pretty good...

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 Michael
Jackson. As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an
entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent
millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villian to many
people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and I
respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point of my
rant.

Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their minds
with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the country was
to ENTERTAIN people, the Amercian people find the need to flock to a
memorial in Hollywood, and even Congress sees the need to hold a "moment
of silence" for his passing?

Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a
freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What about
all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those Soldiers
who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war, still raised
their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the United States
of America. Where is their moment of silence? Where are the people
flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over them because
they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a Soldier dies, there
are more people saying "good riddence," and "thank God for IEDs?" When
did this country become so calloused to the sacrifice of GOOD MEN and
WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off their 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 CONGRESS
for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every
service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They need to PUBLICLY
recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people can
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