A SOLDIER'S LETTER

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 villain 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 American 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

riddance," and "thank God for IED's?" 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..."