...American Effing Heroes

You know its coming.  You know what’s going to happen.  You volunteered to play a part in this exercise.  You’ve got a fairly decent working knowledge of the sequence of events that is about to commence.  Hell…you can see the Observer Controller counting down from five.  But even though you know it’s coming, the speed, surprise, and violence of action absolutely amazes you.  It seems like seconds and the bad guys are “subdued” (a euphemism for “shot in the face”).  It was probably less than that.  The level of detail shocks you:  the choreographed movements, the succinct communication, even down to the oversized American flag on their chests so no one will doubt who these guys represent.  You know what’s coming and you are still left silent with amazement.

The level that society has canonized the American service member and castigated those who would question that sainthood frustrates me.  It has frustrated me for about 11 years now...ever since I got a good view from the inside.  Trust me, America, not every one in uniform is worthy of this praise and not everyone who blouses their boots is a hero.  We lie.  We steal. We’re fat.  We’re bigots.  We’re lazy and crass.  Sure, we’re also thoughtful, intelligent, physically fit, and respectful.  We are simply a cross-section of society; nothing more and nothing less.  It’s a job. And like every job in America, there are different motives and different personalities for those who hold the job. Thanks for the reverence but not necessary on such a massive, homogenously unquestioned level. 

There are, however, those who deserve that worship.  Those that dedicate their short lives to the secret world of defeating the enemies that plot our destruction; those who lose sleep at night wondering if they’ve done everything they can to stop the next catastrophe; those who are called on and respond to America’s most vile enemies with speed, surprise, and violence of action…those are the American Effing Heroes.  Sleep well America, you’re safe.  I’ve seen our most elite weapon in action and even though I knew it was coming, it was absolutely effing amazing.