Death by Nerf
Did ya see this?
"On Friday, Petty Officer 3rd Class Dwayne Williams, 23, of Philadelphia, fell from the Nassau while chasing a football."
So ya survive the perils of war, hostile and fanatical resistance by a brutal regime, guerrilla war tactics, and bad food. You're making your way back home for a celebratory and triumphant reception an decide to toss around the ol' Nerf ball on the deck of the Carrier. "Hey Dwayne! Go deep....uh...well...not that deep" An argument ensues as the defense insists that Dwayne didn't have both feet in bounds before tumbling off the side of the deck. The coach throws a flag demanding a video review of the play. "It has been determined that Dwayne did not have possession of the ball before leaving the field of play...2nd down!"
I mean what are ya supposed to say? "Yes my son fought in the Iraqi war, and gave his life to give freedom to the oppressed Iraqi people. He was killed in a tragic "hail mary" play.
Fast forward to the Arlington National Cemetery. You got a guy there who was gunned down by enemy fire while he valiantly ran into enemy fire to save a fallen comrade cut down on the beaches of Normandy. And he lies next to Dwayne, who ran too far out of bounds diving for a ball in a valiant effort to win the pick-up game for his team. I wonder if Arlington has a special section, waaaay in the back for guys like Dwayne. Ya know next to Charlie, who dies eating bad Spam, or Bobby who met his fate with untreated gonorrhea picked up from some hooker in Seoul while on R&R. I'll have to investigate that next time I'm there.
"On Friday, Petty Officer 3rd Class Dwayne Williams, 23, of Philadelphia, fell from the Nassau while chasing a football."
So ya survive the perils of war, hostile and fanatical resistance by a brutal regime, guerrilla war tactics, and bad food. You're making your way back home for a celebratory and triumphant reception an decide to toss around the ol' Nerf ball on the deck of the Carrier. "Hey Dwayne! Go deep....uh...well...not that deep" An argument ensues as the defense insists that Dwayne didn't have both feet in bounds before tumbling off the side of the deck. The coach throws a flag demanding a video review of the play. "It has been determined that Dwayne did not have possession of the ball before leaving the field of play...2nd down!"
I mean what are ya supposed to say? "Yes my son fought in the Iraqi war, and gave his life to give freedom to the oppressed Iraqi people. He was killed in a tragic "hail mary" play.
Fast forward to the Arlington National Cemetery. You got a guy there who was gunned down by enemy fire while he valiantly ran into enemy fire to save a fallen comrade cut down on the beaches of Normandy. And he lies next to Dwayne, who ran too far out of bounds diving for a ball in a valiant effort to win the pick-up game for his team. I wonder if Arlington has a special section, waaaay in the back for guys like Dwayne. Ya know next to Charlie, who dies eating bad Spam, or Bobby who met his fate with untreated gonorrhea picked up from some hooker in Seoul while on R&R. I'll have to investigate that next time I'm there.