Summer soldiers and sunshine patriots
This was emailed to me by a friend. While I can not verify the authorship of the piece, I think the sentiments resonate with a lot of folks who support our troops efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Summer Soldiers Out Themselves
By Ed Evans
On Dec. 23, 1776, Thomas Paine, writing his treatise “The Crisis”, declared in words that echo throughout this nation today, “These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”
From the halls of Congress today, however, has come the message that freedom, that gift from heaven “highly rated,” is rated too high for some Americans. The message from some members of Congress is that it is time for the bastion of liberty, the United States of America, to repeat the debacle of the Vietnam Conflict, abandon our heritage, in order to cut and run.
Even as these “summer soldiers” exhibited their squeamishness at paying the price of liberty, four young Americans, wearing the U.S. Army uniform that represents Americans everywhere, died in battle against an enemy that wants all Americans to indeed believe the price of freedom for the Iraqi nation is too high to pay.
It would seem the height of irony that those calling for America to abandon the fight for freedom in Iraq have just raised that price with their self-serving and ill-considered public pronouncements. They have given immeasurable aid and comfort to the enemy who is murdering innocent men, women and children, as well as the youthful flower of our nation. Their callous remarks have just insured the enemy will dig in a little deeper, believing if enough Americans bleed, our national commitment to freedom will wilt; we will cut and run; we will abandon those to whom we have promised our strength, our technology, our national will until freedom is achieved.
These summer soldiers have attempted to make liars and cowards of us all. But Americans are neither liars nor cowards. We believe in truth, in honesty, in keeping our word. At least, some of us do. Obviously these summer soldiers hold such hallmarks of freedom to be of lesser value. They are wrong. They are wrong and they should also be ashamed.
They are of an age where their very own freedom was bought in blood by young Americans no older than those who right now are breaking the chains of tyranny that would enslave Iraq. And make no mistake, if we give Iraq to our enemies, that will not sate their bloody appetite. Today Iraq; tomorrow the world.
To quote a demonstrated truth from another time, “They cry peace, peace, but there is no peace.” They would sell their grandchildren’s’ freedom in order to achieve peace in their own time. What a slur on mankind. A shameful performance built of political ambition, blind avarice for power, and a deliberate ignorance of global reality.
These naysayers and summer soldiers should take note of the fact that our young men and women in uniform in Iraq right now joined in the middle of the conflict. They are in the military by choice. They are in Iraq by choice. They don’t wonder if their presence will make a difference for freedom, they are making that difference out in front with their very lives.
The least reaction due from those safely behind the wall of protection they provide should be to do no harm. Don’t aid the enemy with constant carping and political scoring. Don’t give the enemy a reason to fight harder and hang on longer. Don’t get them killed. If you can’t do that, at least put on a uniform and go give them a hand.
For they are my heroes. You, ladies and gentlemen summer soldiers of the Congress and elsewhere, you are simply a sad embarrassment of the times. Their names will be remembered. You should pray yours’ are not
Ed Evans
MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
The Summer Soldiers Out Themselves
By Ed Evans
On Dec. 23, 1776, Thomas Paine, writing his treatise “The Crisis”, declared in words that echo throughout this nation today, “These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”
From the halls of Congress today, however, has come the message that freedom, that gift from heaven “highly rated,” is rated too high for some Americans. The message from some members of Congress is that it is time for the bastion of liberty, the United States of America, to repeat the debacle of the Vietnam Conflict, abandon our heritage, in order to cut and run.
Even as these “summer soldiers” exhibited their squeamishness at paying the price of liberty, four young Americans, wearing the U.S. Army uniform that represents Americans everywhere, died in battle against an enemy that wants all Americans to indeed believe the price of freedom for the Iraqi nation is too high to pay.
It would seem the height of irony that those calling for America to abandon the fight for freedom in Iraq have just raised that price with their self-serving and ill-considered public pronouncements. They have given immeasurable aid and comfort to the enemy who is murdering innocent men, women and children, as well as the youthful flower of our nation. Their callous remarks have just insured the enemy will dig in a little deeper, believing if enough Americans bleed, our national commitment to freedom will wilt; we will cut and run; we will abandon those to whom we have promised our strength, our technology, our national will until freedom is achieved.
These summer soldiers have attempted to make liars and cowards of us all. But Americans are neither liars nor cowards. We believe in truth, in honesty, in keeping our word. At least, some of us do. Obviously these summer soldiers hold such hallmarks of freedom to be of lesser value. They are wrong. They are wrong and they should also be ashamed.
They are of an age where their very own freedom was bought in blood by young Americans no older than those who right now are breaking the chains of tyranny that would enslave Iraq. And make no mistake, if we give Iraq to our enemies, that will not sate their bloody appetite. Today Iraq; tomorrow the world.
To quote a demonstrated truth from another time, “They cry peace, peace, but there is no peace.” They would sell their grandchildren’s’ freedom in order to achieve peace in their own time. What a slur on mankind. A shameful performance built of political ambition, blind avarice for power, and a deliberate ignorance of global reality.
These naysayers and summer soldiers should take note of the fact that our young men and women in uniform in Iraq right now joined in the middle of the conflict. They are in the military by choice. They are in Iraq by choice. They don’t wonder if their presence will make a difference for freedom, they are making that difference out in front with their very lives.
The least reaction due from those safely behind the wall of protection they provide should be to do no harm. Don’t aid the enemy with constant carping and political scoring. Don’t give the enemy a reason to fight harder and hang on longer. Don’t get them killed. If you can’t do that, at least put on a uniform and go give them a hand.
For they are my heroes. You, ladies and gentlemen summer soldiers of the Congress and elsewhere, you are simply a sad embarrassment of the times. Their names will be remembered. You should pray yours’ are not
Ed Evans
MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)
posted by The Lady Logician at
1:12 PM
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