I have been pondering when I am going to compose this rant of mine and I think that it will be today. My cousin, Kevin, is a Marine. He is 21 years old, hilarious, strong-willed and extremely motivated. On Saturday, his humvee was hit by an IED in Afghanistan (he was the gunner on top of the humvee). He has lost both of his legs, has severe burns over his entire body and is in a coma (he has not been conscious since before the explosion). I have been around the miltiary my entire life and have seen many men and women get injured and killed overseas and on various other missions. This one is the one that has broken me down more than any other. I do not know if it is because he is my first cousin, because he is my age, because he has so much life left, because he has only been in the USMC for one year...most likely it is a combination of all of these. As you can imagine, my extended family (I am including his girlfriend in this category, as she has become close to all of us in the past few days) is extremely distraught. My grandmother (one the sweestest people that I know) is so angry, saying that she wants to hurt our past president and his advisors for ever thinking that this war was a good idea. This post is not only to talk about Kevin, but also to address this war, which I have become increasingly aware as time continues.
I have known many people that have been deployed in the Afghanistan/Iraq wars; namely, one of my best friends, least six more of the people that I graduated with and my ex, as well. Reported by UnknownNews, as of 25 Jan 2009, 4,806 US troops have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq (574 in Afghanistan and 4,232 in Iraq). Even more staggering, 45,725 US troops have been seriously injured (this does not include those with minor injuries or psychological problems after returning), of those 1,722 have been in Afghanistan and 44,003 in Iraq. I completely understand that it is difficult to grasp these numbers. Society, the media and the government have encouraged the idea that these are nameless, faceless troops. Our former president, George W Bush, rarely spoke about the casualties in these wars that he began and continued to foster during his administration of the nation. The Los Angeles Times says that in a speech in December 2005, Pres. Bush says that "the establishment of a durable democracy there would ultimately justify the sacrifice". Does it? Is it worth a young boy wrapped up in bandages in a hospital room while his grandmother debates whether she is eligible to give him skin grafts? Is it worth a girl losing her arms and her will to live? Is it worth the tears, the pain, the screams and the blood that each man and woman endure as they feel themselves dying or are forced to watch one of their own cripple before their eyes?
With the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 (wherever it was headed), America cried out. The American people were rearing and gearing for war. When Pres. Bush stood up on 20 September 2001, he said "Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done". (CNN) The American people applauded. The American people raved. Manufactured patriotism was at its highest. Those little American flags that you only see on Independence Day had made their way into the hands of millions. Country singers had a new topic other than pick-up trucks, honkytonks and divorce. Children all across America were asked to write essays on why America was great. To clarify, I am not against America, whatsoever. I truly do believe that the people the perished on 9/11 had no reason to die and it was a tragic event. In fact, when I am shown footage of the attacks, I choke up. I am not talking about that. I am talking about this pseudo-allegiance that the government prompted and promoted in its citizens. This mass-produced nationalism is what caused the war to get so out of control. The American people were not against war when Pres. Bush first introduced it. Everyone seemed on-board. I was thirteen years old and thought that this war could "keep the enemy off of our soil" (that term was overused back then). However, at this time, my dad was in the US Army, a combat engineer to be more specific. He was recently diagnosed with diabetes and, ironically fortunate, was forced out of the military. In fact, the man that took his spot as squad leader in his unit, was killed in Afghanistan a few weeks after my family moved. That is when I realized that this war was a bad idea. Men and women had joined in the post-9/11 frenzy and were now enlisted for three to four years, many stop-lossed so that they could not go anywhere other than war. To throw salt in an already open wound, Pres. Bush declared a war against Iraq (Americans still roll their eyes at the mention of "Weapons of Mass Destruction"). This war began on March 20, 2003 and by the end of April, America had lost 139 troops already.
Need I continue?
This war is going nowhere. I am astonished at the number of casualties, wounded and psychologically-distraught Marines, soldiers, airmen, seamen...active duty, reservists and guadrsmen. There is hope for this nation, for the people of this nation, specifically. We deserve better. Our men and women in arms deserve better. We voted this past election in favor of them. Let's not forget about them, about every child that has lost their parent and every parent that has buried their child. Let's not forget about Kevin, or any other boy and girl in that hospital with their eyes sewn shut and their legs missing. Let's focus on their future because there can be one if we try.
