I have an interesting question. For those of you that don’t know, I’m a reporter at a daily newspaper. Jamestown, N.D., not being a huge town it’s not a huge paper. But we do cover stuff in many cities and surrounding counties.
Anyway, our local National Guard unit (about 400 guys from here and surrounding cities) just got back after a year in Iraq. Their job was looking for bombs and unfortunately, four of them died, including one from here that I wrote a “one year later, remembering Phil Brown story” about for Memorial Day. So since a lot of these guys are local we’ve (mostly me, I’m the guard reporter mostly) written many, many stories about them, their families, support groups, them coming home, ect. But we’ve (again, me) also written stories about how the 141st (our local National Guard unit) isn’t the only ones at war, other residents are in the Army, Navy, Marines ect.
So anyway, the 141 got home in Feb. People put up yellow ribbons and “welcome home 141st” signs like crazy. Then there was a welcome home party last Sat. Now people are writing letters to the editor (soldiers and citizens) saying why aren’t we supporting other branches of military (which I believe the community IS doing, all the ribbons are still up, the paper has had articles about other soldiers at war, editorials about honoring all soldiers, not just the 141st, ect.) I just don’t think that because we specifically are glad a large group of homegrown boys and girls are home, that means we are spitting in the faces of other soldiers. The world is so politically correct now. Can we treat every soldier exactly the same and when they fly home, be in the airport waving signs in large groups? No. We can’t. Does that mean we don’t appreciate what they have done? NO!! Should be be so worried we are going to offend someone that we should avoid being proud of one group? I don’t think so. My “favorite” letter was from a soldier: He didn’t join the Army to get recognition, but on the other hand, wanted to know why we weren’t recognizing HIM!! Well, which is it?
But I wanted to know what you all thought. Especially Asa, you were here, you saw all the signs. Did it make you feel less appreciated? Would it if you lived here but were not a part of the 141? Maybe I'm taking this personally because I have tried to make an effort to recognize all soldiers (my bro is in the Army for pete's sake and will go to Iraq this fall) and this bothers me.
Well, gots to run now. We’re off to DL this weekend Let me know what you think when you have time.
