Today, Veterans' Day, 11 November 2010
Posted: Thursday, November 11, 2010
by Patricia Barbee
http://www.patriciabarbee.com
To each Veteran, I honor you.
For some days we on Searchwarp have been exchanging thoughts of the military and wars and "rumors of wars".
The United States of America has had its military posted around the world in places many of us would not want to visit. Many of these places are not mentioned in text books or known to us for "military security" reasons.
I believe when the USA sends its military to do a job, each should have all each needs to do a complete job. This baloney of giving them a sling-shot and a can of Spam does not sit well with my soul.
I despise that the bald headed lions [ old fat cats to some ] make fortunes supplying the military with shoddy goods or building things with an "expiration date" stamped someplace on whatever.
When "Rosie the Riveter" and the rest of WWII workers did their job; it was done correctly. If you don't believe that these pieces are still viable, go to a vintage military show, or military museum. See the Jeeps, tanks, helicopters, planes and whatever else on exhibit.
Racism has kept many from being honored, yet they served proudly. We had the "Code Talkers" that the Japanese could never understand or break apart in WWII. My Native Brothers, I honor you.
I KNOW that non-Whites serving in the Pacific in WWII were not allowed to wear anything that indicated they were American citizens. Yes, I speak of my relatives, we have photos, letters that took months to get stateside and I honor their memory.
The People of Color, now called Black were known as Buffalo Soldiers. Just recently these men are being honored. My Black Brothers, I honor you.
The Tuskeegee Airmen were known because of their number and during their service never lost a plane in battle. Bloody but unbowed.
Later from the same institution, the ungodly syphilis project harmed many and in recent weeks we have learned the same program was used on people in Central America.
When I was a young teen in Boston, a cousin, a nurse took days to talk my Mom into letting me be an on-call volunteer at one of the VA Hospitals. Mom's "yes" was one of the high points of my young life.
I'd get a call to be a " pusher" for the next day. Yes!!!!!!!! The largest night club in Boston may have had it in contracts for their headliners that they had to give a show at the Hospital.
When they were to appear, it was on short notice for many reasons. The shows were for the patients not the general public.
I'd take the bus to the Hospital, go to my assigned ward and push the healing Veteran to the theatre; however most were paralyzed for life. The theatre did not have seating. It was spacious for the patients in the wheelchairs that lived at the Hospital.
I was not old enough to see the all now, late, great and fabulous stars in the night club but I'd see them with their bands and combos give the Veterans their best show.
When the shows were over, the stars would chat with the patients and me too. Then, I'd push my Veterans back to their wards.
A short time later my cousin would drive me home. At our dinner table, animation from me to Mom could never be overstated.
I became a member of the Hospital bowling team. That was fun. Another girl about my age was also on the team. Her parents worked at the Hospital.
I'm a pacifist, however, don't try me. The trained part of me will have you on the ground or possibly dead. I bother no one. My ammunition and firearms are pen and paper.
Yes, I want every American military person stateside. I want our borders protected. I'd like to see our military follow the Israeli way of securing our airports. I've met too many ignorant people going through airport security.
I carry a US military ID and was challenged because the "retired Lieutenant Colonel" I-D checker had never seen one like mine, therefore, it had to be counterfeit. I refused to get out of line. I held up everyone and "addressed" that desk jockey about how to read a military card. When I finished with him, I was applauded by those I'd held up. He apologized and saluted me.
I'd like to see us with kennels of well trained dogs to check the ships coming into our ports. Let the dogs find all the contraband, stowaways, and any incendiary devices.
For you who have never attended a military funeral or burial, do not judge. If you have not attended a military Day of Remembrance, the days are on your calendar, do not judge Every military post or base invites the public to see many events. The most popular are the Blue Angels' air show of the Navy and the Thunderbirds air show of the Air Force.
If you have never been to a military cemetery and thought of the sacrifice of the deceased and the pains left for their families to bear, do not judge.
If you have never sat, listening to the Chaplain standing at the head of the casket, pray over the Love of your life, do not judge. If you have not jumped with each volley of shots from a hill for your Love, do not judge. If you have not listened to "Taps" for your Love, do not judge. If you have not extended your arms to accept the hot just folded flag from your Love's casket and feel the blood drain from your head to your feet, do not judge.
If you have not left your Love's earthly remains on a bier, and have to walk away, do not judge.
Patricia Barbee © 2010
Patricia Barbee
SearchWarp.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I do honor those who have given their lives or even one minute of their time in defense of their country. But I don't honor those who make the wars and force these men and women to be sacrificed.Thank you for your words. Wars don't always include tanks, firearms and ammo. Think of the stories we hear of women and children being used to fight one tribe or "religion" against the other. The aggressors use fire, rape and kidnapping along with murder in their raids.
Heaven help us all.
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