Thank a Soldier Week

Nov 24, 2005
by Drew Bond

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and a some good ol’ American competition, who would you say among the entertainment industry, including fans, are the most thankful for America’s soldiers?

Country music celebrities and fans are by far the most thankful for America’s soldiers.

A bold statement? Hardly. If you are not a country music fan, stay with me. You’ll get your chance to prove me wrong.

Do a Google search for “pop music and soldiers” and you get 5,000,000 results. Try “Christian music and soldiers” gets 5,900,000 results. Search for “rock music and soldiers” and you get 9,000,000 results. Now, try “country music and soldiers”.

A Google search for “country music and soldiers” yields 16,000,000 results!

Sure there’s more scientific approaches to proving my theory, but it’s no secret that country music celebrities and fans are unabashed in their support for our soldiers - whether at war or around the globe keeping the peace.

Which is one of the reasons I love country music.

It’s also why Townhall.com was recently backstage at the Country Music Awards in New York City.

You read that right - “Townhall.com was backstage at the Country Music Awards.”

"Why?" you ask. Or, as a good friend of mine said to me on the elevator: “What’s country music got to do with Townhall.com?” Good question.

When it comes to supporting our American soldiers, country music celebrities and fans by-and-large are the most supportive out of all the other entertainment categories.

There have been other articles written about this so I’ll spare you more details.

But if you are interested, try your own Yahoo or Google search and read the lyrics of the songs you find. Let me know if you disagree.

With the exception of some words from a few “chicks” from Dixie awhile back, you’ll find lyrics that make you want to stand tall, walk proud, raise the American flag, and thank every soldier in sight for the freedom you enjoy and take for granted everyday.

Which brings us back around to why Townhall.com was backstage at the Country Music Awards recently – our soldiers.

Our soldiers need to be thanked. Our soldiers deserve to be thanked. And they should be thanked often and everywhere at all times.

When’s the last time you walked up to a soldier and just said “thanks”? When’s the last time you sent an email of thanks to a soldier? When’s the last time you donated money to a charity that supports our soldiers? Even if it was recent, it wasn’t recent and often enough.

We can’t thank our soldiers enough, which is why Townhall.com was at the CMA’s to kick off the first annual “Thank A Soldier Week” during December 19 – 25.

To learn more, go to www.thankasoldierweek.com.

Our soldiers need to know that no matter what we think about the policies and decisions of their leaders, we appreciate what they do. They need to know that when they put their lives on the line, when they pick up and move their families, when they choose to live on modest means to act on what they believe, that all of America is thankful for them.

As the political battles heat up over the war in Iraq, it’s the soldiers who get hit the hardest in these debates.

Whether intentional or not, the message sent to them is “your work isn’t fully supported.” That shouldn’t be the case.

So let the politicals have it out and debate when to pull out of which country – and these are important debates and should be had – but let’s not forget about the men and women on the sidelines of the debate who are on the frontlines for our freedom to debate.

To give thanks to a soldier now, go to www.thankasoldierweek.com.

And thanks.

Done earlier today..glad to see this posted on FR. Therefore, I offer up this poem to you.

A Soldier's Christmas

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed 'round the room and I cherished the sight; My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell....a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight; The sparkling lights on the tree, I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep; In perfect contentment, or so it would seem. So I slumbered in peace, then I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it came to my ear; Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble. I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near; Standing out there alone in the cold of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I reckoned, some eighteen years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled there in the cold; Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, my wife, and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment! It's freezing out here; Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on this cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment, I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold, and the snow in a drift; To the windows that danced with a warm fire's light, Then he sighed, and he said, "It's really all right."

"I'm out here by choice. I'm here all the time, It's my duty to stand at the front of the line; No one has to ask me, or beg, or implore, I'm proud to stand here like my father before."

"My grandpa at Pearl, on a day in December, Is a memory my grandma will always remember; My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam, And now it's my turn, and so, here I am.

I've not seen my family in more than a while, But my parents send pictures. They're great for a smile." Then he bent down and carefully pulled from his bag, The Red, White, and Blue. An American flag.

"I can live through the cold, and this being alone, Away from my family, my house, and my home; I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole, with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life for my buddy.....my brother; Who stand here with me against any and all, To insure for all time that this flag does not fall.

So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can do, at the least, Give you some money? Prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you do, Being away from your home and your family too." Then his eyes welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget;

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone; To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, wither standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled,

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you, as you mattered to us."

Written By
Earl K. Carson

Merry Christmas to all...
fight_truth_decay

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