On occasion I have been known to pimp out certain things for a good cause. I promise you everything I put out there is near and dear to my heart and normally is underfunded. I spent a great deal of time and effort raising money for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation because my wife nearly died of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. I've spent time raising money for various charities that ensure the families of our Wounded Warriors are taken care of while they're healing. I've spent some time pimping out a few charities that send stuff to the troops overseas currently deployed to combat zones. I limit the last one because I will only support the charities that send stuff specifically to my fellow combat arms service members located in remote shit-holes out in the middle of nowhere who live off of glorified MRE's, cold inadequate showers, live in shacks supported by sandbags, and generally receive some kind of enemy contact on a regular basis. I only support groups that send stuff to those guys because they are the ones who need it and appreciate it most. IF you are interested in supporting that cause please feel free to visit this site: Support Our Marines. However, this particular blog isn't about any of those.
This particular blog and pimp session is about something different. It's about those who came home. Those who struggle with the VA. Those who try and rebuild a semblance of their life as they knew it. Those who often times toy with the idea of suicide. Those that you've given your thanks to, waved your flag, and sported that yellow ribbon for. This one is for them. Now, I know many of you truly support the troops and do what you can. You take time to thank them when you see them. You take time to talk with them. You take time to think about them on days where it's not all over the news. For that I thank you.
Yet, at the moment, I have to ask for just a little bit more. All of us who served have sacrificed. We leave our loved ones for long periods of time. Our loved ones often times feel abandoned even though they know why we do what we do. We sacrifice a piece of ourselves without complaint. Some sacrifice more than others and some sacrifice it all. I'd be lying to you if I told you we did it for you, the flag, the country, freedoms, patriotism, or any other intangible thing you can come up with. It may start that way but in the end it boils down to the fact that we willingly lay our lives on the line for each other. When you're over there and you hear that all familiar "zoooo-clack" of a bullet passing near you, you feel the heat from fires of the explosions around you, you feel the pressure of the blast concussion, the adrenaline coursing through your veins, the heightened awareness, or the gut wrenching, soul tearing pain of sending a brother home draped under the American flag all those intangible things fade away. You're left there in horrible inhumane circumstances with two things: you and the men your with. That's it. Then, if you're lucky enough, you go home. To a land more foreign than what you just left. A land filled with hostilities and uncertainty. A land you once knew so well that you can't even identify with any longer.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is what this is about.
A young Marine that I had the pleasure of serving with, Garrett Phillip Anderson, is an amazing writer filled with mind blowing ideas. He is also a gifted and talented film maker. He has an idea. He is getting together with some of the Fellujah veterans he knows who survived a horrific day of combat and is filming their story. Not the story of the blood and gore of the day. The story of when they came home. He wants to highlight what veterans go through. What they deal with. Obstacles they have to overcome. Most importantly the fact that the battle is over but the war within themselves continues to rage on unabated.
You can sample his amazing talents by visiting his blog here:
He has even been featured on numerous occasions in the Doonesbury Military Blog - The Sandbox.
If you took a minute to read any of his posts you'll quickly realize that this guy has the ability to rip your heart out and show you the darkest places you didn't know existed. Can you imagine how powerful his film is going to be? I can. That's why I'm writing this.
Since veterans have sacrificed so much, I want you to do a little sacrificing yourself. I'm not asking much. I'm asking for what you can spare. What you can miss and give up without hurting yourself financially. Can you give up a few drinks? That's enough right there. Seriously, if everyone who read this decided to give $5 to $25 then you've helped more than you'll ever realize. You can show your support through sacrifice by going to the following website and giving what you can.
After you've given please make sure to visit and like their Facebook Page here:
When you're done doing that I want you to share this blog post and spread it like wild fire. Pass it along as often as possible. Ask others to sacrifice just a little for those who sacrificed so much. Be active. Tell people about it.
Sacrifice, Share, and stand in Solidarity behind those who willingly walk in harms way.
Thanks for listening.
The Senator
I was very interested to read what you thought of the project. I was just looking at the project and considering a sizable contribution. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAnything helps, I hope my writing didn't disappoint. This kid is amazingly talented. I mean wow. Some of the things he's written I've had to walk away from half way through to get my shit together. I know if we can manage to give him the opportunity to make a film about it that he can make a powerful statement. One that will turn heads. One that will gain attention. One that will hopefully wake people up and have them saying, "My God, what have we done, and how can we fix this?"
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