Friday, January 23, 2015

Hero Or Coward


Normally I steer away from political statements here. I have my own views on everything. I do not completely agree with any person I have ever met or seen on television. But I feel so strongly about this that I have to say something. If you do not wish to be caught up in my rant now is the time to run.

The Sniper is a new movie. It is a true story about a soldier whose position in the military is as a sniper. A sniper is a person who lies in wait to catch the enemy and shoot to kill that enemy.

I will not see the movie. My brother was killed in Viet Nam. Even after all these years the pain is still too close to expose myself to watching people kill each other. I had no plans to see the movie when they first began to advertise it.

However... there are people who are loudly branding the soldier as a coward. Others are calling him a hero. He was trying to protect other soldiers.

I personally know the person who began all this nonsense. He has narrow views about this. And I strongly disagree. This person and I are not friends (or enemies) but I do know the person.

War is a violent confrontation usually between two countries or large groups. The idea of this "game" is kill as many of the enemy as possible until one side gives up and a "peace" is proclaimed. Usually there is not a winner.

War is not nice. But when a war is declared each side must play to win. Each participant in the game wants to emerge with his life intact and his/her body whole. Most are not successful.

There must be a place to have this war. There may be innocent and not-so-innocent people who actually live in that area. Unless they can remove themselves from that area they are likely to be hurt or killed. It is not right but that is war.

Many combatants from each side contribute what they have been trained for. If we are totally honest some are trained (whether they know it or not) to be casualties. But casualties reduce the number of combatants so those in charge try to keep the numbers low.

One of the ways to do that is to train some who show a talent for accuracy to place themselves in a spot where they are not readily seen by the enemy. They can then watch for single enemy soldiers or civilians who might cause harm to his own soldiers. His job is to kill them before they can cause damage.

Does the sniper enjoy killing people? I doubt that most of them do. But they feel as if they are protecting their fellow soldiers.

War is a dirty thing. Most people who participate would rather be home with their families. Most do not want to kill other people. Most do what they can to help their side win.

In our country we enjoy certain rights. They are guaranteed by The Constitution which is our law. Military personnel work hard to protect us and our rights. For this we should be grateful to each and every one of them.

We have the right to agree or disagree with the reasons our country has for being at war. We have the right and responsibility to see that we follow the rules set up for conducting these awful confrontations. If someone breaks the rules that person should face whatever consequences are for the infraction. If our country breaks the rules the same applies. We also have the responsibility to support those who work at keeping those rights alive.

I support every individual's right to have an opinion about war. War is a nasty thing. Innocent people suffer. That is the nature of war.

But to call a soldier who is assigned to protect his mates a coward simply because he does not stand out in the open as a target is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Name-calling is not a right. You have a right to your opinions. You have a right to state your opinions. You do not have the right to hurt another person. As the old saying oes, "Your right to swing your fist ends where the other person's nose begins." You do not have a right to besmirch another person's character.

I know that our soldiers are heroes. Their families are heroes because they sacrifice at home to allow us to be free. No more of this coward nonsense.

14 comments:

  1. I will not see the movie, either, for reasons similar to your. Nor will I ever denigrate a soldier.

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  2. I'm with you Emma. I read about this soldier/sniper he killed many but he also saved many. A brave man to go into the areas he did. I know he has died now but I doubt if any of the name callers would be brave enough to call him a coward to his face.

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    1. He died helping PTSD soldiers. One of them snapped and shot him. Even after he came home he was committed to saving his fellow soldiers. The person who called him a coward did not help them.

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  3. I won't watch the movie either. My wife works as a yoga therapist at a local drug rehabilitation center and many of her clients are active military. A few of them were snipers.
    They were doing a job, but they were wrecks.
    War is not pretty. Many people who bash soldiers, have never been to war and have no point of reference.

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    1. Thank you for your insight. And a huge thank you for the work Jilda does with military members. If anyone can help them find a calming place it will be her.

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  4. I have heard about this movie but I haven't seen any preview or trailer though I have heard some issues about the movie. I do not enjoy war movies or any movies whivh involve killings. Studying Russian history exposed me in so much of human casualties. I got depressed after digesting all the thoughts that came with those events. Soldiers no matter from whose side they're fighting for are in the end victims. They either lise lives, legs or arms, families or friends, everybody loses someone. Like you said, nobody wins in the "game" of war. Much as nobody has the right to call them names (especially bad one). "You do not judge a peron unless you hve walked in his moccasins."

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    1. Well said. If only we could all learn to settle disagreements peacefully.

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  5. P.S. please excuse my spelling mistakes, my tab's not cooperating with me :)

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    1. The thought behind the comment is what is important not spelling problems. My fingers often do not keep up with my brain and I do not catch the mistake.

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  6. I saw this documentary about real soldiers. They came back not normal, it's sad. They're disturbed. I mean whoever goes to war will not be the same as they left. I can only imagine the psychological trauma.

    I salute those who sacrifice so many things including their own well being for the love and service of their country. I can only hope that we'll see war end in our lifetime.

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    1. I am a baby born right after World War II. The war I have the most experience with is Viet Nam. I knew so many who went to that war. If they came home alive, and many did not, I do not know one of them who has completely healed from their time at war. As long as people removed from the horrors of war are the ones deciding if the "games" will go on we will have wars. Sad but that is how it is done.

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  7. I also will not see this film and it disturbed me to learn it was nominated as a best picture. While I am not degrading or commenting on the portrayal or ths film's messge, it was personally unsettling to me because of its subject matter. Sadly, war and its casualties, both military and civilian, are part of our reality but I choose not to be entertained or to celebrate it with a commercial "blockbuster."

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    1. War movies seem to do really well when it comes time for awards. I do not completely understand why but that is my own taste.

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