Honoring Sacrifice

"Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay, but we can honor their sacrifice, and we must"

Barack Hussein Obama May 30th 2011

Our nation does indeed owe a debt to its fallen heroes, but is it true that we can never fully repay that debt? Must we, instead, as our current President insists, honor sacrifice? Did our heroes fall in an act of propitiation to the gods, or some higher authority? Was this their sacrifice? Did they surrender their lives in the name of authority, or freedom?

If our fallen heroes fell in the fight for freedom, and if we who live in their stead intend to repay that debt, then shouldn't we be necessarily doing our job to maintain freedom's reign, and if we do, then what have our fallen heroes sacrificed? Is sacrifice just a word, and am I making too much out of its use in this context?

The whole history of sacrifice - particularly human sacrifice - began as a religious ceremony of propitiation to the gods. It was giving up something of a higher value - in this case ones own life - for something of a lesser value - historically speaking, appeasing imaginary gods in a futile attempt to stave off inexplicable hardship. Sacrifice is, as Crazy Eddie of bad electronic commercial fame will attest, insane. Is the POTUS suggesting that our fallen heroes are insane?

How should we, if we are to take the Presidents suggestion, "honor their sacrifice"? Should we capitulate and surrender to authority as well? Have we - just like the Mayan empire - begun our end times by praising sacrifice over steadfast defense of liberty?

The last time Congress actually bothered to use their Constitutional authority to declare war was on June 5th of 1942. Since World War II, 33,741 soldiers fell in battle in the so called "forgotten war" technically known as the Korean Conflict. The so called "Vietnam war", also technically known as the Vietnam conflict, gave this nation the death of 58,267 deaths, (or sacrifice if you will) Americans. I hesitate to list the number of soldiers who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan - two more "wars" not officially declared so by Congress - simply because I doubt the numbers reported are accurate, but those who have fallen in these two contemporary non declared wars have also made a sacrifice. Indeed, given that neither Afghanistan nor Iraq ever officially declare war on the United States, (North Korea and Vietnam never declare war on the U.S. either), nor has it ever been credibly shown that these two nations attacked American soil, the deaths of American's fighting battles on these foreign lands would most assuredly be properly called sacrifice. A propitiation to the angry corporate gods of modernity.

On this Memorial Day, I offer up a prayer for all who have fallen in battle, and I honor only those warriors who fought, not in the name of sacrifice, but in the name of freedom. It has been a long while since an American soldier has truly fallen in the name of freedom, particularly in the name of freedom protecting the nation of which they hail, but those who have deserve our most solemn respect and we must honor them. While those who were felled in battles fought in undeclared wars of a dubious nature, their deaths are tragic, and as it is with all tragic heroes, it is ultimately their own hubris that brings about their downfall. There are glorious heroes and there are tragic heroes and the two should not be confused.

To fight and die in defense of freedom is not a sacrifice. It is tragic, it is unfortunate, and it is devastating, but it is not a sacrifice. To fight and die in the name of authority is also tragic, unfortunate, and just as devastating, but it is sacrifice.

I appeal to all to ignore the Presidents most imprudent call to "honor their sacrifice", and to instead find ways to repay the profound debt we owe those heroes.

Meh. So he didn't choose his words carefully. It doesn't merit such an in-depth analysis, IMO. But I agree with the other stuff you said.

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


Nice post Jean Paul, my old friend. This is a perplexing subject for our time.

Like all things that people do, there is good sacrifice and bad sacrifice. Sacrificing yourself when no other option is available, to save the lives of others is good, honorable, and noteworthy. Sacrificing yourself for unnecessary foolish reasons is bad.

The question that really should be asked, is the war against Islamic radicals our only option to save our culture, our values, our families? Can radical Islamist be reasoned with, or are they a massive cult of death that must defeated in order to protect our way of life, and the light of liberty?

If your neighbor murders your other neighbor in cold blood for the most selfish of reasons, is it not right to gather your other neighbors, and capture this person, gather the evidence and convene a trail, and do what ever is necessary to prevent any person, or persons, from ever killing others in such a way again?

Is this not the basis for laws, and civilization?

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


Thank you for sharing with us JPZ. If Obama put forth the effort in what he is speaking about as he puts in golfing, I would hope his speech on Memorial Day would have been different.
He apologizes for America and our exceptional-ism, he threatened to halt the pay of our soldiers if the Government shuts down... standing on that alone, I did not expect him to deliver anything of substance, which he did not.

Maybe if we insist that our leaders seek The Constitution first and foremost before fulfilling their inner desire to usurp such power and control as to send our precious soldiers into combat, it might be a beginning of repaying those who are obedient to their country but who are, sadly, spent most times for the wrong reasons.
How can one talk to deaf ears?

I always appreciate an attempt to tease out a subtle distinction
Cheers JPZ

However, while the dogs of war recline on the throne of justice...
Can a militarized American culture see through the fog?

Does honor really belong to the fighter or does he fight though all of time for that meaning also?
Is extremism not the use of intimidation and violence to achieve one's ends?

I honor the sacrifice of those that lost their love in war
Of those that defend to the last with their words and their spirit

Peace
earthbell