Thoughts and Reflections on Society's Reaction to War - Past and Present

It's kind of staggering when you look at the numbers. The Vietnam War happened over a period of time between 1965 and 1975 (or at least America's involvement). The Current war on terrorism began in October 2001 and is still as of the writing of this missive, continuing to rage on. I became acutely aware of the toll of the Vietnam War on the history and the inhabitants of the United States, after a recent revisit to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. After serving this great country, both before and after the horrendous attacks on our soil, I had a burning desire to return to the Memorial, to pay true and proper respect to those who gave their all to protect that which we as Americans hold dear: Freedom.

Looking back and only seeing thing through the eyes of the History books, my impression of the Vietnam War was a very muddled view at best. History can teach us about the impact to the nation through words in textbooks, and videos on the subject but it is only when we have the ability to open our eyes to the events that took place from a personal perspective that we can truly be open to its effect on our person; how it can affect our spirit and ultimately our soul. Once we allow it into our soul, we allow ourselves to be humbled, regardless of our own view of the "political" aspect of war. These "Numbers" are not incidental and insignificant.. these are lives: Daddies, Mommies, Sisters, Brothers and Grandfathers.

What worries me the most about the entire situation in which I found myself, was that during my revisit to that awesome memorial, I found myself surrounded by people with laughter in their throats, smiles on their faces and the desire to jump around and play games while touring this dedication to those who made the most awesome sacrifice for their country. After deciding that it was going to be ok to take a very intelligent 7 year old (my daughter) through the memorial, I sat her down and explained to her what we were about to see, those who gave their lives defending against evil to preserve our way of life so many years ago. She very much understood as through her daddy's career she was exposed to more than a 7 year old should ever have to understand.

As we walked through the monument, led forward by my father, who grew up and served during the time which was the "height" of the battling in Vietnam, I began to notice the folks which I have aforementioned, giving piggyback rides, laughing, telling jokes, and simply walking by the wall.. Apparently to just say "I've been there". Looking at the statistics above, the sheer numbers of not only the dead but the wounded as well, is sobering enough, but to walk through next to families who were searching out their relatives to take a rubbing of their name off the wall, to me it seemed an utter disrespect to those who's actions lead to their name being immortalized on that wall.

Knowing that those who had their name on that wall... all 246 feet 9 inches of it... paid the ultimate price, while their fellow brethren came home with blood and tear stained letters to deliver to loved ones left behind, written in lonely hours on the battlefield "just in case", as a special 'favor' to them in their dying breaths, stepped off the buses returning home, more times than not because they were injured; not because their service was over, often to a crowd of people who would have much rather (and many times did) spit on them than honor their sacrifices, brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes more violently than anything had ever done before. How anyone could spit on those who were doing the job that they were ordered...especially in times where military service was not strictly a form of volunteerism, but for the majority of our men a forced service based on college grades, high school grades, or the lack thereof? Many of our soldiers who fought and ultimately perished in the tragic War which they were sent to fight, were so completely against the 'conflict' (as it was known) that they loathed everything they were told they stood for, but yet did as they were commanded to do anyway. Then for them to come home, not to a 'ticker tape' parade, but to an ungrateful nation full of hatred for the job they had done to the point of such a personal insult as spitting on them makes my blood boil!

Passing a family who had stopped and asked for a paper and pencil to take a rubbing of a family member's name from a park ranger, I had to stop and think. Think about how the young girl had never even met that person, yet was brought to tears at the sight of their name. This was someone understanding and respecting someone who gave their all. My heart went out to those folks, understanding that while it must have been very much an honor to see and take a memoir of this fallen family member's name away with them, it was so unfair that the only thing they had was a cold, hard, dark piece of what was essentially rock, to touch... I felt more and more blessed to have the warm embraces I have with my father, my mother and my daughter on a daily basis, and suddenly realized how easily I could have not had any of it. How easily the climate when my father was serving could have taken my father, and completely obliterated his chance at finding my mother -- and his love of a lifetime. How easily it could have been for my sister and I to not exist at all. At that moment, my already complete and unconditional love for my father and my mother grew so much; I could hardly keep myself from grabbing them, pulling them close, and just never letting them go.

I remember when I went through the memorial the first time, I was around 14 or 15, and I remember its sobering effect on me. The change in atmosphere as we all descended into the depths of the memorial, how all sound was lost, and the only sound was the silence of true respect. Something grew in me that day, and the disturbing reality that became apparent in the revisit was that today's society has become numb to war... to death, and to sacrifice. There are games out now, which glorify the conflict in a way I'll bet those who gave their lives never imagined... First person Shooter games, which drop today's youth behind the "lines" and turn into a game a conflict which cost us hundreds of thousands of lives, and damaged countless thousands of lives irreparably. How does a game which takes one of the greatest conflicts, wars, or however you chose to view the Vietnam War, and reduces it only to fighting, shooting, killing, and winning ever COME CLOSE to honoring the true spirit and sacrifice given? It can't. War is not a game. War is not glamorous. As General William Tecumseh Sherman said to the mayor of Atlanta... "War is hell".

The other piece of inner reflection I felt was when I realized that, people, (in my own opinion) do not seem to realize that the numbers they see on Nightline or ABC news about today's "Global War on Terrorism" are severely dwarfed by the loss this country endured during our time in Vietnam. I don't make this statement lightly nor in an attempt to set up some kind of anti-war rhetoric; only to show a comparison of today's view of war heroes compared to our continuing to hold on and honor our past heroes. Today's numbers are catastrophic that much is certain... (In my opinion any number besides 0 is catastrophic... every one who dies, whether combat related or not, leaves behind family and friends who love them). But how can we truly honor those who fall in this battle without truly honoring those who came, and gave all before? How can we see that the war which we find ourselves in is important, but ignore the greatness of those who fell in the past? How can we grieve so heavily for those 30,000 now and almost ignore the 58,209 dead, 2,000 missing in action, and 305,000 wounded from Vietnam, simply based on the fact that it was an 'unpopular war'? Let me ask this, when should ANY war be truly "popular"? Even when the war is necessary, and warranted?

We currently as a nation once again find ourselves in a situation where we are in another country, fighting an occupation and infestation of evil which is persecuting a people; people which we once again feel the need, obligation and duty to protect. If not for the sacrifice of our fallen countrymen in defense of a country and way of life, we as Americans should find ourselves fortunate to have the opportunity to embrace; our nation would have been subject to attacks on our soil many years before 9/11.

I know that as the nation faces the numbers and catastrophic losses that are flashed across TV screens, Computer Screens, and Blackberries daily, the wounds of this war will always remain fresh and deep on society until many years after the War subsides. However, as we watch these death tolls rise, as we watch the families burry their sons and daughters, we ought to also remember those who fought before the Sons and Daughters, friends and neighbors, and passing acquaintances we lose daily to "our war". Remembering the fact that every time someone who lost a loved one to Vietnam must surely flash back and relive their loss at every news sound byte, video clip, or mention of a soldier being laid to rest with full honors during today's conflict. And how every time they are forced to once again relive that horrible and harsh reality not only of how they lost, but how they were treated, neglected, and abused in their time of need... protesters showing up at funerals which were meant to honor, and ending up degrading those who were lost and their memory.

The next time you see a Vietnam Vet, whether they be homeless, disabled, or simply someone in your church, workplace, or just out in public at large, shake their hand, thank them, and say a prayer for those who didn't make it home.