HOME | DD
clippercarrillo — Memorial Day In America
Published: 2012-05-23 17:12:49 +0000 UTC; Views: 733; Favourites: 19; Downloads: 8
Redirect to original
Description
He has been to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once, flies fighters and lands the President's plane now and then. When you think of veterans on Memorial Day, think of his wife, his daughters, and his mother. When he goes to war, he confines his thoughts to the cockpit ("as if it were my world", he says), but his family at home sweats out blood. Afghanistan is not worth the life of one more American soldier. On Memorial Day,and after, pray for an early end of the war. The children of our soldiers deserve it. They should grow up with fathers and mothers. This shot was taken before he went to Afghanistan.Related content
Comments: 21
So, I never understand that what for America in Afghanistan or Iraq.
Really couldnt understand that!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Lovely dedication..
I was in the states on memorial day, I didn't seem much celebrating....
but i think most people will agree with what you said here...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
When I lived in rural areas, there were parades and speeches. As a minister, I was often asked to say prayers at these events, an honor which I declined, much to the chagrin of the outwardly "patriotic" of my congregants. But with my son being deployed to combat, it was something too deeply personal to me; too full of conflicted emotions. I have always thought that God doesn't pick sides, and that the sacrifice of our children deserves a sacred silence. They had a Memorial Day slide-show at a baseball game here in KC that showed photographs of the wives and children of the local soldiers then in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was just before the game, no one had expected it, and in fact most ignored it. My wife and I just wept throughout all of it, and shortly left. I took this shot with my son's camera, just before he went to Afghanistan. At the time, his eldest daughter was fighting leukemia, and his wife had just given birth to a third child. If there is a guilty party in this story, it is myself, because I raised my son to serve his country, which he has always done. But the price has been payed by the women in the family (wife, mother, sister, daughters), for whom there can be no reward equal to their brave hearts. Forgive the lengthy answer to your comment, but the subject is much on my mind.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
No problem to the lengthy reply, Its very touching and
heart warming and my words are measly in comparison,
but I have mixed feelings when it come to serving,
We can never have any doubts to protect out country,
I thank every man, and woman serving that have protected us,
and stood by our side,
we would not be here as british if they were not there for us...
the rest they do is a job, work to them, and praise be for those
keeping the home going while they work....maymany blessings be with them
always.....
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Outstanding portrait.......
FIGHTING?????? Oh yes... I could kill for the right reasons..... B U T ........
WHat you mention here is ....... I will not go into details.....
Humanity is misinformed, uneducated, stupid... if they still go and fight for "certain things".... sorry to sound so "brutal" Rene.... but unfortunately for reasons of my ex profession, I got to know a lot about what "makes the world go around" and.... it is not pretty..... and people just "buy" what the media, etc, etc, etc, feed them.....
IF ONLY THEY KNEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I think that, as is often the case, I get carried away without warning. Really glad you like the photo, in any case.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Two parts to my response:
First part - I think this is a very fine portrait - no matter the emotion that goes with it; Its a great shot Rene!!
Second part - you and "pearwood" have every right to make the "anti-war" statements that you do... but its not normally "civilians jumping up and down waving flags" (I this that stopped around the 1940's - or maybe the finnal "flag waving days" for the USA were around the later days of Vietnam.... that cause wars... Whatever is said and done - its Politicians and big business that put your / our sons / daughters / buddies in "harms way" - and our "collective stupidity" (or lack of balls if you will) that allows them to keep pulling off this gross deception in the name of "peace" (of all things)!!!!
Still love the photo guys!!!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Mel, I'm glad you weighed in. Sadly, I've lived in places with plenty of flag waving, but no "jumping up and down", which I think Steven meant figuratively. My only point is that their families (those of the soldiers) have born enough in this time of multiple deployments, and for no objective. My son is a professional, so its his occupation, and he is proud to serve. He really is not allowed an opinion. I personally think that the thing you call "this gross deception" is criminal in its use of personnel and their families, and I hold both political parties accountable by virtue of their explicit policies. As you know by now, I love my son dearly. But Memorial Day (which is upcoming) should be about what his wife and children, sister and mother have had to suffer. That was the point to the treatment of the photo and the title, and yes, it is an anti-war statement in a country that does in fact take its soldiers and their families for granted. If America did not, both wars would have ended. I'm sure you agree, and I'm really glad you like the photo.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
With you 100% on this Rene.... I think Memorial day also includes YOUR suffering too my friend!!! And dont think the USA has a monopoly on warlike policies - remember that Tony Blair and co followed GWB into Iraq quicker than you could say WOMD - even if they had to hound a few conciencious people to take thier own lives..... I fully understood Steven's meaning!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Amen to both. I would be a pacifist except that I believe there are worse things than war, though precious few. I am not anti-war so much as anti the policies that send our young people -- and those of other nations -- off to get killed for the most dubious of reasons.
I greatly admire Bush senior for being able to launch a mission with clearly-stated objectives, with enough force to get the job done quickly (which generally lowers casualties and pain on both sides), and for having the incredible fortitude when the stated objectives had been achieved, to stop. Bush junior, unfortunately, had a lot more testosterone than good sense and caused unmeasured suffering to innocent men and women in both the US and Iraq.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks, Tina. I love them a lot.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Amen says the old Huey jockey. When civilians start jumping up and down and waving flags, my buddies start getting killed.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I figured you felt like I do, and even more in a way. I honor your service, and my son's, but I sure don't want him to go back, and fight for what I think is nothing of value.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yep. They signed the Viet Nam cease fire while I was in Infantry Officers' Basic at Ft. Benning, enroute to Ft. Wolters, TX and Ft. Rucker, AL for rotary wing flight school.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0