From John Soltz at The Huffington Post:
Christina Bellantoni, writing in the Washington Times today, details President Obama's first experiences writing letters of condolence to families of the fallen. According to the story, the president is taking the time to write each letter himself, signing it simply "Barack." As the president writes these letters, and feels the weight of Americans dying in war under his administration, he should also consider how the human cost of war has partially been hidden from the public, and reverse that policy.
Yes. So long as the policy change is sensitive to and respectful of the privacy of the families of the fallen, change must come. US citizens, along with the families of those who have died, need to know the true costs of war. Several years ago, a video (illegal?) which showed the dignified and respectful treatment by the military of the remains of those who died in the wars made the rounds. It's something we should all see.
In the end, those of us who served swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Part of that Constitution is freedom of the press, to promote the ability of the public to have as much information as possible -- even when that information is not comfortable for those decision-makers in power.
The return of our war dead certainly falls into that category. The policy should be changed.
A veteran speaks.
Picture from The Memory Hole.
UPDATE: I added the picture.
Well, with the way the previous occupant of the White House and his henchmen hid much of the happenings of these wars from the American public, hiding the dead, it seems to me, to be right up his alley.
ReplyDeleteDover the the Capital of my state, and traveling up and down the state as I and other's do, I doubt I can remember seeing a hearse drive out of Dover AFB. But then no one is around to see them in the middle of the night.
The policy needs to be changed.
Sue
Several years ago our parish began to pray "for those who have died in conflicts around the world, and especially for members of the American military community" every Sunday mass in the prayers of the people, naming each person who died that week. The acknowledgement often brings me to tears, and I only regret that we don't have access to the names of the innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan who also die each week in these horrors.The Bush administration owned cynicism: what the people don't see, they don't know.President Obama may be crippled, eventually, by his support for the hopeless conflict in Afghanistan, but I hope he will allow us all to grieve our losses publically.
ReplyDeleteLord have mercy.
We, the citizens of the country, are not supposed to see the picture that I added to the post, but that's the reality of war, and we must look.
ReplyDeleteObama should get rid of the ridiculous "Don't ask; don't tell" military policy regarding sexual orientation and the ban against videos and photos of the fallen as soon as possible. He doesn't need an act of Congress to do it.
Well, our new President has just decided to send 17000 more US troops to Afghanistan -- still without a discernible, achievable mission. Why must more die, Afghans and Americans?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to read he is writing the letters.
Very sad.
ReplyDeleteAfghanistan is a thorny thicket. I hope Obama doesn't get trapped in it.
ReplyDelete