This was sent to me by a friend. Whether or not it was written by a soldier or not, it says a lot! AMEN!!! This is written by a young man serving his third tour of duty in Iraq. Thought you might find his take on the Michael Jackson news interesting. ____________________________ Okay, I need to rant. I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on MichaelJackson. As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was anentertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villain to manypeople. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, andI respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the pointof my rant. Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses theirminds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to thecountry was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need toflock to a memorial in Hollywood, and even Congress sees the need tohold a "moment of silence" for his passing? Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's afreaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? Whatabout all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All thoseSoldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war,still raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and theUnited States of America. Where is their moment of silence? Where are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning overthem because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when aSoldier dies, there are more people saying "good riddance," and "thank God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused tothesacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow offtheir deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop Icon?" I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESSfor Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for everyservice member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They need to PUBLICLYrecognize every life that has been lost so that the American peoplecan live their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom that WE,those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they have. Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is serving in the military; "So that others may live..." Isaac
