In Defense of the Fallen
Today I stray from my usual philosophical ramblings to tackle a different subject. As I sat in front of my computer typing away, I listened inquisitively to names being called out from the television. At first I honestly didn't know what I was listening to, but when I rolled back from my computer to look at the screen I remembered that 'The Fallen' was being broadcast on ABC's Nightline. 'The Fallen' was essentially a program to meant to pay tribute to the servicemen and women of the U.S. who paid the ultimate price by dying for their country in Iraq. For forty minutes, Ted Koppel read out the names of the over 700 U.S. servicemen and women who died in Iraq. Upon completing the list of names he mentioned that the Pentagon released that 725 U.S. troops have died in Iraq, and that 16 of these names were not listed in the program. The program was ingeniously pieced together and very well carried out.
Although this program was meant to pay tribute to the servicemen and women of the U.S. who died in Iraq, many claim that it is simply a politically motivated and is meant 'to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq.' Do these men and women not deserve to be recognized for giving their lives for their country? The people making these uneducated, heedless remarks should think again and evaluate what the program did. It simply mentioned the names of the servicemen and women. There were no ulterior motives, no other political agenda at hand. Everyday we watch the news and here "two marines die in fallujah", "1 marine dies in Baghdad". These are simply numbers with no names and faces to go with them. Don't these men and women deserve more for what they have given for their country? I can not fathom why this information is should be held from the public. This is the United States of America, not North Korea. This country was founded on freedom and liberty. Now the amendment of freedom of the press has been squeezed and restricted into nothing but numbers. Now those against the program 'The Fallen', as well as the pictures of the soldiers' coffins returning from Iraq, can complain all they want that this is done just to cause anti-war sentiment among the people. But they are completely wrong. It isn't done to merely to cause anti-war sentiment; it is to pay tribute to our servicemen and women who have given their lives for their country. I don't see these people with such big mouths and egos out there in Iraq. They aren't dodging bullets and rocket propelled grenades. No. They are sitting comfortably in their desks having others fight for them. Many don't even have family or loved ones fighting in the war. While our servicemen and women are dying for their country, these die hard advocates against allowing us to know what is going on, brag on our victories, and over look our defeats.
This was not written to question whether the War in Iraq is right or wrong. It was written in response to all those who feel that those who have paid the ultimate price for their country should not be paid tribute. Many people go through their lives without caring what happens around them. They continue to tread through their egocentric lives, not caring until that one day when it hits home; the day when not only they themselves but maybe a friend or a loved one is affected by the situation.
Although this program was meant to pay tribute to the servicemen and women of the U.S. who died in Iraq, many claim that it is simply a politically motivated and is meant 'to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq.' Do these men and women not deserve to be recognized for giving their lives for their country? The people making these uneducated, heedless remarks should think again and evaluate what the program did. It simply mentioned the names of the servicemen and women. There were no ulterior motives, no other political agenda at hand. Everyday we watch the news and here "two marines die in fallujah", "1 marine dies in Baghdad". These are simply numbers with no names and faces to go with them. Don't these men and women deserve more for what they have given for their country? I can not fathom why this information is should be held from the public. This is the United States of America, not North Korea. This country was founded on freedom and liberty. Now the amendment of freedom of the press has been squeezed and restricted into nothing but numbers. Now those against the program 'The Fallen', as well as the pictures of the soldiers' coffins returning from Iraq, can complain all they want that this is done just to cause anti-war sentiment among the people. But they are completely wrong. It isn't done to merely to cause anti-war sentiment; it is to pay tribute to our servicemen and women who have given their lives for their country. I don't see these people with such big mouths and egos out there in Iraq. They aren't dodging bullets and rocket propelled grenades. No. They are sitting comfortably in their desks having others fight for them. Many don't even have family or loved ones fighting in the war. While our servicemen and women are dying for their country, these die hard advocates against allowing us to know what is going on, brag on our victories, and over look our defeats.
This was not written to question whether the War in Iraq is right or wrong. It was written in response to all those who feel that those who have paid the ultimate price for their country should not be paid tribute. Many people go through their lives without caring what happens around them. They continue to tread through their egocentric lives, not caring until that one day when it hits home; the day when not only they themselves but maybe a friend or a loved one is affected by the situation.