"The Wall That Heals", the Vietnam War memorial "traveling wall" came to my hometown two weekends ago.It was an experience I will never forget. It was then that I found out that I have a second cousin that fought and died in the Vietnam War. I had never heard his name before. I had no idea that he even existed, and I felt ashamed. Not because I should have known, or that I had specifically ignored my family history. I felt ashamed simply because I hadn't known.
I live my life day to day and the realities of war, of fighting for your life, of fighting for the rights and freedoms for your country, (or someone else's) don't intrude on my thoughts as I complain about my job, wish traffic wasn't so slow, wonder when gas prices will go down or when I'll be able to afford a house....
Do I feel ashamed for having these thoughts when men and women have died for my country? No I don't, because men (and women) like my second cousin have fought, and are fighting, so that the realities of my day to day life dont have to be concerned with the realities of war. They have made, and are making the sacrifice for me, and that is why I felt ashamed that I didn't know about my second cousin.
My wife doesn't understand why I watch shows like "Band of Brothers". She watched the beginning of one of these and asked me how I could watch it, and didn't it bother me? I told her that yes, it did bother me, very much, to see depictions of American soldiers being killed, and the documentaries I own are also painful for me to watch. She then asked me why I watch them, and I told her that it's important for me to know. It's important that people understand what happened, and why...or at least come as close as they can. It's important, above all, that these men and women and their stories are not forgotten.
So even though it is painful, I will watch, I will read, and I will understand, and I will know. Because otherwise, I feel, I am not worthy of their sacrifice.
This is for SP4 Greg B. Belew, and all those that fought alongside him. May we all be worthy of your sacrifice.
TOUCH A NAME ON THE WALL
(Joel Mabus)
I guess you could call it our summer of freedom,
The year that we both turned 18.
We hitchhiked to Denver, fresh out of high school.
Man, we were sights to be seen.
That was the year that you dated my cousin,
'Til they took us away in the fall.
And Lord! how I wish you were standing here with me,
As I touch your name on the wall.
(Chorus:) Touch a name on the wall, (2x)
Lord, help us all. Touch a name on the wall.
Each time I come here, I wear my fatigues,
To honor the men that I knew.
And I touch every name that came from my outfit,
And read 'em out loud when I do.
Some people say that they all died for nothin',
But I can't completely agree.
'Cause this brother here, he didn't die for no country,
He died for me. (Chorus)
Usually, walls are just made for division.
They separate me from you.
But God bless the wall that brings us together,
And reminds us of what we've been through.
And God damn the liars and the tin-plated heroes,
That trade on the blood of these men.
And God give us the strength to stand up and tell 'em, "Never again!"
(Chorus)
I live my life day to day and the realities of war, of fighting for your life, of fighting for the rights and freedoms for your country, (or someone else's) don't intrude on my thoughts as I complain about my job, wish traffic wasn't so slow, wonder when gas prices will go down or when I'll be able to afford a house....
Do I feel ashamed for having these thoughts when men and women have died for my country? No I don't, because men (and women) like my second cousin have fought, and are fighting, so that the realities of my day to day life dont have to be concerned with the realities of war. They have made, and are making the sacrifice for me, and that is why I felt ashamed that I didn't know about my second cousin.
My wife doesn't understand why I watch shows like "Band of Brothers". She watched the beginning of one of these and asked me how I could watch it, and didn't it bother me? I told her that yes, it did bother me, very much, to see depictions of American soldiers being killed, and the documentaries I own are also painful for me to watch. She then asked me why I watch them, and I told her that it's important for me to know. It's important that people understand what happened, and why...or at least come as close as they can. It's important, above all, that these men and women and their stories are not forgotten.
So even though it is painful, I will watch, I will read, and I will understand, and I will know. Because otherwise, I feel, I am not worthy of their sacrifice.
This is for SP4 Greg B. Belew, and all those that fought alongside him. May we all be worthy of your sacrifice.
TOUCH A NAME ON THE WALL
(Joel Mabus)
I guess you could call it our summer of freedom,
The year that we both turned 18.
We hitchhiked to Denver, fresh out of high school.
Man, we were sights to be seen.
That was the year that you dated my cousin,
'Til they took us away in the fall.
And Lord! how I wish you were standing here with me,
As I touch your name on the wall.
(Chorus:) Touch a name on the wall, (2x)
Lord, help us all. Touch a name on the wall.
Each time I come here, I wear my fatigues,
To honor the men that I knew.
And I touch every name that came from my outfit,
And read 'em out loud when I do.
Some people say that they all died for nothin',
But I can't completely agree.
'Cause this brother here, he didn't die for no country,
He died for me. (Chorus)
Usually, walls are just made for division.
They separate me from you.
But God bless the wall that brings us together,
And reminds us of what we've been through.
And God damn the liars and the tin-plated heroes,
That trade on the blood of these men.
And God give us the strength to stand up and tell 'em, "Never again!"
(Chorus)
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