Conscientious objector's plight is sad
On Feb. 26, I was deeply saddened to read an update in the column, "Nation Briefly," in this newspaper, referring to an earlier story about Sgt. Kevin Benderman. After a tour of duty in Iraq he was seeking a conscientious objector discharge from the Army. He was convinced of the wrongness of war as the way to solve international problems. The Army has decided to court martial Sgt. Benderman.
On March 1, a PBS Frontline entitled "A Soldier's Heart" described the plight of thousands of soldiers who are suffering deep psychological wounds from Iraq experiences. The military has little tolerance for what is called post-traumatic stress disorder.
"The Soldier's Heart" made clear that "nobody comes back from combat unchanged." Basic training to "let go of their lives and consider themselves dead" is an impossibility. To "embrace that dirty four-letter word, kill" is a formula for the destruction of a soldier's heart. Psychological costs express in deep despair, excessive drinking, domestic violence, panic attacks, tormented minds and dreams, sleeplessness, inability to function, the wish to die, suicide and more. Those soldiers with post-traumatic stress syndrome are not cowards. They are human beings with hearts deeply damaged by the scourge of this tragic war.
What soul-searching courage it must have taken for Sgt. Benderman to seek a conscientious objector discharge! He has said that he will take the consequences of his convictions. That is real courage! I pray for an honorable and just outcome, and for healing of his exemplary human heart.
Barbara J. Jackson
Mount Vernon
Letters to the Editor - Skagit Valley Herald
On March 1, a PBS Frontline entitled "A Soldier's Heart" described the plight of thousands of soldiers who are suffering deep psychological wounds from Iraq experiences. The military has little tolerance for what is called post-traumatic stress disorder.
"The Soldier's Heart" made clear that "nobody comes back from combat unchanged." Basic training to "let go of their lives and consider themselves dead" is an impossibility. To "embrace that dirty four-letter word, kill" is a formula for the destruction of a soldier's heart. Psychological costs express in deep despair, excessive drinking, domestic violence, panic attacks, tormented minds and dreams, sleeplessness, inability to function, the wish to die, suicide and more. Those soldiers with post-traumatic stress syndrome are not cowards. They are human beings with hearts deeply damaged by the scourge of this tragic war.
What soul-searching courage it must have taken for Sgt. Benderman to seek a conscientious objector discharge! He has said that he will take the consequences of his convictions. That is real courage! I pray for an honorable and just outcome, and for healing of his exemplary human heart.
Barbara J. Jackson
Mount Vernon
Letters to the Editor - Skagit Valley Herald
posted by Christian at 3/09/2005
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home