Perspectives

EDITED!
This is part of an email I recieved recently. I say "part" of it because some of it was extremely biased in it's facts. This was harshly brought to my attention. I do not mean for this site to be used for propoganda of any type. For the people who read this post previously. Please read the rebuttal in the next post. Then make up your own mind. I apologize to all whom this offended so deeply. I hope you can all still appreciate John Glenn's speech.

Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they
do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator
Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive
impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation
of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.
This is a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never
served think of our military.


JOHN GLENN ON THE SENATE FLOOR
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13

Senator Howard Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you run for Senate
when you've never held a real job?"

Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I
served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by
anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space
program.

It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a
nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts
to the bank. I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a
veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in
the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the
Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and orphans
of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee...! and you look those kids
in the eye and tell them that their Dads didn't hold a job. You go with
me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I
have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those
waving flags.

You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that
those people didn't have a job? I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you
should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there
were some men - SOME MEN - who held REAL jobs. And they required a
dedication to a purpose - and a love of country and a dedication to duty
- that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is
what made this country possible.

I HAVE held a job, Howard! What about you?"