First Son 12
My two or three regular readers know that First Son is a member of an elite unit now serving in Afghanistan (an effort, by the way, which I believe should have been finished, rather than abandoned for the Current Federal Administrator’s masturbatory dreams in Iraq. First Son did his turn in Iraq in 2005, fighting for Bush’s lies).
And don’t ask Second Son to comment on this. He hits the shift key and comes out with all those symbols above the numerals on the top row of the keyboard.
That unit suffered loss yesterday in Iraq.
As proud as I am of First Son’s accomplishments (he’s an officer now and benching 250), I pretty much deal with First Son’s career by not dealing with it. I try not to think about it. I can’t change anything, I can’t stop anything, I can’t control anything.
I have done what I can by my children; they are launched into life, and now I am a bystander.
And life, I hope, goes on.
But, heaven forbid, should something bad happen, I want those lying S. O. B.s in the Pentagon to tell the truth about it, as they did not in the Tillman case, nor in the Lynch case, and nor in God knows how many other cases.
Anything else would betray his memory and the memories of all who have served before him, served with him, and will serve after him.
But, then, lies and betrayal are small beans to the Current Federal Administration and its minions, who sow deceit and feed us lies.
More:
April 24, 2007 at 11:08 pm
I don’t understand what you mean by not dealing with your son’s career.
April 24, 2007 at 11:41 pm
We ignore it.
April 25, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Opie, as Second Son put it, we ignore it.
We ignore that he is daily within the reach of missile-fired grenades, car bombs, snipers, or other such things.
We ignore that any day we might find Army officers on the front steps to deliver the news. And there is only one kind of news they come to deliver in person.
We ignore that he and his wife are delaying having a child until sudden death is no longer his constant companion.
He ignores this–he told me that he tries not to think of politics, he tries simply to do his job, and I told him he was correct to do so–but I cannot: I cannot ignore that his boss is an incompetent, selfish, mendacious, hypocritical, amoral jerk who sacrifices innocent lives, both American and foreign, for lies.
If I have been too circumspect, let me know, and I shall try to clarify my position.
April 25, 2007 at 7:01 pm
OK, I understand what you mean now. Personally, I have no problem with what your son (and for that matter, my cousin) are doing because I sleep at night convinced that the people they are fighting are evil and deserve no quarter. Are our loved ones in mortal danger? Yes. Is their sacrifice pointless? Not in the least.
A couple of months ago, I inquired about an old friend who had been serving in Iraq. Third parties informed me that he was home, but now has hearing aids in both ears because of a roadside bomb.
I ran into Dave day before yesterday. I thanked him for his service. He confirmed what I’d heard. I told him that I had never served, because my dad didn’t want me to, and that when I had pointed out to Dad that his whole family had served, Dad told me, “Yes, and it’s been enough.”
Dave said he tended to disagree with my dad, because even after all he’s been through, his decades of service in the Army National Guard have still been a highlight of his life. I was stunned. There was no regret, and I could tell in his eyes he was actually glad to have been involved.
I have no explanation – only awe.
April 25, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I have only respect and pride in First Son’s dedication to his duty and in his accomplishments.
He does not choose his duty. Once he donned that uniform, he gave up that choice. He goes where he is sent and does what he has to do.
I painfully regret that I cannot have the same respect for those who now make choices for him.
Frankly, the evidence is pretty damned clear. Many American men and women are serving honorably for (non-uniformed) men and women who have no honor.
April 25, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Ah, but are your son’s enemies evil?
April 25, 2007 at 9:51 pm
His son has no enemies. His son is doing his job that’s all, that’s all it’s about in this household. And God speed DJ home.
April 25, 2007 at 11:32 pm
I think there are people in his theater of battle who would beg to differ that he has no enemies. He probably wants no enemies, probably takes no delight in having enemies, but if we truly had no enemies there, the war would be over.
April 26, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Ahh but Opie, look at the sad truth. GB started that mess so he could 1. Get even for Daddy, & 2. Be a war time prez. That’s all. So now we have people over there, where they shouldn’t be, & have no hope of being home in the forseeable future. If they make it out alive. The “enemy” put them there to begin with!
April 27, 2007 at 3:50 am
It’s one thing to earn an enemy, it’s entirely another to have them manufactured.
April 27, 2007 at 11:10 am
Are those the only two kinds?
April 27, 2007 at 6:21 pm
No. There’s at least one other kind.
The entirely fictional.