fishy doesn't like me
Message 20268123
so I'll have to post this here:
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On “Fahrenheit 9/11”: One Soldier to Another
By Dana Serrano Chisholm
I just returned from Washington, D.C., having spent a week with my family touring the sights. I spent this afternoon over coffee with a friend catching up on world events while I was gone (I guess we had an earthquake) and the Reagan events on the East Coast. She mentioned the paper today about “Fahrenheit 9/11” and that as a conservative she didn’t support censorship on even such a movie. She had just explained to her kids that this is America and everyone has the right to freedom of speech. I relayed this experience:
Not more than two days ago, I was at the Arlington Memorial with my parents and my two boys. Throughout the tour a family wheeled an elderly man in a wheelchair just behind us. As we disembarked at the final stop, my mother finally turned to him, “Sir, I noticed your hat says ‘World War II Veteran.’ May I shake your hand and thank you for serving and fighting for us?” Clearly this was a man who was once burly and gruff, and he welled up a bit as my mother cupped his hand and continued, “My husband (gesturing towards my father) served in Vietnam and we understand you and your family’s sacrifice for us all. Thank you.”
With that, the elderly man sat up as straight as he was able in his wheelchair and with a trembling hand, reached out to shake my father’s. The man said, “No. Let me thank you for serving our country. We did not do you justice when you came home, and our boys were not treated well in a time when our country should have been more appreciative of your sacrifice.” Now both men were welling up a bit. One of “our boys” was 62 years old and the other in at least his 80’s.
Both families visited a bit. Had you already been to the new WW II Memorial? I’m sorry it has taken us so long to get around to it. Had you been to the Vietnam Memorial? Yes. But, in all the many visits to D.C., my father was only just now able to bring himself to visit the Wall and touch the name of his friend who died in front of him. He served on an aircraft carrier flight deck, and his friend’s plane, shot up and out of fuel, made it all the way back to the ship only to crash on the flight deck as he attempted to land. We had visited the Wall the day before.
As the families visited, the men recalled the response and the lack of responsibility of the country in “those days.” I was so glad that the stories were shared in front of our children – the next generation of “our boys.” When the aircraft carriers came home from Vietnam, my father retold, the sailors stood at attention lining the ship, having just lost their friends and brothers, and protestors would stand on the bridges and pour paint over the side onto the sailors and those flight decks. While the physical damage of the paint on them hurt as they stood at attention, the emotional damage and disrespect for the fallen still caused real tears as I watched my father relay the story.
The WWII veteran was horrified, “The officials that allowed that should have been taken out and shot as traitors.”
“Not our current President and officials,” we all quickly chimed in with a chuckle. “They are so supportive.”
“No,” he said, “But those of the day should have done something. They had no business in leadership.”
As I recounted the interaction to my friend, I explained to her what the two veterans and our families had understood. The media played a huge role in the reactions of the people during the Vietnam War; and while the media might not have been pouring the paint, they incited such actions. But, coverage of war was new to us all back then. This was the first war our country had experienced since television and on-location news coverage. We were ignorant of the impact of the images on the public and therefore our responsibility to “our boys.” We should know better by now.
Yes, as a conservative I agree that the sailors and soldiers fought and paid dearly for those people’s right to protest. They do the same today. But, the rights granted to protestors do not outweigh our responsibility to protect the men and women that earned those rights.
Bridges could have been blocked off when the carriers were coming home. The government could have taken a more active role in promoting support of our troops - just as they had done in WWII. The media, yes the television media and films (and anyone with common decency), could have been supportive, condemning those with bad behavior, rather than giving them an hour of air time promoting their protesting agendas as they are doing today.
My friend retorted that they have the right to say what they want, and we have the right to counteract. No. An individual’s rights end where the next person’s begin. We have laws prohibiting someone from yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater when there is no fire and it could cause harm to others, possibly even death. We do not possess rights void of responsibility.
Do I think “Fahrenheit 9/11” should have been allowed to be made? Sure. But, do I think it should be portrayed as a “documentary?” No. If movies such as these promote and incite violence or anti-military sentiments that could lead to the injury and disrespect of our fellow Americans, then the FCC or a branch of our federal government should require disclaimers on such material stating this is just the opinion of one man, not factual, and violence and crimes against our military are not condoned and will be prosecuted. Our media outlets should be labeling this movie for what it is – paint thrown onto the heads of our sailors and on the flight decks where “our boys” died. We have a responsibility to “our boys” that is greater than the rights they are fighting to defend.
What will the soldiers and sailors visiting Arlington 20 years from today be saying about our behavior and what we allowed? How many more tears will be shed by grown and elderly men apologizing for us? That is what we need to be sharing and teaching our children. Today we have no excuses.
Dana Serrano Chisholm
209.157.64.200 |
