This is written by
a young soldier serving his third tour of duty in
Iraq. Thought you might find his take on the Michael
Jackson news interesting and he's right.
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Folks,
Okay, I need to rant.
I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report
on Michael Jackson. As we all know, Jackson died the
other day. He was an entertainer who performed for
decades. He made millions, he spent millions, and he
did a lot of things that make him a villian to many
people. I understand that his death would affect a lot
of people, and I respect those people who mourn his death,
but that isn't the point of my rant.
Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America
loses their minds with grief. When a man dies whose
only contribution to the country was to ENTERTAIN people,
the Amercian people find the need
to flock to a memorial in Hollywood, and even Congress
sees the need to hold a "moment of silence" for
his passing?
Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of
a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained
us for a few decades? What about all those SOLDIERS
who have died to give us freedom? All those Soldiers
who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war,
still raised their hands and swore to defend the
Constitution and the United States of America. Where
is their moment of silence? Where are the people
flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over them
because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it
when a Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good
riddence," and "thank God for IEDs?"
When did this country become so calloused to the sacrifice
of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off
their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into
mourning for a "Pop Icon?"
I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence
IN CONGRESS for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment
of silence for every service member killed in Iraq and
Afghanistan. They need to PUBLICLY recognize every
life that has been lost so that the American people can live
their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom that
WE, those that are living and those that have gone on, have
provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much
time, because there have been so many willing to make that
sacrifice. After all, we will never make millions of
dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit
songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our
blood, sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they
have.
Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it.
Remember these five words the next time you think of someone
who is serving in the
military;
"So that others may live..."
Isaac