I need to take a moment to add a few comments about the soldiers I am with. I pride myself in telling the stories of the men and women that are deployed, with as little bias as possible. With a degree in History and as a Photojournalist, there is nothing greater in my view than recording the candid and often vulnerable moments that define us as people. The palette I have chosen at this juncture in my life is war, a challenging and at times treacherous environment that offers a view into the human soul in its full breadth of multiplicity and contrast. I enter each of these embeds with the understanding that I am here to record their story, good and bad, as it happens and as they experience it. As part of that, I work hard at holding my own opinions close.
In the past few days there has been a torrent of anger and hate written in response to a blog titled, "The Other Side of Paradise." I wrote that blog in two parts, showing two different reactions to the election. The posts came about from a direct query from Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, asking for a submission on the reaction of those overseas to the Election Night results.
I let the soldiers know what I wanted to do, and they agreed to let me share their feelings with the world. There was no agenda. The blogs were written as snap shots in time, to offer a view of feelings and reactions to what was truly a historic election.
I have become deeply saddened by the hundreds of responses that have been so rife with contempt and character assassinations. What does all of this say about a country I love so much, or the view of the men and women who choose to serve a cause they believe in? Have we fallen to a repeat of Vietnam, lashing out through the Internet with the same hatred that was displayed through demonstrations and protests of the late 1960s and 70s? What does this say about us as citizens who have voted to embrace a new and better America under the leadership of a new President, that these soldiers who expressed their opinions have now been condemned for holding an opinion that is different than the election results? Have we forgotten the foundations that make our democracy strong... the right to voice what we feel with the freedom and security that we can do so without fear of reprisal?
The soldiers that are in our military are a melting pot of our culture. They come from all walks of life: some poor, some rich, others in between, all making a choice to serve for personal reasons, but ultimately embracing a common set of ideals to uphold and defend the values and way of life we hold so dear. I stand by the fact that these soldiers' opinions are theirs to have, even though they may be highly unpopular. Being unpopular does not, however, make their opinion any less valid nor criminal. And regardless of whether one agrees with the motives and ideologies driving these two wars, these soldiers have made a choice to serve this country and are doing so as they are directed to do.
As I write this I find myself reflecting on an incident that happened in Dallas, Texas over a year ago. A man, drunk and lost, began banging on the door of a house late at night. He had apparently mistaken the house for another. The owner of the home felt threatened, and fired several times through the door, killing the drunken man on his front steps. No charges were filed; it was considered self-defense. A soldier in either of the war zones that would dare fire and kill someone in the same manner would be investigated and most probably charged with murder. We hold soldiers to a higher standard than we do ourselves, always quick to send them out to do the dirty work, always quick to condemn them when they fail to meet the standards of perfection that few if any citizen could meet themselves.
So as we enter into this new period of change, I think it is important to recognize that not all will walk in unison to the same beat and drummer. We are a diverse culture and it is our diversity in race, religion, beliefs and values that makes us who we are. As I read through the hundreds of responses, I keep finding myself asking what this new vision of America is about, and where it will take us. Eight years of war has taken its toll, but I truly hope that the scars of war have not blinded us to the fact the we are all still Americans at the core. What that America will look like only time will tell, but through it I would hope that we will remember that being American is about being free to choose, free to speak, and above all, doing so with the respect and courage to honor the range of individuality that is the foundation for a healthy democracy.
Most respectfully,
Scott Kesterson.
I can understand how the soldiers missed that the elections was about gender and race, they were to busy fighting. When one of them mentioned that the war was about religion, that was scary. Last thing we need is for the soldiers to think they're on a crusade.
There is nothing worse for a free society than to worship its military and put it above criticism. These soldiers, obviously don't speak for all of their comrades, but provide a worried glance into how some of them think. The biggest issue is they have the guns, and some have already acted on their own hatred and misunderstanding of the war(s).
The one thing to keep in mind, the last time any soldier ever fought for my freedoms was WWII. That was the last time the homeland was attacked (9/11 doesn't count, that was terrorism--not a state action).
Semper fi
The soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, while there voluntarily, are faced with things the average civillian cannot imagine, things that would leave the civillian-victim-establishment sobbing in a corner gulping down Prozac to forget the horror. We have the right to free speech, and yes, criticism, but that does not mean that it is always justified to lash out at someone with an opinion different from our own. American Civillians are abusing free speech to the point of acting like spoiled children when we hear something we don't like. It is high time we accept responsibility for understanding something before we respond to it.
Mr. Kesterson's account of servicemembers' reactions to the election is a sobering reminder of our need to always consider all sides before making a decision. Anger and thinly-veiled insults benefit no one and only prove that the very people seeking freedom in speech have no idea what that right truly entails. The freedom to say what you want does not make you right.
Wrong!
There are no conditions to be met before honoring a soldier's bravery....
Nam Vet
"We hold soldiers to a higher standard than we do ourselves, always quick to send them out to do the dirty work, always quick to condemn them when they fail to meet the standards of perfection that few if any citizen could meet themselves."
I don't send them out to do anything. Does that mean I can criticize them when they say idiotic things?
I really don't think anyone should criticize soldiers as a group. But these particular soldiers said some pretty stupid and reprehensible things, and they should be called on it. You can't blame us here for being frustrated that these guys are repeating complete lies - not just propaganda, not just questionable interpretations of the facts, but out and out, 100% verified falsehoods.
