My wife and I were at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas County FL to attend a special Memorial Day mass to honor all those who sacrificed so we can live free. Interned there is my Father, Harry C. Stark (Navy, WWII) who was wounded in that war. We also honored Gerard Diener, my father in law (Navy, Korea) who is buried at Florida National Cemetery in Webster FL. My mother Dolores and my brother Rick are also interned at Calvary. I would like to express some thoughts on matters of war and peace and freedom.
- I truly believe that there are times when you must fight and die for your country. However, they do NOT occur as often as the politicians tell us they do. It is OUR responsibility as citizens, being informed of the issues involved and being in touch with our Higher Power, to decide the difficult questions of war and peace. We should decide when to fight and the politicians should follow OUR wishes. Too often this proper order has been reversed. Is it because our all-volunteer military has dumped these terrible responsibilities on a precious few? Do our politicians make it too easy to dump all the sacrifice on them? We must do better. The young men and women we put in harm's way deserve it.
- I believe it is improper to call them our soldiers "troops". Troops are an abstraction. Solders are human beings who bleed and die when they are wounded. I support my soldiers. I don't support abstractions. Was the switch to the usage of "Troops" an attempt to dehumanize and sanitize the consequences of war? I think so.
- The purpose of sending soldiers in harms way is to secure the future freedom of the citizens of the United States of America. It is NOT to make profits for corporations. It is NOT to bring high ratings to childish and spastic news organizations, with their special logos and martial music. It is NOT to give thrills to bored elites who think war is a giant game of Risk. It is the responsibility of citizens to make sure our soldiers are sent in harms way for the right reasons.
- It is the Responsibility of Christians, as followers of the Prince of Peace, to make sure all wars are just. We must make sure that war is the absolute LAST resort. I bring this up because the majority of American Christians have been slacking on their sacred duties in this regard.
- Blindly following warmongering politicians does not automatically make you a patriot. Sometimes it just makes you a fool. To oppose a war does not necessarily make you a wimp. Sometimes its just being wise.
- and finally , a final shout out to our brave men and women....THANK YOU for your sacrifice.
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