August 6, 2011

I woke up this morning, after a nice, comfortable night of sleep. Went to my bathroom, which is about 10 feet from my bedroom. Freshened up, nice hot water, looked in the mirror at my aging face, had a cup of the best coffee money can buy. Saturday morning. How blessed am I?

Then I looked at the news and saw that 32 soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan. My heart sank. I wanted to cry. While I sit in comfort, fellow soldiers die, young men and women with their lives in front of them. Gone forever.

Earlier my biggest concern earlier was whether my stocks were losing money. I am heartsick this morning. We are worried about the wrong things folks. We have sent our treasure, men and women soldiers, off to a far away land where victory will never be achieved because there is no victory to attain. Mainly because success is not defined there. There is no winning or losing. Ten years. Ten years we have been there, and I would bet that not one in one hundred citizens can define or explain our mission. The Civil War didn’t last that long, neither did World War II. I have felt for a long time that our presence in Afghanistan is a folly. Other invaders have never been successful at whatever they were trying to achieve there. I believe we must face the realities and bring our troops home. We have no further business there.

My personal view is that the realities are these:

We have the best army the world has ever seen. Our soldiers will put more metal on the target than any other army that has ever existed in the history of mankind. I’m proud to have been a part of that. But, we must use our army wisely.

Our political leaders have used our country’s best, without any well-defined mission. Ten years is long enough to define your mission; and,

We have a citizenry that is detached from this war, except for those who are personally effected by having loved ones in the fray. Shopping goes on. The games proceed. Where is the sacrifice that backs up our brave soldiers? It is time for citizens to speak up and demand an end to this mess. Instead of parading our might around the world, our best men and women should be here, at home, fashioning solutions to our problems at home.

And let me tell you, we have some problems that need serious attention.

1. Unemployment is the paramount issue. The unemployment among minorities in our inner-cities is serious and should be unacceptable to all of us. People without meaningful jobs. This is a bubbling caldron of discontent, just waiting to boil over. Trade agreements have depleted our country of jobs. We need to get people back to work, in meaningful jobs. We need to create jobs at the community level. This is where people live. Travel across America and look at the state of so many communities. Small towns virtually abandoned. .

2. The infra-structure in this country needs to be rebuilt and maintained. Water lines, sewer systems, roads, bridges, electric grids, you name it. We must spend our wealth on these things. We are innovators and we solve these problems.

3. Immigration is out of control. We need to set this straight and give those who have been here a path to citizenship. Countless young people are strapped with enormous student loans. Prisons are overflowing, our justice system is stretched to the breaking point. We are spending our wealth on overseas oil, funding those who would do us harm. We need leaders, and they are out there, who will say that we will rectify this problem within ten years, just like putting a man on the moon in the sixties. Restore our imagination . As William Berry says, we should seek the advice of native Americans as to how we can solve some of our problems.

4. Our federal government is not in touch with reality. We cannot borrow $.40 for every dollar we, as a nation, spend. Need I go on?

I could go on and on, but I’ve lost focus on my message. I am heartsick to see so many soldiers killed yesterday. It’s the price they are willing to pay, but it hurts to know the suffering and sorrow that each death brings to family, friends, and all of us. We support our military so much more today than we did for those returning from Viet Nam. Yet, parades and flag-waving are not enough. Demand that our President set out our mission, our objectives in concrete terms, and if he cannot do it, then demand that he bring our soldiers home, where they will receive hero’s welcomes.

Maybe we should wear arm bands in memory of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Somehow we need to see, everyday, every moment that we have soldiers in harm’s way overseas. I’m attaching a poem I wrote about a year or so ago. It sums up my feelings. You know, my Uncle Clem Szymanski was a recipient of our Nation’s Silver Star medal for his heroism in World War II. I am so proud to be his nephew. But, I wonder what he would think about these things. He knew first hand what this is all about. I hope he would agree with me. Please let me know where I am wrong. Please let me know whether I am just an old fool. I so hope that I am.

　

　

　

YOUNG SOLDIERS THAT DIE IN FAR AWAY PLACES

WHEN A YOUNG SOLDIER DIES IN FAR AWAY PLACE

THE SHIPS ON THE SEAS HAVE THE WIND DRAINED FROM THEIR SAILS.

HEARTS ACHE AS ONLY HEARTS CAN.

I KNOW SOLDIERS, I KNOW WHAT THEY THINK.

I HAVE SEEN THEIR LAUGHTER, THEIR FRUSTRATIONS.

PROPELLED BY A SENSE OF LOYALTY; TO COUNTRY, TO FAMILY, TO SELF.

ACTING OUT OF A SENSE OF DUTY, PRIDE.

KNOWING THAT SOME DAY THEIR LIFE MAY END IN A FAR AWAY LAND.

I HAVE SEEN IT, MAIL CALL – THE LETTERS ARE HANDED OUT.

THEN, AS IF SOME BREAK HAS BEEN CALLED,

MANY ISLANDS APPEAR,

AS SOLDIERS SEEK THEIR SOLITUDE TO HEAR THE NEWS FROM HOME.

A SILENCE COMES OVER THEM.

READING LETTERS – LAUGHTER, SMILES AND GRINS.

AND THEN, DEEP SIGHS.

LETTERS ARE FOLDED UP, PUT AWAY FOR ANOTHER READING,

FOR SOMETHING MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED.

THESE PRECIOUS NOTES FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

THE NOISE AND HUSTLE RETURN. DUTY CALLS.

WHEN A SOLDIER FALLS,

WITH LETTERS TUCKED AWAY IN A SECURE POCKET

WORLDS ARE SHATTERED.

NOTHING CUTS AS DEEP, AS WHEN A SOLDIER FALLS

IN A FAR AWAY LAND.

THE LAUGHTER IS STILLED.

THE DREAMS ARE GONE.

THE NEWS OF A FALLEN SOLDIER IS NOT JUST A PASSING ITEM

OF INTEREST FOR THE DAY.

IT IS PROFOUND.