True Heroes

As a culture, we certainly don't stop and acknowledge the heroism of so many of our finest in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, we do even worse when it comes to acknowledging the genuinely heroic efforts of many regular citizens every day. This tragedy in South Carolina provides such an opportunity.

CHARLESTON — The firemen of engine companies 16 and 19 moved around their station house in a daze Tuesday.

Comments

[IslamoLlama]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq;_ylt=AjL2Gmo_CUcbiuY5dIjUkUus0NUE

The Army is considering whether it will have to extend the combat tours of troops in Iraq if President Bush opts to maintain the recent buildup of forces through spring 2008.

Acting Army Secretary Pete Geren testified Tuesday that the service is reviewing other options, including relying more heavily on Army reservists or Navy and Air Force personnel, so as not to put more pressure on a stretched active-duty force.

Most soldiers spend 15 months in combat with a guaranteed 12 months home, a rotation plan that has infuriated Democrats because it exceeds the service’s goal of giving troops equal time home as in combat. In coming weeks, the Senate will vote on a proposal by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., that would restrict deployments.

“It’s too early to look into the next year, but for the Army we have to begin to plan,” Geren told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “We have to look into our options.”

[Phoenix]

I heard this story on the news. Too sad to believe.

[Fred Beloit]

Let's give this a little cool thought before we get all misty-eyed. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to take due honor from anyone. When a man or woman volunteers to put on a uniform that implies a dangerous profession, soldier, firefighter, police, etc, should they be considered as stupid children who have to be looked after to the point of their being considered not responsible for their own choices? Why do we pay for or in other ways support firefighters? To fight fires so we don't have to. Why do we pay for police? To deal with criminals so we do not have to. Why do we pay for armies and navies? To fight wars so we don't have to. This is honest and straight forward and no guilt is necessary. Oh, wait a minute, one may say, that doesn't mean the people in these professions should be abused. No, of course not. But never in the history of our nation have our soldiers and sailors and fliers been better qualified, and never have they been better cared for medically and in every other way. Every day I read in the newspapers letters to the editor or articles about the sacrifices required from military people who knowingly join up. Some of these imply or downright state openly that our military must come "home" because they are being put in danger, are tired, are demoralized, blah, blah, blah. All honor and gratitude to them for doing the jobs they volunteered to do. But to say police should arrest fewer criminals or avoid enforcing the law and the military must stop fighting wars because these activities are dangerous and tiring work is to stand reason on its head. It is a symptom of what I like to call Progressive (as in Liberal) Brain Disease (PBD). Try not to catch this infections and insidious disease.