Seriously, the whole premise of this article is ridiculous. Participating in a democracy does not only mean that you have the right to speak your own mind, but that you have the right to criticize what others say. This guy sounds like Palin whining about how the press was somehow attacking her first amendment rights. It demonstrates a lack of understanding of what a healthy democracy is about; debate, argument, criticism.
Obama answered criticisms when they were offered, he didn't whine about them. That makes him better.
I recall reading the posted criticisms of the soldier's opinions.
I won't claim that I digested and retained every single posting but by and large the commentaries were measured, well stated, and critical, not hateful or vindictive. There is a HUGE difference between valid criticisms and "hating".
I have many relatives, friends, co-workers, who have fought in various wars from World War 2 to modern times. I do appreciate their sacrifices, I have a lot of regard for Veterans. But, because someone is a soldier does not mean they are a saint. They are just folks, some are wonderful people and some are jerks, just like any other group. If someone is acting like a jerk, and they happen to be a soldier, it is okay to call them out or disagree with them. They shouldn't be considered above criticism.
Your point loses a lot of steam when you write, "We hold soldiers to a higher standard than we do ourselves..", (because in gun happy Texas, citizens can shoot a drunk banging on their door.)
I understand the difficult situation our military is faced with, but to parallel Texas law with the rest of the country weakens your credibility.
I didn't comment on your original post, but I was deeply offended by the remark by one of the soldiers asking which book Obama would be sworn in on. There is nothing offensive about swearing in on a book other than the bible. What is offensive is that Obama is a Christian and the comment came from someone who is either ill-informed or, I read it more this way, the man made a willfully disrespectful and racist comment towards his new President elect. Neither option seems worthy of a respectful response from readers. Quite the contrary.
As a Vietnam Vet, I can assure you that I understand your frustration over the responses that you may perceive as disrespectful to our men in the field.
Please know that the overwhelming majority of those responders respect, honor, and support those troops. We, in no way, seek to dishonor them, though we may disagree. Please convey that reality to these men.
May God truly Bless and Keep all of you...
Thanks, Oak....
I will admit this feeling was more pervasive in the officer corps, and the enlisted people i knew had vaguely broader minds. But the people who join the military join because they already have simliar backgrounds as those already in. Those, like me, who dont' fit in, are made to feel less worthy, and usually leave because of the intolerance.
Everyone in the military is entitled to their opinion and to act according to their conscience. But I would say that most in the military glady hold the same opinion; they don't wear a uniform because they want to be different.
My main guru, the late Alan Watts, in a series of podcasts entitled "The Relevance of Oriental Thinking," points out the jarring contrast between our dominant mythology and genuine democracy. We worship a King of Kings, Lord of Lords (titles borrowed from Persia), yet American democracy requires that we govern ourselves as sovereign citizens.
(http://alanwatts.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=401115# Latest series: "The Religion of No Religion.")
Joseph Campbell called it "mythic dissociation:" mistaken belief that we are forever apart from the divine. In that world, the best you can hope for is to stand in the proper relation to the proper authorities. :-]
Christ preached the greatest heresy of all: "I and the Father are One." Campbell called this "mythic identification." Christ's good news, Watts says, still hasn't gotten out.
Compare the following graphic illustrations of the feudal world view and our new worldview.
[[[Absolute Supremacy / Common Weal///[[[{{{Absolute Subjugation}}}]]]]]
As we can all plainly see, a dominant group asserts privileged access to our Common Weal, simultaneously denying access to a subjugated group. We can see all the illusory walls that divide Us, the indivisible. The original wall is the illusory self / other divide. From there, it's just a matter of density.
beloved/UNION/Beloved
As we can also plainly see, this is our more perfect Union. There is no absolute Other! Only relatively beloved.
As far as throwing invective at their views goes then no I see nothing more wrong with that than I would at doing the same to anyone else’s views I found contemptible or idiotic and I expect the same in return.
It’s a volunteer military now, there is no conscription or press gangs involved, I don’t condemn them but I don’t understand this idea that there should be deference shown to them either as they do a job, they choose the job and were there no pay or benefits attached then there would be a massive sight less of them doing the job. Much as like many of them let’s not kid ourselves that they are all or even the majority are out there because they want to be, in fact someone who does want to be there is a bit of a worry and probably shouldn’t be… probably shouldn’t be anywhere without a guard.
They and their views get the same respect or lack of respect that someone else doing a job gets.
Sure would be nice if the right-wing recognized this - so far, in my experience, they simply do not.
And let's face it - the evidence is in - some powerful people flat-out lied to get us into the Iraq War. No one minds defending America, but I have a small problem defending foreigners who hate America and Americans.
We are all citizens that need to stand up before those that lied to us, and tricked us, and created this economic disaster, of which we will all be victims of, and say, enough is enough! It is time for a change, and we all need to band together, work together to survive and prevail.
Our opinions, if they are without vulgarity, or ignorance, but come from our hearts, and minds, even though they might be contrary to our own must be heard.
Solzhenitsyn: "If you wanted to change the world, who should you begin with: yourself or others?"
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: "The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart."
http://eye-on-washington.blogspot.com