Veteran’s Day 2011
On this Veterans Day 2011, did you thank a veteran for putting their life on the line because their country’s self-serving, morally challenged politicians don’t really care if our brothers, sisters, daughters and sons are put in harms way, as long as they (the gasbag politicians) get reelected?
As a 1st Calvary helicopter crew chief, slash, door gunner, I was shot down twice and crashed once, due to mechanical difficulties... as in, the pilot was too high to avoid the ground.
Can’t blame the pilot, though. There was some extra potent ganja floating around over there. Oh well, that’s another story, or four…
If you’re interested, you can click on the thumbnail picture above, on the right, to see me standing in front of a memorial wall built for county veterans located at the entrance to the public cemetery near my hometown.
As you can see from the picture, I’m pointing to the name “Edd Ray Thorpe”. That’s how I’m still referred to in a place where there was only one high school for the entire population of Lee County, Kentucky. BTW, 76 people graduated the year I did.
Yep, 76 high school seniors for the whole county.
Anyway. Next Veteran’s Day, I resolve to reach out to some vets. They’re easy to find. I often see them wandering around the homeless shelters. I can usually tell the veterans from the general homeless because the vets have a ‘far-away-look’ in their eyes.
We used to call that look the thousand yard stare.
Always makes me feel guilty for surviving better than they have. And the realization shoots a freezing beam of pain through my heart…
Clarification about my blanket slurring of politicians:
I’m not referring to wars fought to actually defend our homeland and the way we choose to live. WWII and the Revolutionary War where honorable. Heroic and righteous.
But, the other wars/conflicts we’ve been in….?
Shameful and selfish power grabbing excursions that have wasted our resources and have harmed our national pride and have caused uncountable damage to the very people our pols said we were protecting. Shame on us for allowing it…
But enough of this personal exposure. It’s back to work for me. All my best goes out to you and yours.
Peace,
Edward Thorpe “The Roller”
P.S. Not all politicians are gas bags. Those who aren’t should be watched most closely, because they’re the one’s making decisions that gradually encroach upon the civil liberties and the freedoms that citizens like us have paid for with our lives.
P.P.S. Nothing unique here. It’s been going on since recorded history. But, Excuse me, didn’t our country’s forefathers start this country to end such abuses by the governing powers? Seems like I read something about that a time or two…?