Ken King
04-23-2004, 10:25 PM
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I guess it’s about time that I get off my duff and provide another offering. I could rationalize for days on end as to why I haven’t provided anything new for a couple of months, but it would probably bore you to tears. Let me just say that recent activity on both the home and work front have taxed me to the utmost extremes and I just haven’t had the time nor the inclination to plant my butt in the chair and get it done. With that said I’ll get onto the topic at hand and give credit to one of our new regular posters, BuddyLee, for the inspiration that finally planted me firmly in my seat.
Today’s news of the loss of Pat Tillman due to combat action in Afghanistan is what I consider a national tragedy. As are the losses of all the brave and heroic Americans and allies that have stepped forward to do our bidding in the war against terror. For me, any person that voluntarily elects to serve our nation by taking the fight to those that seek to do us harm are heroes in every essence of the term. They are deserving of our highest praise and accolades as it is these brave soles and their actions that are working to maintain our way of life and protect us from that harm.
Since the mid 70s we, the United States of America, have relied solely on the spirit and motivation of our younger adult citizens that feel compelled to voluntarily serve in our military. The reasons that these youngsters have for joining are as many and diverse as the members themselves, but the common factor is that they have done it of there own free will. No one was twisting their arms and forcing them to take up this arduous task.
Pat Tillman exemplifies this to the extreme. He had achieved what many would consider the American Dream. He had gained a position in the exclusive club of America’s professional athletics, he was making great sums of money doing a job he loved, he was, for the lack of a better word, a star and without a second thought he gave it all up to perform a dangerous and thankless task for the nation that many had ran and hid from just a few of decades ago.
Pat, like all of the others that have served or are serving, placed his own family, fortune, dreams, and wellbeing secondary to the needs of our nation. He was moved by the events of September 11th to the point that everything in his life was insignificant when compared to the protection of this nation and all of us. Even the lucrative 3.6 million dollar football contract wasn’t enough to quell this desire. The devastation inflicted upon us by the cowardly acts of those zealot fanatics is what I believe led him to actively contribute to protecting our way of life and all the things that many of us routinely take for granted. Pat Tillman and all of those that choose to take this calling are undoubtedly heroes, though I am sure none of them are doing it for that title or recognition. They certainly don’t do it for the money.
I can only hope that we cherish and honor the sacrifices made by these brave soles and aggressively work to instill in our future generations the character traits that these folk possess to insure that there will always be more of those that are willing to stand up for our defense and protection. We are living in troubling times and there are many out there that want nothing short of our total destruction.
On September 11th we were knocked out of our sleepy dream world and have been forced to take action to remove these threats from our lives and the world. Threats, mind you, which have grown un-prosecuted for many years because of what I would say was our arrogance and complacency from many years of living the good life. We need to honor those that are giving themselves to this task as they deserve the utmost of our support, respect, and everlasting gratitude. I will pray daily for their safety, success, a rapid conclusion to their mission, and their safe and speedy return home. They are foremost in my thoughts and will remain there as long as they are in harm’s way.
To date there have been 813 of these volunteers that have given their lives for our security and thousands more that have suffered wounds so that we can remain safe and secure and pursue our dreams.
In conclusion, I say to all of you that the least we can do is to come together as one to thank these Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines (Guard, Reservist, and regulars alike) for their efforts to protect us and to keep us safe, to honor, praise and remember those that shed blood or have given their life, and to view them for what they truly are, AMERICAN HEROES. To Pat’s family and the families of all the others, they are heroes that will be sorely missed and we grieve along with you, your friends, and all of your fellow citizens. May you rest in comfort to know that, at least in my mind, the sacrifice that these brave men and women have freely given to their country will be cherished for eternity.
I guess it’s about time that I get off my duff and provide another offering. I could rationalize for days on end as to why I haven’t provided anything new for a couple of months, but it would probably bore you to tears. Let me just say that recent activity on both the home and work front have taxed me to the utmost extremes and I just haven’t had the time nor the inclination to plant my butt in the chair and get it done. With that said I’ll get onto the topic at hand and give credit to one of our new regular posters, BuddyLee, for the inspiration that finally planted me firmly in my seat.
Today’s news of the loss of Pat Tillman due to combat action in Afghanistan is what I consider a national tragedy. As are the losses of all the brave and heroic Americans and allies that have stepped forward to do our bidding in the war against terror. For me, any person that voluntarily elects to serve our nation by taking the fight to those that seek to do us harm are heroes in every essence of the term. They are deserving of our highest praise and accolades as it is these brave soles and their actions that are working to maintain our way of life and protect us from that harm.
Since the mid 70s we, the United States of America, have relied solely on the spirit and motivation of our younger adult citizens that feel compelled to voluntarily serve in our military. The reasons that these youngsters have for joining are as many and diverse as the members themselves, but the common factor is that they have done it of there own free will. No one was twisting their arms and forcing them to take up this arduous task.
Pat Tillman exemplifies this to the extreme. He had achieved what many would consider the American Dream. He had gained a position in the exclusive club of America’s professional athletics, he was making great sums of money doing a job he loved, he was, for the lack of a better word, a star and without a second thought he gave it all up to perform a dangerous and thankless task for the nation that many had ran and hid from just a few of decades ago.
Pat, like all of the others that have served or are serving, placed his own family, fortune, dreams, and wellbeing secondary to the needs of our nation. He was moved by the events of September 11th to the point that everything in his life was insignificant when compared to the protection of this nation and all of us. Even the lucrative 3.6 million dollar football contract wasn’t enough to quell this desire. The devastation inflicted upon us by the cowardly acts of those zealot fanatics is what I believe led him to actively contribute to protecting our way of life and all the things that many of us routinely take for granted. Pat Tillman and all of those that choose to take this calling are undoubtedly heroes, though I am sure none of them are doing it for that title or recognition. They certainly don’t do it for the money.
I can only hope that we cherish and honor the sacrifices made by these brave soles and aggressively work to instill in our future generations the character traits that these folk possess to insure that there will always be more of those that are willing to stand up for our defense and protection. We are living in troubling times and there are many out there that want nothing short of our total destruction.
On September 11th we were knocked out of our sleepy dream world and have been forced to take action to remove these threats from our lives and the world. Threats, mind you, which have grown un-prosecuted for many years because of what I would say was our arrogance and complacency from many years of living the good life. We need to honor those that are giving themselves to this task as they deserve the utmost of our support, respect, and everlasting gratitude. I will pray daily for their safety, success, a rapid conclusion to their mission, and their safe and speedy return home. They are foremost in my thoughts and will remain there as long as they are in harm’s way.
To date there have been 813 of these volunteers that have given their lives for our security and thousands more that have suffered wounds so that we can remain safe and secure and pursue our dreams.
In conclusion, I say to all of you that the least we can do is to come together as one to thank these Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines (Guard, Reservist, and regulars alike) for their efforts to protect us and to keep us safe, to honor, praise and remember those that shed blood or have given their life, and to view them for what they truly are, AMERICAN HEROES. To Pat’s family and the families of all the others, they are heroes that will be sorely missed and we grieve along with you, your friends, and all of your fellow citizens. May you rest in comfort to know that, at least in my mind, the sacrifice that these brave men and women have freely given to their country will be cherished for eternity.