Young Americans deceived into dying for unjust causes

[alfredo]

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/news/opinion/8905659.htm

By Bob Sloan


Right around Memorial Day, like so many others, my wife and I spent some time standing over a soldier's grave. William Hargis wasn't kin to us, so we hadn't thought to bring flowers. Julie and I stayed a while though, and in the springtime peace of a country graveyard, some old -- but never really answered -- questions came to mind.

For example: Why are we so prone to send kids off to fight where the climate can be deadly as any bullet?

Seems as if most wars provide a few soldier-killer diseases for pathologists to study. World War I had the Spanish influenza. Vietnam gave us cancers related to Agent Orange, and nobody's really figured out Gulf War syndrome from the early 1990s.

Anyway, it was sickness, not rifle fire, that laid William Hargis low. If he'd stayed in Kentucky, he might have lived five or six more decades and had a comfortable old age blessed by grandchildren. Instead, at 24, he went to his grave.

SNIP!

[Th1onein]

1. Wonderful piece. Puts everything into perspective, doesn't it?

[Teddy_Salad]

2. Alfedo, thanks for posting this great piece!

:hi:

[Raster]

3. Read this Editorial, if it doesn't put a lump in your throat...

(bold emphasis mine)

"So many youngsters sacrifice youth and lives to satisfy a greedy president who never sees the faces or knows the names of those killed by his political machinations.

<snip>

"William Hargis' war experience was no different, really, than that of the 800 or so young Americans whose lives have been squandered so far in Iraq. Almost no one reading these words will have a clue what the Mexican War was about. And 150 years from now, no one will remember the lies that persuaded kids to become a blood sacrifice to oil gluttony.

<snip>

"Perhaps the youngsters you know will think twice about going off to make the world safe for cheap gas.

[myopic4141]

4. Why the young

The military loves the young for it is young minds that are susceptible to the lure of patriotism and greater sacrifice as well as being easily pliable to a military way of thinking. That is the way it has always been. Of course, with the greater and greater access to the way the world works, only the very young are remaining that way at the age of 18 today than they were yesterday. Yet, there are still pockets in society that keep the worlds treachery at bay. As a result, it has always been the responsibility of the elder leaders to use the asset wisely. Time and time again, it has been proven that those in charge have not and the youth of many have been squandered as a result. Bob Sloan's reference to a grave from 1848 applies equally well today in 2004.
I cannot speak for others, only for myself as to why I put on the uniform of this nation a long time ago. It was because I believed in what this nation stood for then as I believe what this nation stands for now. Then, I had less knowledge of what the leadership stood for which was not the same as the nation and today that relationship is less so. There are many wars to be fought at once in this day and age; however, the one most paramount to me is the war against the current leadership for they have become the enemy of the state. Lo' those many years ago, I swore "to protect the Constitution from all enemies, both foreign and domestic" and the greatest enemy now resides at home. This war is not being fought with bullets and bombs; but, with pens, words, and ballot boxes with hope that these will be sufficient enough to rid the scourge that now plagues this nation. To win those other wars, we must first win the war at home within the terms given by the Constitution; otherwise, the ideals which I chose to defend above all else will be as meaningless as those found elsewhere and any victory will be hollow for I will be no better than those that currently lead us. It is a more difficult road and one fraught with greater danger; but, as putting on the uniform once said about my willingness to take the ultimate of risks, it is a risk I am willing to take.

[alfredo]

5. I hope you don't mind but I sent

your post to Bob's wife Julie. I have been in contact with her for some time, she's a welcomed addition to my address book.

Here's his website:
http://bobsloansampler.com/ Some of his NPR sound files are down the page.

[myopic4141]

6. Permission granted.

No one needs permission to forward anything I post if they think it is worthy of forwarding. Thank you for doing so. Anyone also has the freedom to email if they so wish. The worse that can happen as a result to such an attempt is the trash can or junk mail folder.

[alfredo]

7. The Sloans are good people. They live in Central/East Ky

and doing their best at living off the art they create.

Julie loved your post.

[myopic4141]

8. I visited the site

And sent a note of appreciation to the enjoyment of what I posted.

[alfredo]

9. Very good. I just got back from the bookstore

looking for some of his works. All they had left were some cassettes of his ghost stories.
I would love to hear him do some Jack Tales.