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Another Perspective

Lately I've seen and heard different opinions expressed by people concerning our soldiers. Although I support everyone's right to their opinion, I thought I might exercise my own as well. So, when viewing this site, you can take it or leave it, you can explain the images away, you can call it government propaganda or media hype — whatever. I happen to believe that both sides of every opinion can be debated by taking facts out of context or questioning the other side's sources of information. The real crime is losing perspective of everything but your own overfed agenda. I understand that war is ugly, and that lives are lost, and that not everyone is perfectly happy with decisions that our government has made. But I also believe that some of the anger that these situations generate is being misdirected at men and women who are currently in a situation that most of us can never, ever, ever understand.
I cannot imagine, even with all the media, what a typical day is like in the life of a soldier. Frankly, given a choice, I don't want to. I have a cousin there now and when my mind starts to wonder what his current life is like, it pains me. I think people forget, these aren't killing machines, void of heart and soul, enjoying their task at hand. They're your niece, or your neighbor's son, just out of high school. They're your kids' little league soccer coach. They've gone from the life we are now enjoying, to one they probably never imagined they would one day be living. And we're bitching about the "daily grind" of our jobs.
They are witnessing things that will haunt them the rest of their lives, things they will likely never tell anyone, even those closest to them. They are in conditions that we would find impossible, and not just for a few days, but for months, without an end in sight. Imagine for a moment how it would feel to be on the opposite side of the world from everyone you love, even for just a week. Now add this: unstable communication with those back home, a constant fear for your own safety, thoughts of a child growing in your absence, taking those first few steps or maybe even a first breath of life. You're missing it and you're sleeping in a muddy ditch.

Soldiers have few comforts in war. Maybe they form brotherhood bonds with each other, but then they watch those newfound brothers fall in battle. Maybe they play cards to pass the time, while waiting for the next day and whatever it might hold. Maybe they amuse themselves in these situations by hanging a poster of a pinup girl. Does that make them less humane? Do we expect them to weep every moment they're there? I haven't been there myself, but I'm pretty sure the point of basic training is to prepare a soldier to deal with sudden, frightening, and horrifying situations and then walk away from that as mentally sound as possible.

We have quite a few freedoms in this country. However, by becoming a soldier, you pretty much hand your life over to the will of the U.S. Government. In other words, they've given up their rights as a sacrifice for ours. That's right, talk bad about them all you want. That's why they exist.

There are men and women who have gone before them. I'll sit down this Easter weekend to eat at a table with several. They are good people who had to walk a path that probably wasn't ideal, but they did it anyway. I'll see the news coverage of the war this weekend and absently wonder what show is coming on next. Meanwhile, they may see those images and be quietly reminded of a time when they were separated from friends and family, when their lives were much more serious, even perilous, and they'll look and see their grandchildren laughing or the home they've worked for. They'll appreciate the work of the men and women who have followed in their footsteps to continue to defend the children, the home, that was only a dream to them when they were soldiers.

Some people present them as heartless monsters. I believe some of the biggest, most courageous, most dedicated hearts I have ever known belonged to veterans. I regret the means, but I happily welcome a new generation of veterans, with their characters forged in the fire.

I don't begrudge them a smile, or a moment of happiness. They are in a position which would naturally make them appreciate beauty and humor in the little things. They are probably living life as fully and truly as they can, while I drink coffee and check my email, or complain about the difficulty of programming my cellphone.

They are doing serious work, but they're still human. That's really my whole point right there — they are human. Some good, some bad, but still human.

My name is Nichole Hughes. You are welcome to respond to what I have said here. I will read it, but I doubt I will respond to it. I should tell you, I believe very strongly in how I feel and I doubt there is anything you can say that will change that. But I'm an open-minded girl who believes in freedom of speech and doesn't think one-sided arguments are very fair, so give it a shot. My email is n_hughes@sbcglobal.net.