Forgetting our Soldiers, American’s Skewed Priorities

-By Warner Todd Huston

Recently I saw a story that seems, at first, to be a heartwarming tale of a selfless American sacrificing, if only in a small way, for one of our soldiers in uniform. But, upon reflection, the story does more than tell the tale of one American doing something nice for a soldier. It tells the tale of American priorities that are warped, if not turned entirely on their head.

As writer Roddy Stinson of the San Antonio Express-News relates the tale, the story is a disarmingly simple one. A woman on an airliner gives up her seat in first class to a U.S. soldier in uniform. The other passengers are impressed and give the nice woman a round of applause.

Last Wednesday, while flying from Phoenix to the Alamo City on U.S. Airways Flight 207, a San Antonio man, Gil Anderson, witnessed something memorable.

Shortly before takeoff, he overheard a flight attendant tell a young uniformed soldier sitting in front of him:

“A lady in first-class wants to switch seats with you.”

The soldier accepted the offer and walked up to the first-class section.

“When the lady came back to our area, I had a tear in my eye,” Anderson said when he phoned this column soon after his plane landed. “I gave her a little round of applause.

“Then, by golly, everybody in that area started applauding,” he said in a voice tinged with emotion. “It was a very moving moment.”

Acknowledging the applause of Anderson and the other passengers, the first-class lady said simply:

“I did it because he deserves it.”

The story almost raises a tear until you catch yourself with a curious cock of the head, realizing that something is wrong here.

This is the key part that reveals that things are out of whack.

“When the lady came back to our area, I had a tear in my eye,” Anderson said when he phoned this column soon after his plane landed. “I gave her a little round of applause.

“Then, by golly, everybody in that area started applauding,” he said in a voice tinged with emotion. “It was a very moving moment.”

These people applauded the lady and NOT the soldier!

Yes, sir. I got a tear in my eye, too. I got a tear when I realized that the passengers saw this woman as the special, praiseworthy one and quickly forgot about the soldier. Ridiculously, this woman was the one lauded by the other passengers.

What for? Why applaud her?

It was for doing what each and every one of them SHOULD have done, that’s why. They applauded her for doing what they all knew was right. They applauded her because an American finally took the time to think of someone else instead of their own selfish needs. They applauded out of guilt that they didn’t do it first.

And what of the soldier? He was the one that put himself out for others. He is the one that is put in harm’s way for their benefit! Where was the applause for him? Yet he was the last thing on the other passenger’s minds. Even as they applauded the selfless, patriotic woman who gave up her seat, these chuckleheads STILL forgot about the soldier.

Last time I was in an airport, I went up to each soldier I saw, thanked them for their service and offered to buy them a cold drink. I didn’t get applause, but I would have been furious if I had. I did get the warm appreciation of the soldiers I met there and that was plenty enough reward, believe me.

But that everyone thought more of this woman than they did the soldier shows that our priorities are out of whack, that we are so selfish that when we see someone doing what is right, it is shocking enough to cause special attention.

One should not get special treatment for doing what one is supposed to do. It’s like calling a good father a “hero.” He is not one. He is a father doing his rightful job. It is good and right that he be a good father, but doing what is right s not supposed to be special. It is supposed to be common.

So sure, that unknown woman was nice. Absolutely she did what was good and right. But it’s the soldier that deserved the applause. He’s the hero, not her.

Let’s get our priorities straight, America.
___________
Warner Todd Huston’s thoughtful commentary, sometimes irreverent often historically based, is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, men’snewsdaily.com and americandaily.com among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a guest on several radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston


One thought on “Forgetting our Soldiers, American’s Skewed Priorities”

  1. i’m eric. joining a couple boards and looking
    forward to participating. hehe unless i get
    too distracted!

    eric

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