In my opinion... Spc. Joshua Guitterez of the 4th ID today is lying in a hospital bed in Germany, having lost part of his leg while on a mission to help find the two missing soldiers from the 101st. And another of his buddies may be up for a Bronze Star for rescuing him from a burning vehicle. I hope we all, everyone in this country, America, the world in general stop to reflect on the heroism of our military, both on foreign soil and those who serve us here, on American soil. Why must we focus on a small group involved in an incident at Haditha, or Abu Ghraib, or wherever. And now there are three from the 101st who are up on charges for murder, as well as the Marines and sailors who are charged with murdering the Iraqi civilian. I am sure they will get plenty of press, won’t they? I’m just so tired of this!! We have countless heroes, who perform acts of courage every day, and they go unnoticed. I am a proud fiancee of a 101st soldier, fighting in Iraq. I may be overly emotional with all of the events that have transpired over the last week, but I feel I need to get this out there. It is a story of true heroism. It is a story not unlike so many others that go unnoticed and unreported! Why? Is the American public so against the war in Iraq, they choose to look the other way? Or would the press simply prefer pointing out the negatives and sensationalizing them to sell more papers or magazines or to acheive the highest ratings for the day? Why do we as an American society choose to believe only the bad about our military? Why are they always guilty until proven innocent in the court of public opinion? These brave men and women have volunteered themselves for the freedom of others. They go off to violent places, knowing the kiss they give their spouses, parents, relatives or children may very well be the last kiss. They go knowing that it is their job, their duty. If they didn’t do it, who would? Would you? We are so quick to judge what we see only depicted in the media. My hope is that eventually the stories of the heroic and positives are brought to light by the American media. I hope that the stories of soldiers like Spc. Joshua Guiterrez do not go unnoticed. Whether you are for or against the invasion of Iraq, it is my hope that you come to realize it’s about more than oil. We live our lives here in America, free. We do not fear that a dictator will come in and force us out of our homes because we are not the same religion he is. We do not fear that our loved ones will be tortured and killed in front of us. These are the things that Saddam Hussein did to his people. That is the cause that so many of our men and women fight for. That is the cause I believe in. That is the cause that so many of the American people are protesting against. Freedom. What I do not understand is how it is some are so blind to realize that this fight is the same fight we stood up for in the 1940s against Adolf Hitler. Have we become so blind that we do not realize that everyone should be able to live free? Have we become so blind we do not see that you cannot stand by and watch yourr neighbor being brutalized by their leader? Do we not think that he would come here or attempt to come here, as bin Laden did? All I know is that I stand behind the troops. It is their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their loved ones, that make my freedom possible. Because of them, I know that I am safe and free....Believe in the invasion or don’t...but stand behind our troops. All the negativity comes down on them and brings them down. They need our love and support and positive prayers. Stand for them, even if you don’t stand for the cause. I appreciate all of those serving, all who have served, and the families who stand with them! Shara L. Timberlake
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