Monday, May 26, 2008

MEMORIAL DAY....WHAT WE REMEMBER AND WHO WE HONOR...


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It is up to each of us What and Who we honor on this day....
and how we pay our respects and hold dear the Memories.
There are families here with an Empty Spot at the Table.
There are Broken Bodies at the VA Hospitals and on our Streets,
some without homes or someone to hug them today,
and there is NO Honor in that.
There are families and struggling wifes of Soldiers on food stamps,
there is No Honor in that.
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So I am asking you today...
If you see a Homeless VET buy him lunch...
and give him a Hug...or more.
And if you know a Military family...
Offer them support while they wait for
a loved one to return...
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And there is another side to this....the ones that Come Home have Nightmares to live with...and Broken Hearts..
They are not the same as when they left.....we need to take care of them....and fight for them here at Home.
And sadly we also need to remember there are those over there that are suffering..mothers with broken lives
and empty arms...hundreds of thousands....We need to End This...For the Sake of Everyone.
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Click the Title : The Video is Called "Question", Originally the song was written by the Moody Blues in the 70's, and yes, it is an Anti War Song, about Vietnam, but they are playing it again.....It is about War, All War....the Slides are graphic, please do not watch if you have a loved one in Iraq or PTSD.

18 comments:

Larry said...

The mark of a nation is how it treats its people.

Juat look at the shameful way America has treated its vets.

Unknown said...

Well said Enigma.

Christopher said...

George Bush and Hillary Clinton's Iraq war has added an additional 4,082 dead soldiers to stop and remember this day.

I will never forgive them for this.

God damn George Bush and Hillary Clinton.

Coffee Messiah said...

What if they gave a War, and nobody came?

Fighting for the Military Industrial Complex is wrong, in so many ways.

What a sad world we live in! ; (

abi said...

Very moving video - thanks.

Dr. Know said...

I stand behind my fellow fallen citizens in their service to this country. They fail not to do what they are ordered by the foul cretins who command them from on high.

But to order men into battle under the premise of fighting for God and Country while obfuscating the true motives of increased corporate profits is an unforgivable, treasonous sin.

MandT said...

Peace my friend MandT & Bodhi Dog

DivaJood said...

My son-in-law's father is on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

Fran said...

Thank you for so gracefully bringing up the full spectrum of pain & suffering that war brings on all sides, Those empty chairs, represent broken hearts, and probably an ocean of tears cried. But the survivors also have suffered losses in ways we can & cannot see, perhaps they suffer the most, to have witnessed the worst of humanity.
May we all hld dear the resolve to make peace.

D.K. Raed said...

I just had to witness TV coverage of Bush shedding his crocodile tears at a war memorial today. Am I cynical to think his real reason for crying is the realization that his contrived presidency is almost over?

I'm so glad you remind us to remember the war dead, their grieving family/friends/nation, but also the war wounded, those who come back, but don't really come back, not all the way. They deserve a caring society. Thank you for caring, Enigma.

X. Dell said...

The greatest disservice to those in the service has always been done by government--for starters shipping them off to fight in offensive wars, down to the cutting of VA and other GI benefits.

If the nation really wants to support the troops, ribbons won't do much. Stopping war, restoring benefits (especially psychological health ones) would do much better.

Of course, this type of support doesn't have quite the "rah-rah" appeal as rooting for the troops to rout the foreign foes. Unfortunately, I fear that's the main form of support they will receive.

enigma4ever said...

To One and All:
Thank you for your kind thoughts....and for caring...you all are wise your thoughts and insights....Have a good day....thank you for sharing....

Trevor said...

Such a sad day to watch the president pretend to weep and more soldiers were killed

Cartledge said...

Good post Enigma. I expect any thinking person can tell the woods from the trees.

enigma4ever said...

Thanks Trevor and Cart..
really sad holiday..I don't think there is anything to celebrate...all that matters is that we remember what is real...

enigma4ever said...

PTSD update:
new stats released today, 40,000 with PTSD, up 50% since 2007.....this is KNOWN diagnosed cases....this does not include those that have not recieved proper diagnosis and treatment, or the ones that have been told they have a "Mood Disorder" , as a pre-existing condition, and also the 6000+++ that have committed suicide......( I am also not sure if that is in any way inclusive or added to the 100,000 that are Gulf War Vets, Afgan ,and Iraq Vets have been diagnosed with PTSD and are recieving Disability payments...)

And yes, the other worry is how many are being sent back with the diagnosis....and are still serving...

Cartledge said...

Now Enigma, you might be just the person to understand my recent post on the percentage of the prison population suffering mental disorders.
I forget we have a smart nurse on staff :)

enigma4ever said...

CART:::
Ooops I will be over....sounds like just my cup of tea...well, you know what I mean...( I actually helped a friend a long time ago work on such a paper- she was studying pre-existing Mental Health issues in Prison Populations...)