You're Welcome

*I've been going through some of my writings and came across this. In recent conversations I've also talked about this particular essay and thought I'd repost it. I wrote this in March 2003, right before the war started. My thoughts were a result to comments that were made to me, things I read in the newspapers or saw on the news stations. This was the way I felt that day. You don't have to agree with me or my thoughts, that's not the intent of this posting.*

You're Welcome

I am sitting here…viewing the news and reading different reports on the internet. I seem to be really emotional today. I am a proud Army wife. I am proud to say that my husband is a defender of freedom. I wish everyone could be proud of our service members.

How quickly we forget what this great nation was based on. The foundation of America is not the rich soil we had back in the 1700’s. No, the foundation of America is the lifeless bodies that are now buried in that rich soil. It’s based on the sacrifices of military members of long ago.

I see the news and see reports about the walk-outs. I see reports about military children being harassed in schools. Wow, a public school is harassing their own benefactors. The children of their freedom defenders. Do they not realize that it is these children’s parents that give them the right to voice their opinions about what is ethical or not ethical about this war. The war hasn’t even started officially and already there are picket signs and protests. Peace signs waving all over the place.

I read and hear about how civilians complain that the military gets paid enough, that we knew what we got ourselves into so they have no pity for us. Guess What? We don’t want your pity.

As far as those who feel the need to complain about our pay and our known risks...well I just have to say....YOU’RE WELCOME....my husband defends YOUR freedom daily so that you can gripe about our benefits and our risks and our unethical ways. YOU’RE WELCOME free citizen who can speak your mind because our Vets are homeless and sick because they fought to give you that right! YOU’RE WELCOME because an 18 year old boy is buried at Arlington so that you can wear your signs and stage walk outs. YOU’RE WELCOME because you get to go home to your family, your cable TV, your XBOX, your home cooked meals all because someone else VOLUNTEERED to defend YOUR freedom and mine.

You don’t know us; you don’t even care about us. It doesn’t matter to you that our service members are someone’s father, brother, uncle, son…that they are someone’s mother, sister, aunt, daughter. They are real people, with real emotions. A soldier is trained to fight, possibly kill…but they cannot be trained to not feel emotion. They want to see their newborn’s smile, their child’s first play. They’d love to watch a football game, to be at an awards ceremony. And now you say that they are baby killers, they are terrorists. Yes, they chose this profession, yes, they know the risks. Shouldn’t you feel grateful that they chose this so that you did not have to? You’re husbands and sons are at home with you…when you go to bed at night you can kiss them goodnight. What about those children who pray every night that their daddies or mommies make it home safely, that they come home in one piece or that they come home at all.

Do you not realize the real sacrifice these men and women make? They sacrifice their luxuries, their families, in a way their own freedoms…all so that you can have yours.

Call them baby killers…tell them they are unethical. Protest the war, burn the flag. Guess what? You do what you have to because no matter what…someone is there to defend your right to do so.

Next time you hear the Star Spangled Banner or you hear reference to the Declaration of Independence…remember what those words were based on. Those words were based on the sacrifices someone made for their country. No one asked, they volunteered. Just like our service members today VOLUNTEER. Be grateful that someone volunteered to defend YOUR freedom.

Psst….YOU’RE WELCOME…no thanks needed in the first place, a Soldier just does his duty…no questions asked and nothing expected in return!

©Nadine Albrecht, 2003