Note: forwarded message attached.

Here are two very touching photos honored at this years [sic]

FirstPlace

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News

When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.

During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: 'See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home,' he said 'They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should'

Second Place

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News

The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's what he would have wanted.'

PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING!
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So, my Mom sent this to me. I got rid of the thousands of pounds of internet crap that was attached to it. A bajillion forwards and sappy, "I could barely see the pictures for the tears in my eyes!" comments. And some quote from Ronald Regan. And something about the "silent majority" wearing blue on Fridays to support the troops. And a guilt trip about forwarding it on unless you hate America.

I think the pictures are sad, really. They're obviously touching, especially the one with the woman sleeping next to her husband's casket. But for the most part it makes me angry about a stupid war we've been fighting for a lot of stupid reasons. A few good ones, but mostly stupid ones. It's costing us, and our children, and our children's children more money than I can even imagine and driving our country into a recession in the meantime.

But what it really makes me think about is the fact that until recently, soldier's caskets weren't allowed to be photographed. It was a symbol that we weren't "winning the war on terror" and that it might make us doubt the bullshit that the President likes to feed us about Iraq. I'm not sure if it was a lawsuit, photographers' tenacity, or just the government deciding to give up that changed things.

What's funny is that the government always had it wrong. While a casket does show that we've lost something, it's not a war, it's a person, a soldier. And it's shameful that anyone or anything would hide the deaths of those who fought for it to keep a propaganda machine alive.

Posted by: Ensie at 04:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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