A Patriot Heads To War
By Michael Nevin (02/28/05)
“But daddy, I don’t want you to die.” These were the words a young son sighed upon hearing the news that his father would soon be deployed to the Middle East. Maj. Mark Brunworth, a 13-year Air Force veteran, volunteered for combat duty, albeit he could have easily avoided the current conflicts. Brunworth had recently been assigned to training young C-130 pilots, and Uncle Sam never asked for anything more. But this husband and father of two decided that he could better serve his country on the front lines. He got his wish and has entered the theater of war.
Not all Americans appreciate the sacrifices and bravery displayed by our troops in harm’s way. A couple of lowbrow lawyers in Sacramento decided to hang a soldier in effigy to flaunt their anti-American malady. A sign accompanied the noose that read, “Your Tax Dollars At Work.” A later version read, “Bush Lied. I Died.” These polemics wrap themselves in the First Amendment as they exercise their right to make fools of themselves, but they don’t seem to fathom how these rights came to pass. Ironically enough, some brave soul in uniform died or was willing to die in order for these ingrates to live free.
As I drove home the other night, I forced myself to listen to a talk show host on a once-proud radio station. His name is not worthy of this column but many from the Left Coast are familiar with his daily rants. On this particular night, the host was whining about his opposition to military recruitment on school campuses. While the old curmudgeon applauded a young, indoctrinated student who subscribed to the same vehement antipathy towards military recruiters, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Who do these abject losers think are protecting them as they sleep in their warm beds at night?”
Many contemporary liberals, even while opposing our foreign policy, show no contempt for our military, but they are not the vocal majority of leftist politics. The radical left, the new power brokers, would have you believe that they care for the troops, thus they are only concerned with their safe passage home. Baloney! They overtly despise and loathe everything about the military, and the lunatic fringe even goes so far as to applaud their demise.
Selflessness, courage, and patriotism are traits commonly associated with our armed forces, but these characteristics are an enigma to the left. Limousine liberals, especially, are under the illusion that military service is somehow beneath them as they mock and thumb their noses at men and women in uniform, yet they provide no answers in dealing with an enemy who wants to behead them.
If I were king for a day, I’d propose a new military branch to be immediately deployed worldwide as America’s vanguard: the Liberal Legion. When Howard Dean eventually gets bounced for his role in leading the national Democratic Party to new depths, he would be the perfect fit. Dean could make up for his draft dodging days, hitting the slopes of Aspen in lieu of the jungles of Southeast Asia, to lead the charge with that infamous screech that bounced him from the presidential campaign trail. The Marines, of course, would be sent in to rescue Howard and his flock, but it wouldn’t be a total waste—watching CNN reporters beg for help would be worth the price of admission.
Honestly, the radical left in America is good for one thing: comic relief. Real Americans will continue to discard their warped ideology as if it was a soiled diaper, but we shouldn’t be too quick to let them off the hook. Thirty-fourth President and WWII General Dwight D. Eisenhower exclaimed, “Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels—men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.”
Maj. Mark Brunworth puts his money where his mouth is as he believes in the mission. “Duty, Honor, Country” isn’t some old cliché; it has real meaning and is a way of life for Brunworth and thousands of others just like him. Our freedoms were established and have remained intact since our founding because someone, somewhere in America was willing to lay it all on the line.
Thomas Paine said, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” That same spirit continues today in America’s all-volunteer military. “Support Our Troops” carries a special meaning to me. My son will be able to grow old with his cousins in the land of liberty because people like his Uncle Mark stepped up to the plate. For that, I will be eternally grateful.
Godspeed, Major. The first round is on me upon your return.
**For anyone wishing to send a message to Maj. Mark Brunworth, e-mail nevin166@comcast.net and it will be forwarded.
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