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May 02, 2004
An Answer for Andy Rooney
Last month, Andy Rooney published a rant that characterized our troops as men and women who enlisted only because they couldn't find other jobs.
Our soldiers in Iraq are people, young men and women, and they behave like people sometimes good and sometimes bad, sometimes brave, sometimes fearful. It's disingenuous of the rest of us to encourage them to fight this war by idolizing them. We pin medals on their chests to keep them going. We speak of them as if they volunteered to risk their lives to save ours but there isn't much voluntary about what most of them have done. A relatively small number are professional soldiers. During the last few years, when millions of jobs disappeared, many young people, desperate for some income, enlisted in the Army.
Rooney then went on to pose a number of questions for our troops. Sgt. Hook thoughtfully collected responses from currently deployed soldiers. Here's an answer to Rooney's 4th question:
4. If you could have a medal or a trip home, which would you take?I am not here to earn a medal Mr. Rooney. I am here to serve my country and defend our way of life. I am here to make sure there is a home for me to take a trip to.
A medal. (was the answer for 6 of the 15)
Oliver North, retired Marine also responded.
Not heroes, Andy? Meet Lance Corporal Conyers, a member of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. On April 6, Conyers was on patrol with his squad when they became engaged in a firefight. "I was out in front at an unlucky moment and took a round to the chest," Conyers told me, "then one ricocheted off the light pole next to me and hit me in the leg." The corpsman rushed to Conyers side and treated him, and Conyers stayed in the fight.In his column, Rooney insists that our troops "want to come home," and says if he had the chance to interrogate our guys in uniform to prove his point, he would ask them, "If you could have a medal or a trip home, which would you take?"
What do you think Conyers chose, Andy? The bullet Conyers took in the chest was fired from an AK-47. It was inches from his heart and could have killed him. But because of the plate of armor he was wearing -- armor that critics told us would not work -- Conyers is alive. The wound Conyers received to his leg, a "through and through" wound, was his ticket home. But did Conyers take it? Of course not. Of the wound, he told me, "That won't keep me down," and said he owes it to his squad to "continue on and fight."
Lance Corporal Conyers is just one of hundreds of Marines and soldiers who, while fighting to defend the American public and liberate the Iraqi people, have been shot, hit, wounded and treated, only to stay on the battlefield and with their units instead of going home. These are remarkable young Americans.
Remarkable indeed. Pat Tillman gave his life while saving the lives of his squadmates. He fought valiantly and died a hero. And there are so many fallen heroes with similar stories.
North concluded:
May 1 marks the start of Military Appreciation Month. Millions of Americans will show their gratitude for the troops in a variety of ways. When Lance Corporal Conyers appeared with me the other night on Fox News's "Hannity & Colmes," Sean Hannity showed his appreciation to Conyers by promising to buy him a big, thick, juicy steak from Ruth's Chris steakhouse when he gets home. What are you going to do for them, Andy, other than criticize? One thing you could do to show your appreciation for our troops who are defending your right to speak is to shut the hell up.
Yep. And the question for critics, "What are you going to do for them, . . ., other than criticize?" is a good one. What are you going to do?
Posted by Deb at May 2, 2004 01:27 PM
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Comments
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