Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/11/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tim, Respectfully, even someone who volunteered for the military service ceases to serve their country when they die. The country owes them respect, and honor, but they no longer need to be a pawn for anyone. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Tim Atherton Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 12:10 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: RE: [Leica] The Right To Privacy > However, I was using the term in its broader meaning, Eric -- would a > family desire privacy for a funeral of a young member killed unexpectedly? > And the answer to that, of course, is yes in almost all cases. And while that should be respected, these were not deaths that happened in a private family tragedy. These young men and women also died on behalf of the American (and British) people, carrying out their Governments policy. In a sense, when they signed on the dotted line, for better or worse they gave up some of that privacy. Their deaths have a cost and implications that extend far beyond their own families deep loss. That much is public. Surely the American (and British) people also have a right to honour these men and women, who have paid such a high cost on their behalf. For their deaths to become merely a daily statistic - a number, just press release - - from CENTCOM: " November 17, 2003 Release Number: 03-11-23C FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ONE SOLDIER KILLED IN IED ATTACK TIKRIT, Iraq - One 4th Infantry Division soldier was killed when a convoy struck an improvised explosive device south of Balad at about 7:50 a.m. on November 17. The soldier's name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification. The incident is under investigation." - surely that is a dishonour. Hiding the arrival of flag draped, honoured coffins at Dover really is just that - hiding it. Turning that soldier into a daily statistic both devalues their sacrifice and withholds from the American people a small but basic and important visceral sense of what the real, human cost of all this is. Again, I would add, that as far as I know, all the British troops killed in action have been buried with full military honours, in quite public ceremonies. Of the 9 I personally know something of the details, this was wish of the families. tim a - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html