Flags at half-staff for VA Tech, why not for our war dead?
Last week President Bush ordered all US flags at federal locations be flown at half-staff for a week to honor 32 people killed at Virginia Tech.
Why doesn't our government honor our fallen Soldiers and Marines the same way they honored the slain students?
Our nation mourned the loss of those VT students, and as precious as their lives were, are they considered more precious than those of our fallen troops, who gave their lives for our country? Many of whom are no older than the students ..
Like the 10 we lost over the weekend .. most were paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division. Nine paratroopers died and 20 others were injured when suicide bombers blew up a large dump truck near a patrol base. Their deadliest day of combat since 12 paratroopers were ambushed and killed in Vietnam.
It seems that troop deaths are only statistics, a blip on the TV screen .. a one minute mention. Their deaths are just as violent and heartbreaking as those of the university students .. but they barely get a mention in the media, who instead run with the shock factor of "the Virginia massacre.”
If not at the Post Office, Federal buildings or our front yards, at least flags should fly at half-staff at the fallen soldier's home base. Some states do this, but not all of them. Some states order the flags at all State Facilities to be flown at half-staff every time a soldier on deployment is killed with ties to that state.
Certainly a better way to honor our military than just slapping "support our troops" stickers on our cars.
If flags could be lowered for just one day after the death of a soldier .. but .. then maybe Bush doesn't want us constantly reminded of how many of our kids are dying.
The same Bush and Pentagon who ordered that no troop coffins can be photographed when returning home. The same Pentagon who lied about the Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch incidents ...
But don't get me started ...
