Who will sit with me within the sacred circle (Revelation, translation, Mason)
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You know I have often found that the real peacemakers are the old warriors, we have survived the horrors of war and know the sorrow that it can bring firsthand.
That is one of the problems I find with the current political climate. We have a shortage of warriors sitting in our councils. Too many of those sitting in those councils are lawyers and bankers whose only thought is the amount of money they can accumulate. We need those who have smelled the smell of war, who have heard the cries of children that were hungry and injured, who have held the body of a best friend. There are too few warriors giving council.
After much thought and consideration, I find that merely agreeing with ptsum and Goodpasture, though necessary, is by no means sufficient. Here is what troubles me:
I am deeply troubled that almost none of our leaders has ever personally experienced combat and war. I am also deeply disturbed, by the way, that many of our military leaders (though decorated for participating in "combat") have not personally experienced the horror of war.
This troubles me so much that I am reduced to tears of anger, of frustration and of desperation.
That I can share these things with you, my friends, helps me greatly.
I understand what you're saying Nighteyes, our leaders today have absolutely no concept of what combat is and I sincerely think that if they did, things would be a little bit different. I must tell you that one of my greatest saviors was my father, he was a World War II veteran and was in the South Pacific fighting the Japanese, he knew firsthand what combat was and after I did my two tours in Vietnam and came home, he was the one person that I could talk to and understood what I had been through and if it wasn't for the fact that he took the time to sit down with me and listen to what I had to say, well let's just say things would've been a lot different and for that I have always had a great deal respect for my father and my grandfather who was also a World War I veteran. You know I find it interesting, we do our duty in the military, do what we're trained to do and then we come home to our families a whole lot different person than when we left, we are forever changed by the experiences that we go through, sometimes good, sometimes not so good.
After much thought and consideration, I find that merely agreeing with ptsum and Goodpasture, though necessary, is by no means sufficient. Here is what troubles me:
I am deeply troubled that almost none of our leaders has ever personally experienced combat and war. I am also deeply disturbed, by the way, that many of our military leaders (though decorated for participating in "combat") have not personally experienced the horror of war.
This troubles me so much that I am reduced to tears of anger, of frustration and of desperation.
That I can share these things with you, my friends, helps me greatly.
Aho, and Aiokpanchi,
--- Nighteyes
i'am so greatful for the levels of freedoms i have...i know that Great Men and Women have made tremendous sacrifices of their very own lives for our freedom...i don't take it lightly. is my/our freedom worth the various sacrifices that so many have made? i/we have the opportunity to attempt to fulfill the answer to that question everyday. P.O.W.s will never be forgotten and nor will our Veterans.
one of these days, it is my prayer, war will go the way of the dodo-bird.
P.S. get a stump speech together and i'll vote for you.
Perhaps one of the real problems is that often today's soldiers do not have to be warriors. Sitting behind a monitor as they push the button on a drone is no more personal than playing a video game. I recall one of Louis L'Amours books where, at the end of the book, the protagonist was killed by an enemy tribe......when the old men of that people heard that their enemy was gone, they said "who will test our young men now." How do our young men get tested today? I fear for my sons generation. Not because there is a lack of courage and integrity, but there is a lack of true testing of their character and their of their courage.............
... one of my greatest saviors was my father, he was a World War II veteran and was in the South Pacific fighting the Japanese, he knew firsthand what combat was...
Mine was an artilleryman in the ETO, and his outfit was attached to General Patton's Third Army. Though he carried no physical wounds he was permanently changed by his experiences. His patience and understanding worked wonders for me. He left us in 1984, and I could still use his counsel. The dreams have stopped but the rest has not.
Still, our son has a wonderful family of his own, and our two grandchildren are the absolute best a pair of old f*rts like us could ever hope for. Life goes on.
[And by the way, that's a whole hell of a lot more than you're ever likely to hear me say about it again.]
Last edited by Nighteyes; 01-24-2011 at 01:25 PM..
I fear for my sons generation. Not because there is a lack of courage and integrity, but there is a lack of true testing of their character and their of their courage.............
I share the concern for the generation, but not for my son. His character and courage have both been severely tested, and he passed all with flying colors. It would appear, I guess, that I've been a good father, teacher, mentor and coach, because my son is far better than I ever was or dreamed of being...
With regards,
-- One Old F*rt
Last edited by Nighteyes; 01-24-2011 at 05:43 PM..
Many of us have been lucky. I know my fathers fathers fathers back into the revolution. I know my mothers fathers well as well. I know many of the stories and the legends of the people I descended from. Ptsum knows his personal history. Fullback knew his grandfather...both as a man and as a warrior hero. You know your history. All of us have carried the oral tradition to our children.
Unfortunately too many today do not know their history well enough to pass on their legends.......and the legends are lost for all time.
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