Disrespect for Dead Heroes; Violating a Trust
By: dsvabeachdems
Published On: 5/26/2008 12:14:22 AM
Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. This should be a day of reverence when we remember those who have fallen and how their sacrifice has touched us. Those who have fallen. Instead, the date on which we observe this remembrance was shifted long ago to accommodate a three day weekend to mark the beginning of summer. None other than the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullin, has joined in the nonsense discounting the value of the sacrifice of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Those who honor the unrespectable aspects of the Confederate heritage are pleased, I am certain. For, this day began as an honor to those on the Union side who died during that late great unpleasantness. But like Representative Thelma Drake, who we learned recently, advocates memorials to living persons, many want everybody to be honored for everything and to foster their own image at the expense of the memory of heroes. If everybody is honored, no one is honored. That brings us to the sad fact that possibly Representative Drake can be forgiven because even Admiral Mullin took this opportunity to dually cheapen the service and blur the distinction between those who have fallen and those who have not in a poorly considered public relations effort kicking off the weekend. In the end, they offer moral equivalency to the service of Medal of Honor recipients and Tim McVeigh.
Instead of evoking memories appropriate for this day, what Admiral Mullin did was take up the administration's standard and advocate a diminished obligation for the nation to those who serve. It is part and parcel of the Republican nonsense of applying market principles to government in order to obfuscate ultimate responsibility. Touring a facility where wounded soldiers were being treated and rehabilitated, Admiral Mullin discussed a public-private partnership to assist veterans. Public-private partnership. Place that in the trash bin of public policy concepts right beside faith based initiatives. This is how you discount the cost of war and is right in line with denying veterans the consideration contained in Senator Webb's GI bill. Here's how that public-private partnership would go under the Bush concept: The Republicans will publicly rally support for themselves by patronizing the troops and treating the rest of us with condescending platitudes while the troops will finance their educations with their own private funds. There's your public-private partnership. What in heaven's name was the Chairman doing talking about this except to help set the conditions for the President's veto of this obligation? Welcome to a world of discount service and honor.
But what do you expect from an incestuously limited brain trust? The term itself has returned to its origins as we note that the military advice provided this President comes from an extremely limited group that offers the world around it no access. This is how, when a Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff discredits himself, his replacement is his clone. That's right. The military leadership gene pool of qualified Chairmen was limited to Naval Academy roommates, one following the other. How very convenient. Nothing like a fresh perspective. And a useful prop when you want someone to run interference to avoid the ugly reality of the debts this administration's national security policy have levied upon us.
But let me get back to that self-serving concept of a public-private partnership to pay the obligation to our veterans. If we were in Admiral Mullin's position, we might have a different perspective on the concept. Not even Ike could foresee the full travesty of the malignant military industrial complex (Special mention to freshman Representative Wittman who is following the charge toward a military-industrial-legislative complex). Here's what another member of that brain trust has done to honor those who have sacrificed in an effort to further the concept of a "public-private" partnership: retired U.S. Army General Tommy Franks, who led the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, was paid $100,000 to endorse a veterans charity that watchdog groups said ripped off donors and wounded veterans by using only a small portion of the money raised for veterans services. There's your public-private partnership. It's good work if you can get it.
Yes, most (but not all) who have made that ultimate sacrifice are veterans. But it is not veterans who we memorialize today. They have a day. Today is a day of reverence, a day of reconciliation, and a day to come together to honor those who fell in service to our nation. You may not be aware: there is a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. today. This moment began to be observed in the last year of Bill Clinton's Presidency. So, at a minimum take a moment of solemn reflection to be thankful for their sacrifice. Better yet, visit a national cemetery and let the reality sink in.
Cross posted at VBDems.org - Blogging our way to Democratic wins in Virginia Beach! Go RK!
Comments
Arlington (cycle12 - 5/26/2008 8:41:36 AM)
Agreed, ds; before participating in Rolling Thunder yesterday (Sunday, May 25) morning, we paid an early visit to Arlington National Cemetery where we observed the changing of the guard and the laying of two wreaths for the recent war dead.
Nothing brings home the true meaning of Memorial Day better than seeing grieving families participate in that ceremony after which Taps is played.
Later, we went to The Wall in downtown D. C. where thousands also indicated their correct understanding of Memorial Day.
Thanks for your important message and reminder...
Steve
Instead of evoking memories appropriate for this day, what Admiral Mullin did was take up the administration's standard and advocate a diminished obligation for the nation to those who serve. It is part and parcel of the Republican nonsense of applying market principles to government in order to obfuscate ultimate responsibility. Touring a facility where wounded soldiers were being treated and rehabilitated, Admiral Mullin discussed a public-private partnership to assist veterans. Public-private partnership. Place that in the trash bin of public policy concepts right beside faith based initiatives. This is how you discount the cost of war and is right in line with denying veterans the consideration contained in Senator Webb's GI bill. Here's how that public-private partnership would go under the Bush concept: The Republicans will publicly rally support for themselves by patronizing the troops and treating the rest of us with condescending platitudes while the troops will finance their educations with their own private funds. There's your public-private partnership. What in heaven's name was the Chairman doing talking about this except to help set the conditions for the President's veto of this obligation? Welcome to a world of discount service and honor. 