A Very Different Kind of Guest Post...

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I was a little concerned over wandering into the political arena Saturday with my post about the petition to the President. However, Vicki Zoller wrote a remarkable comment that deserves to be shared and passed on...and yes, I did contact her to ask for permission. Her response to my asking was just as poignant!

"I don't see this issue as 'off topic' at all Skip. Everyday I have the ability to just go about my merry way taking photos, building business, teaching others, volunteering for NILMDTS, enjoying my home and family . . . and I do all that without worrying about being attacked from some outside enemy. And the only way we all live so freely and relaxed is because of our military.

We ask them to walk away from all their comforts and into war zones. If we are going to ask them to do that the LEAST we could do is take care of them when they come home.

I think most of us (at least those of us that are paying attention and have some respect for the military) are completely fed up and disgusted by the VA issue.

Seriously, ANYONE who enjoys the benefits of living in a country where bombs are not going off all the time, where fear of having your door kicked in by the 'military' and having your family hauled away, where peaceful (and often times non-peaceful) protest is not only tolerated but welcomed should be ASHAMED of a government agency that would treat it's protectors so poorly."

When I asked her if it was okay to share her comments she emailed back to me...

"Yes, please do . . . It truly is how I feel Skip. I have family and friends that have served and they deserve much more then they have been given. It's a funny thing, we have all this privilege because we have this amazing military but part of being able to live so free is to also be allowed to take it for granted. You  can only take things for granted when things are going really well, right? No body in the Sudan is taking food, clothing, shelter, public safety, freedom of speech, etc. for granted are they??? Or in Afghanistan? Iraq?

The reminder comes to NOT take the freedom for granted but people get complacent in the soft comforts of American life. Even the poorest of the poor have it pretty good, they too are protected by that military. They might be poor but they aren't being enslaved or having their children sold in human trafficking.

People need to wake up but I am afraid of what it might take to make that wake up happen . . ."