Veterans all decided to surrender the "civilian"

Veterans all decided to surrender the "civilian"
by Chaplain Kathie
Wounded Times Blog
August 10, 2012

When ACLU defended Westboro hate group against military families, I said what I had to say then moved onto something else. At least I thought I did. It really got to me.

I sat and thought about how much veterans gave up so that others could keep the rights they have. Gave up? Yes, they did. I think that is what has this issue so stuck in my head that I even thought about it taking a shower just now. (You all know I'm odd like that.)

Westboro wants the right to say whatever they want and scream free speech. That's fine with everyone. No one is trying to stop them for proving what a bunch of hateful, anti-Christians they really are and no one can stop me from saying that but the right to say whatever we want in something the veterans gave up when they served in the military. They couldn't say whatever they wanted. They had to follow orders and do what they were told. They ate what they were given, wore the clothes they were issued, slept where they were told to sleep and go where they were told to go for however long they were told to be there and doing whatever they were told to do.

They all decided to surrender the "civilian" the day they joined or were drafted. Yes, one more thing we can't seem to understand is the men drafted into the military during a time of war had the choice to serve or take off to another country or hide. The day they entered into the military, their civilian life was over. They would never again be civilian. They all became "Veteran" and only 8% of the population know what that is like.

We hear about the 1% of the population (the richest) needing so much protection from the congress but we don't hear about the 8% of the population being held in such high esteem folks on FOX, MSNBC and CNN spend countless hours reporting on them. We do hear a lot about politicians but no one seems to understand they are among the richest in this country and part of the 1% they are all talking about. Ok, so a few are not making over $250,000 but when you think about their salaries from congress alone, you see what I'm getting at.

The Average Joe of Congress (there are 529 of them) gets paid $174,000 per year. But not everyone is average; the Speaker of the House gets $223,500 a year, while the majority and minority leaders of both the Senate and the House, along with the President Pro Tempore, get paid $193,400 per year. Not bad, huh?

Here is the pay scale for soldiers

But while congressmen can go back home and use their "jobs" as leverage for connections and power, more money and better retirement package, a soldier goes back home and his life is forever changed, yet they are the last ones to complain about it.

They have a hard time finding jobs, getting into college and staying there, just like everyone else but the difference is, they are the only people who really know what price is paid for every history report they have to read.

8% of the population at one time or another, gave up all rights they had so that others would never lose theirs. Pretty incredible when you think about it.

But in this day and age, the ACLU comes out and says that a group of hateful people have the right to protest at a military funeral and they have as much right to do it as the family burying someone who died to defend that right but have the right to force the family to hear them.

God Bless Patriot Guard Riders!