Memorial Day: An inspiration To Become A Jarhead?

Currently Listening To: Far Away By Nickeleback

“On my knees, I’ll ask
Last chance for one last dance
‘Cause with you, I’d withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I’d give it all
I’d give for us
Give anything but I won’t give up
‘Cause you know,
you know, you know.”

Dear Everyone:

I muse today about the baffling and amazing contributions that our armed services have made for us across the years. I stand perplexed at how a single individual, one solider, can belong to a cause far greater than his or her own life. As a result, I pose a simple question to myself: am I ready to belong to a cause far greater than my own existence?

I am a firm believer of Martin Luther King’s resonating words, “I submit to you that if a man hasn’t discovered something that he is willing die for, he isn’t fit to live.” For this reason, I am deeply considering becoming a U.S. Marine. I am not content with the life I am living, thus I have chosen not to stay. Instead, I wish to pursue the path which offers me a second chance at life, but more importantly, a reunion with my old friend death.

There is no honor in dying on the street as a result of a speeding car or being stabbed to death by disgruntled gangbangers. No, if I die, I want it to mean something. If I die, I want my death, although inherently unimportant, to be a contribution to my country and legacy. I want to be defecating in my pants as I stand in the front lines of danger and valiantly embrace my doom. I have nothing to keep me from manifesting this deluded fantasy of mine-there is no one present in my life at this juncture that means enough to keep me here. No one. Maybe this is my destiny, to take up arms and spare myself of any future harm.

Someone once told me, “Louis, you weren’t born to be a soldier. No, you were born to be the politician that sends the soldiers to war.” I remember chuckling and thinking that was utter malarkey. However, I think that person may have stumbled onto something. But maybe, just maybe, I need to experience shell shock before I can send them into combat expecting them to lay down their lives for a cause they dare not question. “You must follow, before you can lead.”

P.S. “I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for their religion-I have shuddered at it. I shudder no more. I could be martyred for my religion. Love is my religion and I could die for that. I could die for you.” (John Keats)

The Iraq War: A Necessary Evil

                   

       After the five year anniversary of our invasion of Iraq, questions and protests still linger in what has proven to be a long, drawn out war with no end in sight. Some feel lied to, others believed they have been trotted over. The times are trying, the tribulations are great, but does this mean we should be ready to throw in the towel? Could we possibly be heading to a crucially needed over- time?           

       To quote Thomas Pain: “These are the times that try men’s soul. The summer solider and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”  The same is true in the present war; many claim to be stalwart patriots, but would never fight a second for the country that has made them who and what they are today. It is very easy to be the “sunshine patriot” who claims he would do anything for hus country when all is going well; however, the same pledge of allegiance should be worth something when the nation is in peril. One thing is to chant “The land of the free and the brave” and another thing entirely is to truly be a member.         

       Whether you agree with people laying down their life for his or her country is irrelevant. The current situation in Iraq is that many Americans feel they are fighting an unjust, tiresome war which has shed the blood of over four thousand brave soldiers. They believe that because they were lied to by the Bush administration and because victory has not yet been achieved; they have the right to demand the withdrawal of troops. These really do not seem like the best reasons to retreat from battle. After all, we were the ones who invaded Iraq and overthrew its brutal regime; we do take credit for that, but not for the “spoils of war.” Our obligation to finish what we started in Iraq can be simply put: “You break it, you fix it.” We cannot get out of this turmoil infested nation until we undo the “bad” we have done. If we were to get out, the entire nation would plunge into chaos, not mentioning the message we would be giving to terrorists around the world.           

       Surrendering now would only embolden the Muslim extremists, who want “death to American.” The worldwide view that Americans have no stomach for a long war would be branded on our nation forever. It is imperative to realize that this sign of weakness would be all the terrorists would need to throttle us completely. They would realize that we do not want to get involved in another war; as a result, the superpower of the world would be on its knees for the people who pray for its destruction each and every day.           

        Giving up at this present moment is not an option that a reasoning president or candidate has on his or her agenda; neither is keeping the war going for an eternity. But the disastrous consequences of pulling out of Iraq should be taken into account when considering a withdrawal. Some lives may be saved on the short run, but how about on the long run? Will those who laid their lives down for a cause: hunt and kill each and every terrorist, be recorded in the history books as nothing more than mere puppets? Can it be possibly be that our final tribute to the soldiers, who made the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives, will be to openly declare that it was all in vain? ((For Hilary unfortunately it is)    

            ”Come back to me with your shield or on it.”