Over 5,500 U.S. men and women have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 2,280 of them were 22 years of age and under.
Numbers--even these thousands--are hard to digest, hard to internalize in terms of what a life means.
I wish all major television stations would do something to help us remember and honor each life that has been lost. Can you imagine how fitting and powerful it would be to have a unified broadcast across networks at the same time and day each week? We would see photographs of those who gave their lives that week, with their names, their hometowns, their ages. A face and a biography are more fitting than a set of numbers which we simply cannot process with any degree of understanding.
For every man's face you see, you have a better grasp that this man was someone's son, grandson, brother. He may be someone's father, wife. And if he wasn't, he would have been.
Here is Army Spc. Blair Thompson, who died on June 25, 2010 of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire.
It's my wish that the media will start doing a better job of helping us hold him and other very brave people close to our hearts and to give them a moment--if only a moment--of our time and our prayers. Isn't that the least we can do? Otherwise, it's too easy to put out of sight and mind, save Memorial Day, July Fourth and other holidays.
P.S. Just received a comment from Blair's uncle and made a correction to the post. Thank you for your comment. Seeing this brave young man's photo, I think of him and of his family. From our family to yours, we remember..
13 comments:
Putting a face to it makes it much more realistic...it's so much easier to dismiss reality when there are just words, faces make all the difference. Today and every day, we must remember to thank those who sacrifice to keep us safe.
You give me pause to reflect and once again locate the center of my gratitude and appreciation.
Excellent comment but Blair's dad was not a soldier and not injured in Afghanistan. Blair was injured the week before he died and chose to return to his unit and was killed later that week.
From Blair's uncle in Rome NY
Well put.
Yes, it's kind of shameful how oblivious most of us are about the sacrifices some families are making for this war. With a 22 year old son, I think about this all the time.
I agree, it would be wonderful if one of the public stations would devote a half hour a week or month to running pictures and bios of the war dead, using material provided by the families. It would be simple for an intern to put together, and would provide context and respect for the men and women who gave their lives to protect others' freedom.
so true and so heartbreaking, gropy. btw, i just love your new blog format. looking quite tailored and crisp. there, you've been fugged!
IMO - Suzicate gave reason as to WHY the TV stations DON'T broadcast this. (it's so much easier to
dismiss reality when there are just words, faces make all the difference)
Right now, just the FaceTime commercial (the part where the military man is having to watch his
unborn baby over the phone) makes me cry.
I would watch the broadcast. I would cry but I would watch and do my best to send thoughts and
feelings of gratitude to the families. I do my best now to send thoughts and prayers to all of the
families and military personnel. It is a HUGE, HUGE sacrifice for which I am ever so grateful.
Thank you for this post!
I agree with you. It's tragic. My friend is going to Kandahar in a month and as far as I'm concerned she is my hero
My husband is a veteran. Trust me, the thought is never far from my mind. Thank you for reminding all of us and honoring Blair.
PS - I like the new look!
How incredibly sad.
I really wish the news would talk more about the people who gave their lives for their country. We heard on and on about how Michael Jackson died--why not our troops?
What a wonderful idea - I feel guilty for not stopping and thinking about this more often, a reminder like this would be so impactful
You're absolutely right. Every day that an American soldier dies, the networks should devote a few minutes to at least letting us see their face and telling us who they were.
Thanks for posting on this topic.
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