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https://www.facebook.com/michael.thorin.1/posts/ [login to see] 90886
This is a long read. I am providing the text here so you do not have to navigate the link.
Long read, but hopefully one you can sit through.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"Racism In The Eyes of a Combat Veteran"
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
(One soldiers take on the current state of unrest in our Nation.)
_______________________________________________
My name is Michael Thorin, and I fought for several things, one of those being for the safety and security of those I love, those back here within the borders of this Nation in hopes that by keeping those who wish to harm us abroad, they would have little or no time to harm us on our own soil.
I, as well as many others, gave everything we could. Many of my fellow warriors would even give their own lives to keep those we loved back here in the states safe.
I'm sorry I can't get a grasp on the racism issue like I should. It's most likely because of the incredible fortune I've had with not having to serve with any African Americans. Hard to believe, right? Never served with any African Americans.
Never had to serve with any Japanese Americans either. It was great! No Muslims, no Mexicans, no Koreans, and definitely none of those crazy Chinese.
I was actually relieved to see that I never had to serve with any of these groups. The division between us would have killed us. We would have never gotten anything done and, as a matter of belief, if I had been forced to serve with those of a different religion, race, color, creed or Nationality, we would never have made it back alive.
"Warriors", this was the color of those I served with. "Warriors" was our Nationality, our religion, our race, our creed, and so on and so forth.
Color gets you killed in combat. Nationality gets you killed in combat.
Combat has, to me, always been the great equalizer; no matter what your past, social status, color, etc. a bullet would not discriminate, nor would your enemy.
Today, I am dying a slow and painful death for that sacrifice. In countries far away I have sent these Warriors home draped under the protection of the same flag I see being burned today.
I see them returning to an anthem that has no more meaning than the annoying tune of a cheap commercial, and receiving even less respect.
I have been to countless funerals of some of the countless Warriors I served with, those who have fallen to the very same illnesses I share with them.
Then there are those who could not reconcile what they had to do with who they are. They lost the person they used to be, and could no longer stand what they had become, so these Warriors finally lost to one of the greatest enemies they faced; their own minds.
As I watch the riots, the protests, the blaming and the fighting, I can't help but shake my head, shed a tear, and grieve for SPC Samuel Boswell, SGT Brian Conner and SGT Bernard Ceo who lost their lives on MSR Tampa outside of Al Taji in 2005.
I shed a tear for SGT Christopher Charping, who lost his battle to those things he could not reconcile in his mind and thoughts, and committed suicide in September of 2008.
I grieve for SSG Dan Spencer, one of several who have already lost their battle to the same illnesses I struggle with everyday. The illnesses which essentially claimed our lives the day we set foot in Iraq.
These things not only sadden me, but they disgust me, and I am ashamed.
I am ashamed because I feel as if they were pointless sacrifices, not because the war was unjust or just, for a good cause or for naught; but because we are destroying ourselves.
The equality that preserved us in combat is being spit on, trampled on and laughed at. The concept of togetherness is now only shared if the others agree with certain individuals.
Our Country has once again degraded to the point of "us against them", and now the biggest threat our Country faces isn't coming from Iraq, Syria, Korea, Iran or Russia; it's coming from Americans (this term is used very loosely) who want to take the very premise this Country was founded on and use it to fire the next figurative "shot heard round the world."
Why is it surprising though? We have millions of Americans who are so preoccupied with proving the world is flat (yes, they are a growing group), fighting about every little thing that offends them (except the important things) and hurling insults at each other, insinuating everyone else is no longer important; it is now simply about the individual, and not for the good of the Country.
I honestly do not have a problem with any ones idea of this Country, and as sad as it makes me, I fought for people to have the right to sit during the anthem and burn the flag; two acts which make me sick to my stomach, but is protected under the Constitution, and therefor I would give my last breath to defend those who feel this is the only way they can speak and redress their complaints.
I miss my Warriors. I miss that the closest thing I would see to equality was what I shared with thousands of other Warriors over 6500 miles away in Iraq, where I awoke every morning to the very real threat of being killed by my enemy.
Today, we wake to the fear of stepping outside and being killed by a fellow American, and simply because the others do not like what I or anyone else looks like.
My parting thought is that racism is a byproduct of hate, and is toxic. As long as one person in the United States proclaims it as a problem, it is a problem.
An even more dangerous response is to, under the guise of justice and freedom, take up arms against those who proclaim it is still a problem to "beat them down" because "they use it for a crutch."
The very thought of fighting a war for one side or the other only proves that racism still exists.
John 13:34-35New International Version (NIV)
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
How can you participate in a violent protest for either side, and claim the title of Christian?
This is a long read. I am providing the text here so you do not have to navigate the link.
Long read, but hopefully one you can sit through.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"Racism In The Eyes of a Combat Veteran"
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
(One soldiers take on the current state of unrest in our Nation.)
