Songs from the front

Today I was surfing around and ran across a few websites about, and dedicated to the brave men and women fighting to protect our many freedoms we enjoy. I will try not to get too political or preachy here, I just want to once again, share things that are important to me. One of the sites I found, which is now linked to the right, under "Support this music" is a site that features music composed, and performed by a few soldiers in Iraq. You can click on each of the nametapes and hear music sample. I will certainly be purchasing their CD, called Iraq Unplugged.

While I was surfing about, I received a link from Steve talking about the misportrayal of the messages sent home from the troops. Here is an example of an actual letter sent. Apparently the Times severely edited a clip from this letter, to put an anti war editorialized spin on it. You can read the editorialized version on the link above, I only wanted to post the real letter:

For those who might not have known, the Times took these words from US Marine Corporal Jeffrey B. Starr:

"Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I'm writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

The author of this site, Greyhawk, also posted this letter to his family on his site, before leaving for Iraq in 2004. I only post this stuff because I find it moving, and want to share.

On Leaving
Greyhawk

I awoke in the quiet watches with my youngest in my arms, wondering what I might say to her and her brother and sister and their mom and knowing I was done with sleeping for this night.

Here is why: Some must go to fight the Dragons. And if you think such things don't exist then it must be I read you the wrong sorts of stories when you were young.

If you ask only why I and not some other than I can tell you this;

Listen

"We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."

The President of the United States said that when I was very young. Now some will tell you that such thinking is out of fashion these days and that the causes we turn our energies to are unjust. I can tell you only that I don't think so, and that I'm quite certain the dragons themselves would raise such concerns were we to give them voices.

This is for us all: Have faith, not fear. Trust God. Stand fast, be strong.

For me the time is here to leave precious things behind for just a while, and that cost is not too great to bear. After all, what things could be called precious if not worth any price?

For you it's simply time to be brave, as so many of your friends have. Think about this: Without bad there could be no good. Hard times pass. Be kind to one another in every possible way; lift the burdens that others bear and I think you'll find your burden's lighter too.

Worrying helps nothing, try not to do it. Don't feel bad when from time to time you do. And please do fun things and enjoy doing them - you owe me nothing more than that.

And never tell me anything's too hard.

Take pictures.

Write.

Smile.

See you soon.

Once again I just want to reiterate that despite the entire media outcry about the uselessness of our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan there are many brave men and women serving proudly there and elsewhere who are deeply proud of what they do, and are ashamed of the actions taken by the mainstream media on their behalf. I added a few links today to the right. And yes, I finally added Christi's blog, after like a year, and finally her telling me I am an idiot for not.

I will now step off my soap box.