Since graduating from high school two years ago, I have tried to develop my own opinions, morals and practices that are separate and unique from those taught to me by my parents while growing up.
During this effort I’ve been making to move toward adulthood, I’ve been pleasantly surprised but also equally disgusted by the world surrounding me.
For one, the harsh realities of the war in Iraq have played a major role in my life during the past year. I’m not disgusted by the events of the war, or even the reasons why we are there. I’m not even disgusted by the enemy we are fighting.
I am disgusted and disappointed by a select group of my fellow Americans.
We all live in a country where, among other things, all citizens have the right to protest the war peacefully, hate President George W. Bush and, most obviously, be ignorant.
I think it is safe to say that everyone is thankful for the Constitution and the rights it protects.
I recently found myself in a screaming match with anti-war protesters in my hometown. It was then that I realized how ignorant and naive some Americans are about this war and how much it upsets me.
As a proud girlfriend of a U.S. Marine who is currently deployed to Iraq, I’ve learned a few things about this war that the average civilian doesn’t know. I’ve spent many hours in the company of Marines at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. I’ve listened to gruesome war stories from past deployments and hopes for future deployments.
A young man in my boyfriend’s unit recently lost his life in Iraq. His family wasn’t angry, outraged or bitter about his death. Indeed, they were actually quite proud of him and his sacrifice. To them, he died with the ultimate honor.
Even from the moment a recruit walks into the recruiting office to sign his or her enlistment papers through the day before deployment, the recruit knows that death is a very real possibility.
Wake up, America. We have a fully functioning volunteer military.
There is no draft. There are no smoke screens put up to trick our boys and girls into enlisting. No arms have been twisted and no brainwashing has been done to get them through the door.
In fact, every Marine I have ever met has spoken about future deployments to Iraq with eagerness and welcoming anticipation. Each seems to look forward to the prospect of putting the training to the test at the hopes of making loved ones proud.
But preaching “bring them home because they’re dying” is not being supportive of our troops. They’re in the military and the harsh reality of this is that people die while in the military.
If you really want to be supportive of our troops, send them care packages, write them letters, pray for them at church, volunteer at your local veteran affairs office or simply enlist yourself.
If you’re anti-war and believe in bringing them home, write to your district’s representatives and tell them about the changes you would like made.
I think it’s wonderful that there are people in this country who still want to exercise their freedom of speech and protest peacefully. What I don’t think is wonderful is when those people are ignorant. Voice your opinion once you’ve been fully educated in the facts.
Just like the how media doesn’t show America the progress being made in Iraq, our boys don’t see their supporters waving signs advocating their work. Their supporters need to stand up and fight for them ten-fold.
Ashley Thomas is a junior electrical engineering major.
