UNPATRIOTIC

Boy, I have to hand it to all the Veterans. And to their families. I can't even IMAGINE what it must be like to send a loved one off to war. Let alone to actually PARTICIPATE in a war. I get it that we must defend our country. I also get it that we need to fight for our county. What you won't get, however, is my kid to be doing it for you. Or for me.

I know... I'm a schmuck. I want and treasure America's freedom. I just don't want MY son having to kill people and I CERTAINLY don't want him to be killed, all in the name of preserving said freedom. Which I realize is a pretty unpatriotic and selfish thing to admit. On the other hand, I've expended a LOT of loving and devoted energy to raising my son thus if I were told he needed to go to war, in a heartbeat, I'd have to say HELL NO, HE WON'T GO. What?? You think I'm going to hand over the most precious thing I have, to the U.S. of A? Only to cross my fingers and pray like mad that he comes home all in one piece? Let alone come home at ALL?? Uh... sorry Charlie. Absolutely no way that's ever going to happen.

Which is all the more reason, I have to take my hat off and extend my heart to all the Veteran's who have already done it and who are still doing it! The bravery our soldiers show is simply unthinkable to me. Like, to even lie in bed the night before going off to boot camp, knowing that the next day your entire world is possibly going to be turned upside down is SO not my idea of tolerable. To have your kid tell you something like YEAH, I KNOW MOM... TOMORROW IS THE DAY I'M OFF TO THE SERVICE are words I NEVER want to hear. Trust me, I'd happily have him spend a year in jail before I'd EVER let him literally walk into a smoking gun. Returning home maimed is horrid enough. Returning home dead is unfathomable.

Especially in THIS war. If I recollect correctly, didn't Bush first go to war THEN have Congress approve the monies for war?? HUH?? Isn't that BACKWARDS?? I love Bob Woodward... I have ever since Watergate. Thus, from his book PLAN OF ATTACK comes following quote: “Gets to a point where in July, the end of July 2002, they need $700 million, a large amount of money for all these tasks. And the president approves it. But Congress doesn't know and it is done." By the way, if you REALLY want to read about the crapola Bush has perpetrated upon us Americans, you might even want to check out Woodward Shares War Secrets, Journalist Describes Secret Details On White House's Plans For War - CBS News. Anyway, I digress.

What I really want to do is thank from the bottom of my heart all those men and women who are WAY better than I. Those who are TRULY patriotic. Those who DID send their loved ones to war. And those who DID fight. I can't even beLIEVE the credit they deserve. Especially for people like me who would NEVER have walked in their shoes. Nor let my kid do it, either. Thus, to every Veteran and his/her family, I can only say... words, medals, praises, holidays, whatEVER... could never be enough to express the appreciation and admiration I feel. Me? I am definitely a flaming coward. They, on the other hand... are absolutely extraordinary heroes.