Support Peace

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Comment by Sarge on August 10, 2009 at 6:24pm

I am a disabled Army Veteran of 15 years. I succumbed to my injuries and was discharged. It may be redundant for me to say this here as we all have the goal of peace in mind.
First I might say that no one hates war more than those who have fought it. I have one of my daily meditations in mind (from 365 Tao by Deng Ming-Dao.
Weapons are tools of ill omen
Wielded by the ignorant.
If their use is unavoidable,
The wise act with restraint.
The greatest sorrow is to be a Veteran,
Witness to the atrocities of humanity.

If you hold a real weapon in your hand, you will feel it's character strongly. It begs to be used. It is fearsome. It's only purpose is death, and it's power not only from which it is made but also the intention of it's makers.
It is regrettable that weapons must sometimes be used, but occasionally, survival demands it. The wise go forth with weapons only as a last resort. They never rejoice in the skill of weapons, nor do they glorify war.
When death, pain and destruction are visited upon what you hold to be most sacred, the spiritual price is devastating. What hurts more than one's own suffering is bearing witness to the suffering of others. The regret of seeing human beings at their worst and the sheer pain of not being able to help the victims can never be redeemed. If you go personally to war, you cross the line yourself. You sacrifice ideals for survival and the fury of killing. That alters you forever. That is why no one rushes to be a Veteran. Think before you want to change unalterably. the stakes are not merely one's life, but one's very humanity.

Now, I believe we are of one single global family. Different, yes, but cut any one of us open and the blood runs the same shade of red. I have been to 37 different countries and just as I found similarities in culture, I found uncanny similarities in religions. The reasons we go to war are always disguised in a concealed agenda revolving around power and control. Just as religions are based on the same thing. Power and control of the masses.
Until we remove the lawyers and bankers from power, this system of war and chaos will perpetuate. It is that simple. We continue to rip each other off and keep the mentality of "screw the other guy, I got mine."
How have we let this happen this long? Why do we let Bush and Chaney go free without question or indictment. I saw a picture of a good friend of mine at the VA this morning under the headline "Hero's." I was excited at first because I was happy to see him and I missed him a lot. He was KIA in Afghanistan a while back and it picked open a mental scab. He might still have been alive had we continued mission there and refrained from invading Iraq. The resulting conflict in Iraq made a lot of folks rich. Weapons contractors, security contractors (like Blackwater....hmmm not in the dictionary yet) without any responsibility or accountability. The design of this was to keep permanent bases over there to "combat terrorists." More like create more terrorist, like a Doritos (that one is in the dictionary) factory in order to justify more ill equipped troops to be led like lemmings off a cliff to justify more contracts and real estate capture to perpetuate the power agenda. Not everyone who wears a "towel" on their head is not a "terrorist." Neither is someone who's back is against the wall and defending their home a "terrorist." Before we take away what else people around the world have to lose and label them terrorists, we aught to try exhausting humanitarian efforts to show we are not the ones who love creating terror. anyway, I will stop rambling, I just wanted to share a bit.
Thanks, Sarge

Comment by Tiffany on February 8, 2009 at 4:19pm

I have a couple of brothers in the Army. My brother Richard is overseas for his third tour. And my brother Ryan went, once, maybe twice. My high school science teacher used to take a couple days out of her lessons, and have all of her classes write to my brothers, and let them know how thank ful we were and how we were praying for them, some people just wrote them letter about whats going on, on American soil. Richard and Ryan BOTH loved the letters. now, i dont know if they kept them, but it sure meant a whole lot to recieve a huge package of 100 letters at once.

Comment by DR.D Of Photography on January 30, 2009 at 1:47pm

The story is that the music of Taps is found in the pocket of the young man and that's how the call came into being. It is a
heartwarming and poignant story...

And is False.



The story of Captain Robert Ellicombe and his Confederate son is a myth, a fake, a tall tale, a good story to tell around the
old campfire, but a story that holds no truth whatsoever. This is one of those stories that is reprinted and forwarded to
others and makes its way around the Internet around Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. The story gets
printed in papers, newsletters, and, sad to say, even on some military websites as the true version of how the bugle call of
Taps came into existence.

