Dedicated to the military and their families who are living with the wars hourly.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Cheers to the 31 percenters
In a CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted last week, 67 percent of respondents said coverage of the return of remains should be allowed and 31 percent said it should not.
I'll start a poll. How many think the Commander in Chief should be in attendance for every fallen hero that returns to Dover? Or at least the secretary of defense. Maybe if it was a little more personal for them they would put a little more thought into how they manage our wars.
I think it's unfair to say that he doesn't attempt to make it personal. There's an article here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/17/obama-pens-real-notes-to-fallen-troops-families/
If you look at the schedule of events that the President, or even a Member of Congress must go through on a daily basis, it's surprising that they even have enough time to go to the bathroom. Granted, a lot of the legislation that they deal with is trivial (i.e. House Resolutions to commend a new statue -- check out www.GovTrack.us for a sad reality check), but that's a whole other issue.
I think talking to military families and families of troops that have been KIA is extremely important and should take precedence over some of these more trivial matters. As the aforementioned article states, Bush met with hundreds of families and should be given due credit. I'm sure Obama will do the exact same thing, as he and Michelle have focused on military families and their issues.
As far as overturning the photo ban, from the perspective of a spouse of a deployed soldier, I fully support what has been done. As I said in some form or another to AirmanMom, I would want press to be there for my husband coming home, God forbid anything happen to him. He is so proud of what he is doing and of his country that he's willing to put his life on the line. It would be a shame if every single person in this (sometimes ungrateful) nation did not know what he did and believed in and see a photo of him coming home.
With that said, he and I are very different people. He refuses to wear his uniform unless he has to because he hates people prodding and prying into his life. Because of that, I would not allow media coverage because it is what he would want.
I think in a free and democratic nation, the government has given us one of the ideals that we hold most dear -- the freedom to choose. In spite of supporting it, I would choose no. We're just allowing the families that want media there to be able to say yes. That's just my two cents though. :)
Thanks, lolaberly. Well said. I confess to having let an HBO movie shape my opinion. I really can't describe what happens at Dover. I don't have the words. But the movie "Taking Chance" gave me an idea and it had a profound effect on me. But we are all different, which is why I love this country.
On a happier note, Mike is in town and I am working on your Deerfield photo as I speak.
Hi lolaberly, I really respect your perspective. You and your husband's family should have a choice. I believe, in this country, all of us should have a choice in important things. That's the promise of democracy in America. Trivial things bog us all down everyday, even Congress people and the first family have this problem. But a family's choice about a loved one should count too. And if you can decide, about Dover or the media, then I believe you should be allowed to do so.
4 comments:
I'll start a poll.
How many think the Commander in Chief should be in attendance for every fallen hero that returns to Dover? Or at least the secretary of defense.
Maybe if it was a little more personal for them they would put a little more thought into how they manage our wars.
I think it's unfair to say that he doesn't attempt to make it personal. There's an article here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/17/obama-pens-real-notes-to-fallen-troops-families/
If you look at the schedule of events that the President, or even a Member of Congress must go through on a daily basis, it's surprising that they even have enough time to go to the bathroom. Granted, a lot of the legislation that they deal with is trivial (i.e. House Resolutions to commend a new statue -- check out www.GovTrack.us for a sad reality check), but that's a whole other issue.
I think talking to military families and families of troops that have been KIA is extremely important and should take precedence over some of these more trivial matters. As the aforementioned article states, Bush met with hundreds of families and should be given due credit. I'm sure Obama will do the exact same thing, as he and Michelle have focused on military families and their issues.
As far as overturning the photo ban, from the perspective of a spouse of a deployed soldier, I fully support what has been done. As I said in some form or another to AirmanMom, I would want press to be there for my husband coming home, God forbid anything happen to him. He is so proud of what he is doing and of his country that he's willing to put his life on the line. It would be a shame if every single person in this (sometimes ungrateful) nation did not know what he did and believed in and see a photo of him coming home.
With that said, he and I are very different people. He refuses to wear his uniform unless he has to because he hates people prodding and prying into his life. Because of that, I would not allow media coverage because it is what he would want.
I think in a free and democratic nation, the government has given us one of the ideals that we hold most dear -- the freedom to choose. In spite of supporting it, I would choose no. We're just allowing the families that want media there to be able to say yes. That's just my two cents though. :)
Thanks, lolaberly. Well said. I confess to having let an HBO movie shape my opinion. I really can't describe what happens at Dover. I don't have the words. But the movie "Taking Chance" gave me an idea and it had a profound effect on me. But we are all different, which is why I love this country.
On a happier note, Mike is in town and I am working on your Deerfield photo as I speak.
Hi lolaberly,
I really respect your perspective. You and your husband's family should have a choice. I believe, in this country, all of us should have a choice in important things.
That's the promise of democracy in America. Trivial things bog us all down everyday, even Congress people and the first family have this problem. But a family's choice about a loved one should count too. And if you can decide, about Dover or the media, then I believe you should be allowed to do so.
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