_______________________________________________
My name is Michael Thorin, and I fought for several things, one of those being for the safety and security of those I love, those back here within the borders of this Nation in hopes that by keeping those who wish to harm us abroad, they would have little or no time to harm us on our own soil.
I, as well as many others, gave everything we could. Many of my fellow warriors would even give their own lives to keep those we loved back here in the states safe.
I'm sorry I can't get a grasp on the racism issue like I should. It's most likely because of the incredible fortune I've had with not having to serve with any African Americans. Hard to believe, right? Never served with any African Americans.
Never had to serve with any Japanese Americans either. It was great! No Muslims, no Mexicans, no Koreans, and definitely none of those crazy Chinese.
I was actually relieved to see that I never had to serve with any of these groups. The division between us would have killed us. We would have never gotten anything done and, as a matter of belief, if I had been forced to serve with those of a different religion, race, color, creed or Nationality, we would never have made it back alive.
"Warriors", this was the color of those I served with. "Warriors" was our Nationality, our religion, our race, our creed, and so on and so forth.
Color gets you killed in combat. Nationality gets you killed in combat.
Combat has, to me, always been the great equalizer; no matter what your past, social status, color, etc. a bullet would not discriminate, nor would your enemy.
Today, I am dying a slow and painful death for that sacrifice. In countries far away I have sent these Warriors home draped under the protection of the same flag I see being burned today.
I see them returning to an anthem that has no more meaning than the annoying tune of a cheap commercial, and receiving even less respect.
I have been to countless funerals of some of the countless Warriors I served with, those who have fallen to the very same illnesses I share with them.
Then there are those who could not reconcile what they had to do with who they are. They lost the person they used to be, and could no longer stand what they had become, so these Warriors finally lost to one of the greatest enemies they faced; their own minds.
As I watch the riots, the protests, the blaming and the fighting, I can't help but shake my head, shed a tear, and grieve for SPC Samuel Boswell, SGT Brian Conner and SGT Bernard Ceo who lost their lives on MSR Tampa outside of Al Taji in 2005.
I shed a tear for SGT Christopher Charping, who lost his battle to those things he could not reconcile in his mind and thoughts, and committed suicide in September of 2008.
I grieve for SSG Dan Spencer, one of several who have already lost their battle to the same illnesses I struggle with everyday. The illnesses which essentially claimed our lives the day we set foot in Iraq.
These things not only sadden me, but they disgust me, and I am ashamed.
I am ashamed because I feel as if they were pointless sacrifices, not because the war was unjust or just, for a good cause or for naught; but because we are destroying ourselves.
The equality that preserved us in combat is being spit on, trampled on and laughed at. The concept of togetherness is now only shared if the others agree with certain individuals.
Our Country has once again degraded to the point of "us against them", and now the biggest threat our Country faces isn't coming from Iraq, Syria, Korea, Iran or Russia; it's coming from Americans (this term is used very loosely) who want to take the very premise this Country was founded on and use it to fire the next figurative "shot heard round the world."
Why is it surprising though? We have millions of Americans who are so preoccupied with proving the world is flat (yes, they are a growing group), fighting about every little thing that offends them (except the important things) and hurling insults at each other, insinuating everyone else is no longer important; it is now simply about the individual, and not for the good of the Country.
I honestly do not have a problem with any ones idea of this Country, and as sad as it makes me, I fought for people to have the right to sit during the anthem and burn the flag; two acts which make me sick to my stomach, but is protected under the Constitution, and therefor I would give my last breath to defend those who feel this is the only way they can speak and redress their complaints.
I miss my Warriors. I miss that the closest thing I would see to equality was what I shared with thousands of other Warriors over 6500 miles away in Iraq, where I awoke every morning to the very real threat of being killed by my enemy.
Today, we wake to the fear of stepping outside and being killed by a fellow American, and simply because the others do not like what I or anyone else looks like.
My parting thought is that racism is a byproduct of hate, and is toxic. As long as one person in the United States proclaims it as a problem, it is a problem.
An even more dangerous response is to, under the guise of justice and freedom, take up arms against those who proclaim it is still a problem to "beat them down" because "they use it for a crutch."
The very thought of fighting a war for one side or the other only proves that racism still exists.
John 13:34-35New International Version (NIV)
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
How can you participate in a violent protest for either side, and claim the title of Christian?
Michael Thorin
Posted from facebook.com
Racism
United States
Peace
Patriotism
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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Racism is a self inflicted wound. So are sexism and many other prejudices. Fundamentally, they deny us the benefits of the contributions and services of a major segment of our human resources.
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SGT Michael Thorin
That's what hurts so much about what we are going through. Hate will only produce more hate. Nothing good comes of repaying hate with hate.
