Posted by Angel at May 22, 2006 06:55 AM
This is a great poem. As someone who fought in Desert Storm / Shield, it almost brings a tear to my eye. But once a Marine, always a Marine, so I can't cry. :-)
What bothers me is the comments about Democrats being against the troops. I have never, ever heard anyone say anything against the troops. (If I did, I would probably be in jail for assault instead of typing this.)
Why does everyone think that "left wingers" are against the troops? I don't think that's even remotely correct. I have friends who are Dems...and most of my friends are vets...never heard them criticize soldiers.
Please, for the sake of honesty, let's stop saying that Dems are against the soldiers- they're not. Remember, since 70% of the country is against the war, that means that a lot of children of anti-war people are over there fighting RIGHT NOW.
Yep. Gotta admit that folks- Democrats, liberals, are over there fighting for us right now. And their liberal parents, friends and family are over here supporting them. You would think, after reading the comments, that Democrats hate soldiers and every boy over there is a Republican.
That's kind of silly, not to mention mathmatically (spelling?) implausible.
Posted by mike at May 22, 2006 11:21 AM
Mike, the phrase that "we oppose the war but support the troops" is phony and hollow. The left opposes the military at every turn, as evidenced by their efforts to destroy the recruiiting efforts on campuses. They really can't see that by opposing the goals of the military that they are hurting the individuals that make it up.
I watched a C-Span rerun this weekend of an inidvidual with some lefty group who opposes the "military tax" and refuses to pay taxes which go to support our troops and missions. I guess that he has it figured out if Chinese troops start marching through his neighborhood.
Maybe they didn't hear the name change of the War Depertment to the Dept. of Defense.
Posted by Woody at May 22, 2006 12:33 PM
Okay Woody... But I support the troops and I am against the war in Iraq. I wouldn't try to screw up recruiting efforts or stop paying taxes that went to military funding...shit, I would want a bigger share to go to military funding if anything. Those boys need more armor!
So do you think I'm phony and hollow? (I can take it.)
Posted by mike at May 22, 2006 01:05 PM
**Why does everyone think that "left wingers" are against the troops?**
Mike, If you'll notice, this piece doesn't specifically SAY that these people are left wingers.
Granted, there are a few here and elsewhere that do believe that and that is their right and choice to believe, based on what they've seen and conclusions to which they have come.
That being said, you KNOW that there are people who believe that soldiers are murdering war-mongers. They exist.
I sent this e-mail to my dad. It is to those people that have no respect for our troops it is directed.
Posted by Jennifer at May 22, 2006 09:52 PM
Woody, the "I support the troops but not support the war" dosen't ring hollow. In fact it rings of an American much like those in 1776 who decided that something stunk. I wear a jacket decorated with the patches of my friends from high school and college who are serving in the military. Two of them I have lost contact with and I wouldn't be suprised if they are no longer with us. My support of my brothers is getting them home safe and sound.
My support of them is making sure that what they are fighting for isn't destroyed by those who are trampling upon the Constitution at every turn. My job is not to be a sheeple and follow the party line but to question eveything including the often misinformed opinions of the left.
Currently my brothers are fighting and dying for a country that is ceasing to exist. Now before you turn on your flamethrower I would suggest that you seriously think about why I say what I do, why it makes sense to me, instead of being blinded by the lock step that the conservatives are currently involved in.
This country is in serious trouble it's not the terrorists or the left or the right. It's our blind obedience to the line of fear we are being fed.
Posted by Mike at May 22, 2006 11:43 PM
Jennifer- I know this poem doesn't mention "the left." It's the comments left by others ABOUT the poem.
Also...as a side note, the "Mike" in the post just above this one isn't Mike, the Gulf War Vet from Detroit.
That's a different dude...but I do agree with him.
So I changed my name to mike1971. I am the same Mike that fought with Ben in "whose worse than Bush" post...
Well...it wasn't much of a fight. He said something remarkably stupid and I corrected his ignorance.
Posted by mike1971 at May 23, 2006 12:26 AM
Mike1971, I know the Mike (IRL) in the post above yours.
**It's the comments left by others ABOUT the poem.**
I get that. Truly I do. But if you'll note, I commented that they are within their rights to challenge whom they consider 'against the troops' and why they believe so. Just as it is acceptable for you to believe as you do.
On a whole, I am against blanket statements.
And I wish that people commenting here would QUALIFY their statements (including the Mike in the post above). Of course, that makes for boring discourse at times. ;-)
Posted by Jennifer at May 23, 2006 04:29 PM
On a whole, I am against blanket statements.
Isn't that a blanket statement?
Posted by Der Tommissar at May 24, 2006 10:30 AM
**On a whole, I am against blanket statements.
Isn't that a blanket statement?**
"On a whole" or rather, as I should have written "On the whole" counts as a qualifying statement that does not make this a blanket statement. It is an acceptable colloquial qualifier.
Posted by Jennifer at May 24, 2006 04:19 PM
