The politics of war builds a political memorial of death
By Derek Joy
Another Memorial Day is upon us.
This day is nothing short of a shocking reminder of a haunting reality. Truth is. … Freedom is not free. Not at all.
Freedom is gained and maintained as a result of military conflict, war. As such, there is a price to pay. The destruction of property, injuries, wounds and the ultimate sacrifice in the loss of life.
And therein lies the significance of this day – Memorial Day. It is to remember, honor and memorialize America’s war dead. Yep. Those killed in war.
So look at just nine of the Principal Wars of the United States.
It officially began with the Revolutionary War, 1776 – 1783; progressed to the War of 1812, 18-12-15; and the Mexican American War, 1846-48.
Then came the bloodiest insanity America had experienced – the Civil War, 1860-65. The Spanish American War, 1898-1902; World War I, 1917-18; World War II, 1941-45; the Korean War, 1950-53, and the Vietnam War, 1964-73.
Just those wars alone, excluding the Confederate casualties in the Civil War, various Indian Wars, the War in Iraq, the War in Afghanistan, and a number of other less violent armed conflicts resulted in an astounding death toll.
Combat casualties in those wars number more than a million dead and another 1,430,823 wounded.
When you consider the death toll, the number of family members adversely affected by those deaths, the loss of productive members of society and the cost of freedom then justly appears astronomical.
And so, the words of Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, (Dem., Dist. 24), loom as a forgotten reality.
Wilson, while addressing a group of Veterans at the city of Miami’s Legion Park – American Legion Post 29 – on Armed Forces Day – made a point that definitely needs to constant reality.
“I want to recognize the men and women of all the branches of military service for their commitment and sacrifice. We have a moral obligation to serve those who served us,” said Wilson.
Somehow, that just doesn’t ring true for thousands upon thousands of military service veterans who suffered disabling wounds and injuries.
They are routinely cheated of dignity and monetary compensation for their disabling mental physical conditions sustained during military service.
In fact, a mere summary review of those cases being bounced between the Board of Veterans Appeals and the various VA regional Offices would show a scandal that pales in comparison to the allegations being levied against the Internal revenue Service.
The latter finds an investigation into alleged political targeting of Tea Party members and others for political reasons.
Well, look at how veterans are targeted, finding their claims rejected or delayed for the same kind of back door politics as those being tossed at the IRS.
And that speaks volumes about the lack of respect being given to America’s war dead on Memorial Day. Their ultimate sacrifice is diminished by such injustices of inequality in a free society.
