In praise of U.S. soldiers

Editor:

The Sept. 10 column by Father Gregorio (“Big Military is Big Government at its worst”) is correct, though misleading. In all his articles that are critical of the military, he uses the term “discretionary” money or appropriation. In actuality, the Defense budget has historically been between 17 percent and 20 percent of the total budget.

Please keep in mind that Entitlements, which include Welfare, SCHIP, Medicaid, Medicare and the like have been between 56 percent and 61 percent since 2004.

The price for freedom is eternal vigilance. We can’t arm our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines with peashooters. There are too many bad dudes out there who wish to subjugate their own citizens, be it through fear and intimidation or violence and starvation. In a perfect world, we’d all be happy and there would be no need for war. But, the Bible says – There will be wars and rumors of war.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is the only credible power out there who will do the mean and dirty work. The pusillanimous United Nations would rather coddle the tinhorn dictators who wish to send us back to the seventh century.

It is our military that ensures us to be the last best hope for civilization. Unfortunately, it is not the poet or the teacher who will protect not only us, but anyone who yearns for peace and justice across the globe.

There are only two people who have been willing to die for us. The first is Jesus Christ, who died so we may have eternal life. The second is the American Soldier, who is the guarantor of freedom, not only to us but to total strangers in faraway lands.

Paul Worthington

Mantua