Eventually, one side has to decide that anger and hate is not the way to respond, and then the other has to recognize that and respond in kind.
Eventually, one side has to decide that anger and hate is not the way to respond, and then the other has to recognize that and respond in kind.
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CPT Jack Durish
SGT Michael Thorin - There's not much chance of fixing the problem is we can't talk about it. When free speech is taken away, anger and violence are all that remain. Trust me. I am caught up in it right now. Many people (especially in my family) are condemning me for not condemning President Trump for having the temerity to claim that there was plenty of blame for all parties at the riot in Charlottesville.
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SGT Michael Thorin
CPT Jack Durish, sadly, it is affecting families with internal problems throughout the Country. You're right, if we can't sit down and seriously discuss it, we will never solve it.
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Thank you Michael for one of the best written, well thought out pieces that I've read on the events of the past week!!
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Keep battling your illness, Michael, even as you maintain His peace through it all. I have appreciated your thoughts about racism, and thought to mention some of my thoughts a well.......
Combat IS a great equalizer. So is being raised all over the world as a military “brat”, as well as having no historic/family/blood ties to slavery in the US.
My ancestry had nothing to do with the slavery issues which led up to the civil war. Concerning “slavery”, our Founders “got it right” on paper, but had greater difficulty with the “execution” of the writings they proclaimed, at least until the “proclamation of Emancipation some “Four score and seven years” later...... Similar slavery “angst” was dealt with in England and Europe back in the day. Racism can be found almost anywhere, but why is “racism” not nearly a problem in other countries as it became and continues to be in the US? It is a complex issue. Perhaps the early (Colonial) “greed” of land/property owners in the South to make large sums of money on labor-intensive crops extended beyond the Civil War into the 20th Century, having “lost” the slavery battle but carrying on a “race” battle into the mid 1900s. Many “post Civil War Carpetbaggers”, Southern power centers, and politicians only exploited the situation, largely for their own profit or position. Power and control and “votes” drove the train with the goal of keeping a people subjugated and segregated wherever possible. I did not live in the South until the late ‘70s, but I’d read that racism was horrendous for many decades after the Civil War. If I were living under that kind of “racial prejudice, I could see myself lashing out for equality. As a “military brat”, I was not raised in a vacuum of society, but it wasn’t until I became an adult that I learned much of the extent to how things really were. IMHO: Certain “Prejudiced” groups (largely white Souhern power centers) started and maintained the “race war”, certain politicians exploited the “race war” for power and votes, and for decades now we have experienced the “backlash”. Today, “prejudice” as we’ve known it, is fading. The term “racist” has become a multi-use “club” in the political correct toolbox. Prejudice can never be completely eliminated, as it is also present in formerly discriminated groups...... because racism will always have some presence in all societies, the “misuse of the term for political purposes and power has high value in the PC arena.
Combat IS a great equalizer. So is being raised all over the world as a military “brat”, as well as having no historic/family/blood ties to slavery in the US.
My ancestry had nothing to do with the slavery issues which led up to the civil war. Concerning “slavery”, our Founders “got it right” on paper, but had greater difficulty with the “execution” of the writings they proclaimed, at least until the “proclamation of Emancipation some “Four score and seven years” later...... Similar slavery “angst” was dealt with in England and Europe back in the day. Racism can be found almost anywhere, but why is “racism” not nearly a problem in other countries as it became and continues to be in the US? It is a complex issue. Perhaps the early (Colonial) “greed” of land/property owners in the South to make large sums of money on labor-intensive crops extended beyond the Civil War into the 20th Century, having “lost” the slavery battle but carrying on a “race” battle into the mid 1900s. Many “post Civil War Carpetbaggers”, Southern power centers, and politicians only exploited the situation, largely for their own profit or position. Power and control and “votes” drove the train with the goal of keeping a people subjugated and segregated wherever possible. I did not live in the South until the late ‘70s, but I’d read that racism was horrendous for many decades after the Civil War. If I were living under that kind of “racial prejudice, I could see myself lashing out for equality. As a “military brat”, I was not raised in a vacuum of society, but it wasn’t until I became an adult that I learned much of the extent to how things really were. IMHO: Certain “Prejudiced” groups (largely white Souhern power centers) started and maintained the “race war”, certain politicians exploited the “race war” for power and votes, and for decades now we have experienced the “backlash”. Today, “prejudice” as we’ve known it, is fading. The term “racist” has become a multi-use “club” in the political correct toolbox. Prejudice can never be completely eliminated, as it is also present in formerly discriminated groups...... because racism will always have some presence in all societies, the “misuse of the term for political purposes and power has high value in the PC arena.
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SGT Michael Thorin
I have to agree with your assessment Chief, and I’m from Alabama and even agree with the “Deep South” part you spoke of. Great view! Now, if we could just change the last part.
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