Are you about the “walk” or the “talk”?
Monday, May 26, 2008 was Memorial Day here in the US. It’s a day set aside to pay tribute to those who have died while in military service to this country. Like many such holidays in our nation, much of the original meaning has been lost, however, and most of us (myself included) think of it primarily as a day off of work. Fortunately for me, I recently woke up–not just intellectually, but all of me, heart, mind, and spirit–to how unappreciative I have been to those serving in our armed forces.
Wake Up Call
Mark Shields, columnist, commentator, and former Marine spoke with forceful elegance about what WE–yes, I mean all US citizens, not just the president or congress–have created for our soldiers and ourselves. Here are Mark Shields potent words (emphasis mine):
“…we went to war against a country that had never attacked us, that never threatened us, on the bogus claim that that country had weapons of mass destruction which were a threat to us.
And it was not a moral war, and it was not a just war. It was a war in which the United States sullied, stained and repealed one of the great American values, that is that, in wartime, war demands equality of sacrifice.
All the sacrifice in this war has been borne by the 1 percent of Americans who are in uniform and their families. The rest of us have been quietly by, especially those of us who opposed the war, and been moral defectors.
We haven’t protested the fact that this is a war that our children and grandchildren will pay for. We haven’t even — we’ve blithely accepted tax cuts, and no draft, and no burden, paid no price, bore no burden, and accepted leadership that demanded nothing of us, and we’ve demanded nothing of them.”
When I heard these words, they stung. I knew Shields was right. Sure I have been to Washington to march protesting the war. Sure I have written to my elected representatives asking them to come to their senses and stop this insanity. Sure I have sent care packages and prayers to my Army officer family member now serving his 2nd tour in Iraq. Sure I have been working to get Barack Obama elected as president to help bring our country back from this moral abyss.
At the same time, however, I know that I truly suffer no hardship on a day-to-day basis. Unlike past wars when Americans planted Victory Gardens, rationed goods, held drives to recycle materials necessary for munitions manufacturing, bought war stamps or war bonds, this “war on terror” requires only that civilians stay scared and go shopping. Our “sacrifice” is our peace of mind and our credit score. By contrast, our military families pay with years of lost family time, jobs that get taken away in their absence, 
psychological or physical wounds they bring back home, and more.
Actions to Support the Troops
So, while I can’t single-handedly bring our troops home, nor solve the pain they bear, I can put my money where my mouth is (literally). Of course, so can you. Below are ways you can support our troops with more than slogans, prayers, or a fleeting thought. If you know of other organizations that are helping soldiers and their families, please put a link in the comments area.
- America Supports You — lists numerous ways to offer support to troops (includes financial assistance, care packages, family member support, scholarships, support for wounded)
- SoldiersAngels — offers a variety of ways to support soldiers during and after deployment
- Forgotten Soldiers Outreach — allows you to write to soldiers or send them care packages
- AnySoldier — gives you contact info for deployed troops along with their specific requests for care packages
A soldier in Iraq can’t see your ribbon,
Or the flag at your front door.
But a letter they hold in their hands,
To them means so much more.~ Supporter Liam Sweeny (from Any Soldier website)
