As
members of SASS, as Cowboy Action Shooters and as Americans, our past is an
important part of our present. The
past is a part of our life that should most times be revered; oft times honored
and sometimes regretted, but always honestly learned from and always
respectfully remembered for what those who died throughout our yesterdays
provided for our todays and our children’s tomorrows.
This
month we honor America’s independence. However,
it’s very clear that some modern day politically correct “authorities”
have no realization of the deeper meaning of America’s military sacrifices
that purchased that freedom, nor do they apparently recognize the true
significance of a soldier’s death on the battlefield.
What tells me this? Some
have demonstrated beyond any doubt in my mind, that they have no respect, nor
appreciation for what battlefield memorials actually represent, whom they are
intended to honor, and why.
What
do you mean Colonel? An amendment
was introduced to a previous congressional appropriations bill requiring
politically approved briefings be given at battlefield memorials that would
stress, above all else, the role selected political factors played in the War
Between the States [for the purpose of this column, it doesn’t matter what
specific political factor was at issue in this particular case].
Apparently, the authors of this amendment considered America’s
memorials as venues for pushing a narrowly focused political agenda.
Who
would write and approve the politically correct scripts of such briefings to
ensure the proper message was conveyed—the politically correct among us—of
course. As reported by columnist
Samuel Francis, Kate Stevenson, Park Services Associate Director for Cultural
Resource Stewardship and Partnerships said:
“I
don’t want to hear about battles when I go to a Civil War battlefield. I
don’t care about battles.”
And
then there’s John Latschar, superintendent at Gettysburg Battlefield who said:
“I’m
just absolutely convinced that we have a far more compelling need to move into
the 21st century to give people the basic understanding of why the
Civil War was fought and the meaning of it all…
That’s much more important than remembering the names of Union and
Confederate generals.”
Battlefield
memorials that commemorate and honor America’s soldiers are just not the
appropriate place to emphasize political propaganda or push agendas from either
side of that war—particularly propaganda that’s based on revisionist history
as is found within modern liberalism. There
are more than enough schools for the study of all versions of the political
issues underlying the battles so let’s leave the memorials themselves for the
commemoration of those that fought the battles.
[I use the term soldier in referring to all the services’ men
and women]
Although
wars may be started for any number of political reasons, the battles that occur
on the fields of those wars are not fought with any political reason foremost in
the minds of the soldiers involved. Political
goals, lofty slogans and righteous causes spouted by the politicians that start
those wars are crafted mainly to generate support from the people back home and
to encourage new recruits to join the fray—they do nothing for the soldiers
already there.
Soldiers
don’t fight for political goals, supercilious slogans or Machiavellian
intrigue; he fights for the men on his left, the men on his right and that man
in the middle. They fight for each
other and do extraordinary things in order to keep each other alive and not fail
their buddies.
One
of the greatest motivators for any soldier does not stem from fear of the enemy
or even fear of mission failure but rather a greater fear that he may somehow
fail his fellow-soldier and they will go to super human lengths in many cases,
to ensure that just doesn’t happen.
I’ve
been witness to soldiers who willingly and selflessly gave all they had on this
earth to give in order to preserve their friend’s lives and well being.
And when a soldier bleeds on a piece of ground, fighting for those on his
left and right, he sanctifies that ground far beyond the ability of any bronze
statue ever erected. He has offered
up his soul and laid down his life for his friends thus demonstrating that
highest form of love and the greatest sacrifice that can be expected of a human
being.
For
subsequent generations of naïve and agenda driven politicians who’ve never
tasted battle themselves to use that ground for some political purpose of
promoting any sort of propaganda, spits in the face of every man and woman who
ever made that sacrifice. Political propaganda deserves no place of honor along side
selfless sacrifice. Such intentions
on the part of politicians are without any redeeming qualities and deserving of
no respect or recognition.
Simply
put, those that would turn these sacred battlefields into venues of propaganda
to further their own petty interests show a great disrespect for every one of
those wonderful soldiers. Soldiers
who sacrificed their physical lives to preserve their sacred honor are quite
different from politicians who sacrifice their sacred honor to preserve their
political lives.
Such
disrespect shown for those who fought on either side of conflicts throughout
history, will not be forgotten, nor soon forgiven by this or any generation to
come and is an assault on the very soul of American history, honor and truth.
This battlefield memorial proposal demonstrated the highest form of
disregard for soldiers and such disregard for them and their sacrifice I will
never be able to tolerate.
Battlefield
memorials reach out to and touch a much higher plane than any political agenda
can ever hope to achieve. They
reach back in time and very solemnly reveal the souls of those who laid down
their lives for their friends, transforming those fields into places of honor;
silently speaking volumes to the hearts of the families of those lost in that
battle.
My
message to the authors of such politically correct tripe:
Save your personal political agenda for the appropriate political pig pen
and don’t dishonor hallowed ground with divisive agendas or you may reap a
whirlwind reflective of the spirit of our soldiers who died there while you tear
at the hearts of all who honor them for the sacrifices they made there.
Just
the view from my saddle…