Just a Number?
It is just a number, but in the last 24 hours it has been all over the news. The 2,000th soldier has died as a result of the War in Iraq. It has me thinking . . . does number 2000 need such media coverage?
I used to check out a website, http://icasualties.org/oif/, when Sean was deployed. It was a strange way of making the war seem real . . . as if having a husband there did not make it real enough. I would check to see if I knew any of the names. It also helped put names to the numbers that I so often heard. According to this website there have been 2,200 deaths. I stopped reading at number 1,343. It did not matter to me any more because the reality of war hit home. I think every soldier deserves to be known . . . what about number
577 CPT E. Blanco
862 CPT C. Kenny
1100 SSG R. Thornton
These are just three men who made the ultimate sacrifice (I have always hated hearing that) . . . they are a lot more than just a number. I have been able to meet in person or through the internet the ladies behind these men and learn about their lives. We all miss our soldier dearly and wish we never had to meet, but it is nice to know someone out there understands.
I used to check out a website, http://icasualties.org/oif/, when Sean was deployed. It was a strange way of making the war seem real . . . as if having a husband there did not make it real enough. I would check to see if I knew any of the names. It also helped put names to the numbers that I so often heard. According to this website there have been 2,200 deaths. I stopped reading at number 1,343. It did not matter to me any more because the reality of war hit home. I think every soldier deserves to be known . . . what about number
577 CPT E. Blanco
862 CPT C. Kenny
1100 SSG R. Thornton
These are just three men who made the ultimate sacrifice (I have always hated hearing that) . . . they are a lot more than just a number. I have been able to meet in person or through the internet the ladies behind these men and learn about their lives. We all miss our soldier dearly and wish we never had to meet, but it is nice to know someone out there understands.
posted by Heidi at 10/26/2005 09:05:00 AM
3 Comments:
I have a special place in my heart for #1194. But I just learned his number right now; his number didn't matter nearly as much as his life did.
I remember feeling sorry for the family of the 1000th soldier because the media circus completely stole the dignity of that soldier's death. I feel the same way about the 2000th.
Sarah has just said what I intended to write about. The press "usuage" of a miltary death to promote their own version of the truth about this war. They try to make it look like they are sympathetic while getting the survivors on TV to illustrate a point. This family looked grieving as they should have and the press who insisted on putting them on TV should be ashamed. But, of course, they aren't.
I honestly recieved 3 phone calls (from the same local tv newsperson) in less than 2 hours, wanting my comment on the 2000th soldier....with a lump in my throat, my only response was ''It stings as much as the 1st, the 800th and the 1999th''...soon to be followed by ''WHAT PART OF "NO" do you NOT comprehend?''
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