An American Soldier

He was on C.N.N. He is to receive the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama. It is a rare honor. Only four people have received it since the Vietnam War.

He reminded me of the little brothers who were lost overnight. They slept in a field. They knew where  Grampa's house was but it was dark and they couldn't find their way. So they lay down to sleep. The ten year old cuddled his five year old brother and  wrapped his own coat around him. They were found walking home along the side of the road  when daylight came.

The soldier is twenty five years old. He was asked how he felt about receiving the medal.

He said ...."Two friends died and they want to hang a medal on me"

The newscaster tried again for a more positive response but he said again..."the price  is too high"

They asked him what he was doing five years ago. He said he was mopping the floor in a Mr. Subway at the end of his shift. He heard a commercial about a free t.shirt if he paid a visit to a nearby army depot.

He went for the free t/shirt and ended up in the army. He didn't complain about that. Just that two of his friends were dead    and he couldn't save them.

The camera was switched to smiling and urbane , Secretary of Defense. He said the young man is just the kind of soldier you like to see receiving such a special award.I wondered what kind of soldier he wouldn't like to see win it.

I thought...My God, you didn't hear   what the boy was saying. He doesn't want your fine medal. He wants his friends not to be dead. He's just a kid who worked in a Mr. Submarine Shop, but God help him, he knows.

I wondered if  President Obama saw the broadcast. He should hear what the young soldier said.

He was saying it himself when he was trying to win votes. .

Michael Moore on Larry King Live the other night, said this war will  cost the U.S. a trillion dollars. It's borrowed money. They only get sixty cents of every dollar they borrow. The military is in control.

The country is in desperate shape. Ending the war would go along way to solving the problems. 

He said the President's failure to keep his word that he would end the war and bring the army home  is the reason for the "shellacking" he took in the mid-term elections.

He didn't keep his word on that and a number of other things.

I wondered  if the President was listening to either of the broadcasts.

If he did, did he hear what the young soldier was saying.