Edit: My cousin, LCpl Kevin Preach, passed away on 02/07/09 due to injuries endured in Afghanistan. He will never be forgotten. <3
I have known many people that have been deployed in the Afghanistan/Iraq wars; namely, one of my best friends, least six more of the people that I graduated with and my ex, as well. Reported by UnknownNews, as of 25 Jan 2009, 4,806 US troops have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq (574 in Afghanistan and 4,232 in Iraq). Even more staggering, 45,725 US troops have been seriously injured (this does not include those with minor injuries or psychological problems after returning), of those 1,722 have been in Afghanistan and 44,003 in Iraq. I completely understand that it is difficult to grasp these numbers. Society, the media and the government have encouraged the idea that these are nameless, faceless troops. Our former president, George W Bush, rarely spoke about the casualties in these wars that he began and continued to foster during his administration of the nation. The Los Angeles Times says that in a speech in December 2005, Pres. Bush says that "the establishment of a durable democracy there would ultimately justify the sacrifice". Does it? Is it worth a young boy wrapped up in bandages in a hospital room while his grandmother debates whether she is eligible to give him skin grafts? Is it worth a girl losing her arms and her will to live? Is it worth the tears, the pain, the screams and the blood that each man and woman endure as they feel themselves dying or are forced to watch one of their own cripple before their eyes?
With the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 (wherever it was headed), America cried out. The American people were rearing and gearing for war. When Pres. Bush stood up on 20 September 2001, he said "Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done". (CNN) The American people applauded. The American people raved. Manufactured patriotism was at its highest. Those little American flags that you only see on Independence Day had made their way into the hands of millions. Country singers had a new topic other than pick-up trucks, honkytonks and divorce. Children all across America were asked to write essays on why America was great. To clarify, I am not against America, whatsoever. I truly do believe that the people the perished on 9/11 had no reason to die and it was a tragic event. In fact, when I am shown footage of the attacks, I choke up. I am not talking about that. I am talking about this pseudo-allegiance that the government prompted and promoted in its citizens. This mass-produced nationalism is what caused the war to get so out of control. The American people were not against war when Pres. Bush first introduced it. Everyone seemed on-board. I was thirteen years old and thought that this war could "keep the enemy off of our soil" (that term was overused back then). However, at this time, my dad was in the US Army, a combat engineer to be more specific. He was recently diagnosed with diabetes and, ironically fortunate, was forced out of the military. In fact, the man that took his spot as squad leader in his unit, was killed in Afghanistan a few weeks after my family moved. That is when I realized that this war was a bad idea. Men and women had joined in the post-9/11 frenzy and were now enlisted for three to four years, many stop-lossed so that they could not go anywhere other than war. To throw salt in an already open wound, Pres. Bush declared a war against Iraq (Americans still roll their eyes at the mention of "Weapons of Mass Destruction"). This war began on March 20, 2003 and by the end of April, America had lost 139 troops already.
Need I continue?
This war is going nowhere. I am astonished at the number of casualties, wounded and psychologically-distraught Marines, soldiers, airmen, seamen...active duty, reservists and guadrsmen. There is hope for this nation, for the people of this nation, specifically. We deserve better. Our men and women in arms deserve better. We voted this past election in favor of them. Let's not forget about them, about every child that has lost their parent and every parent that has buried their child. Let's not forget about Kevin, or any other boy and girl in that hospital with their eyes sewn shut and their legs missing. Let's focus on their future because there can be one if we try.
Edit: My cousin, LCpl Kevin Preach, passed away on 02/07/09 due to injuries endured in Afghanistan. He will never be forgotten. <3
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
k2photostudio:
That really sucks. So sorry to hear it!
demochick:
I see you posted this a long time ago, but i just wanted to say that i am sorry to hear of such tragedy. It pains me greatly to hear of the men and women fighting for us that lose their lives unnecessarily.