The History of Taps


The melody that gave the present day "Taps" was made during the Civil War by Union General Danial Adams Butterfield, in command of a brigade camped at Harrison Landing, Virginia, near Richmond. Up to that time, the U.S. Army infantry call to end the day was the French final call "L'Extinction des feux". General Butterfield decided the "lights out" music was too formal to signal the end of the day. One day in July 1862, he recalled the "Tatoo" music and hummed a version of it to an aide who wrote the melody down. Butterfield asked the brigade bugler, Oliver W. Norton, to play the notes, and after listening, he lengthened and shortened them while keeping the original melody. Thereafter, General Butterfield ordered Norton to play this new call at the end of each day instead of the regular call. The music was heard and appreciated by the other brigades, who asked for copies and adopted it for own use. It was even adopted by the Confederates.

The first time "Taps" was played at a military funeral may have been in Virginia, soon after Butterfield composed it. Union Captain John Tidball, head of an artillery battery, ordered it played for the burial of a connoneer killed in action. Not wanting to reveal the position of the battery, Tidball substituted "Taps" for the three rifle vollys fired over the grave.

Major Seymour, in 1867, was evidently not aware of General Butterfield's composition. The major did not include it in his system of calls, and it was not officially adopted until 1874. Considered to be the most beautiful of calls, Taps provides a fitting close to the soldier's day, and when the time comes, to his or her final departure from the ranks. The melody was made the official Army bugle call after the war, but was not given the name "Taps" until 1874.

Source "U.S. Army Military District of Columbia Fact Sheet"

Taps' Lyrics

While there are no official words to the bugle call "Taps", the commonly used lyrics are:

Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright;
God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good night.

Comment by DR.D Of Photography on January 30, 2009 at 10:59am

TAPS

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps were played; this brings out a new meaning of it.


Here is something Every American should know. Until I read this, I didn't know, but I checked it out and it's true:


We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps". It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.


But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.


Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia .. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.


During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.


When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.



The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.


The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.


The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.


The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.


But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.


The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.



This wish was granted.



The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" used at military funerals was born.

The words are:
Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes.
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well..
Safely rest.
God is nigh.


Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun.
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky.
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh.

I too have felt the chills while listening to "Taps" but I have never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn't even know there was more than one verse. I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass it along.


I now have an even deeper respect for the song than I did before.

Remember Those Lost and Harmed While Serving Their Country.

Also Remember Those Who Have Served And Returned; and for those presently serving in the Armed Forces.

Comment by ERNO ROSSI on January 22, 2009 at 11:13am

Yes we can!

Comment by Free Henry! on January 21, 2009 at 11:56pm

peace?

yeah, count us in! :-)

Comment by Denise on September 21, 2008 at 4:43am

I think we can support peace and the troops both. The soldiers didn't choose the battle. They choose to support our country.

Comment by Susan Marie on September 16, 2008 at 11:49am

Ok I see it this way - I am quite sure most of the people who are involved in Iraq would pretty much just like some peace - including the families involved on all sides. So by promoting peace, in any form, by mailing a letter, sending an email, a package, volunteering someplace, that provides a smile to someone who otherwise may be living in an extreme Hell none of us here can possibly imagine. That IS peace. Being peace. Supporting peace, spreading peace. No, you do not offend Kevin, if we support peace by being positive and doing small things we take for granted here then we are supporting our soldiers without having to support the mechanism behind war itself.

Comment by Kevin on September 5, 2008 at 8:11pm

ok. totally not trying to offend, but this is gonna come off wrong. How does supporting soldiers support peace??? I know thats not the point, and your idea is nice, i guess im just saying the name and function of the group differ a little.

Comment by Susan Marie on September 3, 2008 at 1:38am

Good Lord Linda I am so sorry. YES as you say for anyone and everyone involved. Your daughter, my goodness. You must be quite proud of her. There is something inside of a soldier that I do not possess maybe we do, in different manners but that - I hold in the utmost regard.

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