Another email this from a soldier

Subject: Letter from a Soldier


>> I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on
>> Michael Jackson. As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an
>> entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent
>> millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villain to many
>> people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and I
>> respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point of my
>> rant..
>> > >
>> > > Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their
>> minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the
>> country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to
>> flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to
>> hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?
>> > > Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden
>> he's
>> a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What
>> about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those
>> Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war, still
>> raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the United
>> States of America. Where is their moment of silence? Where are the
>> people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over them
>> because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a Soldier
>> dies, there are more people saying "good riddance," and "thank God for
>> IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the sacrifice of
>> GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off their deaths, and
>> instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop Icon?"
>> > >
>> > > I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN
>> CONGRESS for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for
>> every service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to
>> PUBLICLY recognize every life that has been lost so that the American
>> people can live their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom
>> that WE, those that are living and those that have gone on, have
>> provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because
>> there have been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we
>> will never make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or
>> write hit songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood,
>> sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.
>> > >
>> > > Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to
>> pass
>> this along if you want.
>> > >
>> > > Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is
>> serving in the military;
>> > >
>> > > "So that others may live..."
>>