Veterans Day, Freedom and The Pacific
On this Veterans Day I am thinking about all the people who have served our country. The sacrifice not going unnoticed by me. I am truly grateful. To honor the sacrifice made on my behalf, I feel that it is my duty as an American to be the best I can be. To serve the people of the world through my talents.
As I write this, I sit in a hotel in Wuhan, China. My day started by reading an article about the Chinese government’s crackdown on people it deems a threat. In the age of the Internet, this means people searching for information about topics with which the government disapproves. I sit here, being so thankful that I have the freedoms that many fought and died for, so I could be teaching students in China about media and technology. That they may be the best they can be.
Watching HBO’s The Pacific
I finished the HBO mini-series The Pacific this morning. I was struck by the isolation and violence the service men went through, campaign after campaign. It was relentless. The fact that any of them were able to put their civilian lives back together is miraculous. There is a particular scene in Episode 10
where Eugene Sledge is sitting in a field holding a daisy up to the sun, pondering. A non-veteran can only imagine what he’s thinking. I was struck by the intensity of the moment. The contrast of having survived hell on earth in the South Pacific and being home again. Feeling the guilt that he had survived when so many hadn’t. Yet, there he is in a field surrounded by endless serenity and beauty. What a cinematic moment! Thank you to the makers of this mini-series. Thank you for helping tell the South Pacific veteran’s story. A story that many would not, or could not tell. One that is almost impossible to believe and improbable for any one to bear. To all veterans this day, thank you. Especially those who carry with you the experience combat. Know that this American is proud of you and owes his freedom to you.
Tags: China, Freedom, Movie, Pacific, Talent, Technology, Veterans, WWII