Freedom's Fidelity

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

Here are some things you can do to help our troops.

Keep a good thought for them, especially during this holiday season. Each day brings new dangers, challenges, and responsibilities as this David Brooks column reminds us:

Soldiers in all wars are called upon to be heroes, but our men and women in Iraq are called upon to define a new sort of heroism. First, they must endure the insanity of war, fighting off fedayeen ambushes, withstanding the suicide bombings and mortars, kicking down doors and searching homes.

But a day or an hour or a few minutes later, they are called upon to enter an opposite moral universe. They are asked to pass out textbooks, improvise sewer systems and help with budgets. Some sit in on town council meetings to help keep the discussions on track. Some act like foundation program officers, giving seed money to promising local initiatives.

Trained as trigger-pullers, many are also asked in theater to be consultants and aldermen. They are John Wayne, but also Jane Addams.

Can anybody think of another time in history when a comparable group of young people was asked to be at once so brave, fierce and relentless, while also being so sympathetic, creative and forbearing?

Read the rest and be proud of the character and determination and compassion that our country's finest are exhibiting.

posted by Paul  permalink | |