As we celebrate Memorial Day this year, I hope that Americans will remember that there is more to this day than hot dogs and hamburgers. I truly hope that they remember, that as they celebrate with their family and friends, that many soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines stand in harm’s way, miles away from their families and friends.

The freedoms we enjoy today, those very freedoms that are currently being tested, are ours because of these brave soliders, sailors, airmen and marines who willingly accept the possibility of an ultimate sacrifice to secure them for you and I. From our nation’s founding revolution to the current military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, whether you agree or not with the current engagements; the REASON that we have the opportunity to exercise our God-given right to speak out is due to those who have gone before.

I hope that everyone will take a moment to reflect on the true purpose of this day. Say a prayer for those families who have lost loved ones, and for our national heroes bearing the burden of the fight even as I type this. God Bless our soldiers and our great Nation!

As I browsed the 1000+ photos taken by Clarksville Online photographer Bill Larson at Rivers and Spires 2008, I was impressed with the event and the attendance, weather notwithstanding. Still recovering from an illness, I was unable to attend such a big event, but my eyes scanned the images — just about all of them — one by one. In the interests of fair coverage, I included several shots I personally found to be repugnant . (The children are cute; it’s the context that’s debatable).

Despite my opposition to the Iraq war and my personal distaste for the Bush administration tactics and policies, I have every respect for our military, who are doing what they promised with less than optimal help from our Washington bureaucrats. Our soldiers are the front lines; we wish them no harm and want them back, whole in body and spirit.

At Rivers and Spires, our troops were amply and ably represented. But it was “too much information” for some of us. I scanned a photo of sandbags, a high powered weapon of some sort (machine gun), and a young child taking aim at the crowd with parent and siblings watching. My stomach turned. Technically it was a great shot. But do we really need to be placing our children’s hands on the trigger of such a gun? Another shot, well angled, beautifully lit, shows a small child perched on a tank with the gun barrel from the turret over her shoulder. I flinched, again. Stomach lurched. I didn’t have any Pepto Bismol handy. Darn!

I called Mr. Larson, to tell him that while I would use the shots because they are part of a true and accurate depiction of what was showcased there, I found the photos offensive and disturbing. He agreed, and expressed the same reaction. I floated a query seeking reactions to the shot; the dial-a-thon and flurry of e-mails began. Apparently friends who had attended Rivers and Spires and had seen this display and the many youngsters there, had the same or greater visceral reactions to the children and the weapons of war.

We acknowledge that many children in attendance are affiliated with Fort Campbell, and many have husbands, wives, fathers, mothers or other family in Iraq. And yes, these are the tools war those soldiers use every day. And yes, children probably see a lot of that on the base — the camouflage vehicles, the choppers, the tanks or guns.

The base, the Army, the Airborne, are part of our community. And maybe such a display is warranted at such festivals, in the shadow of the eternal flame that honors the dead. But while it is one thing to see such weapons, it is another entirely to put your hands on the trigger.

“Kit was going to throw up,” one friend said. She had to leave, couldn’t watch anymore.

Deb also felt repulsed, unsettled and had a similar reaction of disgust.

I recalled walking down the streets of Cuzco in the Peruvian Andes, where police walk the streets with automatic rifles and tanks sit outside the police department. The era of the revolutionary Shining Path made that necessary, or perhaps the memory had yet to fade to the recesses of the national consciousness. That was unsettling. I had the same reaction to the image of a tank downtown. That reaction worsened with the images of children with the weapons of war.

As the author of a “Don’t Buy War Toys” editorial for Clarksville Online, as a peace activist, an anti-war protester, a human being, a mother, and grandmother, I was repulsed. Okay, there is a war. It is real. So is murder, rape, domestic violence, animal cruelty, and host of “evils” all around us. Do we willingly and with forethought put them on display for our children? Let them hold a handgun or a stiletto blade?

Our children are already exposed at varying levels to violence, rage and war through television, film, music, video and arcade games, and gangs, to say nothing of what can happen in our schools, on our streets and even in the supposed sanctity of our churches. We try to protect our children from such things, we try to foster a healthy innocence, try to keep them from growing up to fast, to let them have some time as a child in relative innocence, so why let them handle and celebrate the tools of war as if it were a game or a celebration?

To so easily promote the acceptance of the weapons of war, especially in a festive atmosphere, by our youngest and most innocent children is irresponsible and ill-advised. With such hands on displays akin to violence, what are we really saying to our children?

Following approval by the State of Tennessee last summer and special action by the Association Board of Governors in November, vehicle owners/lessees in the Volunteer state may soon have the opportunity to acquire a specialty license plate honoring the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

Before Tennessee begins production of the plates, the 101st Airborne Division Association, with its headquarters located on the Tennessee side of Fort Campbell, must pre-sell 1,000 of them at $35 each (additional registration fees apply). If the Association fails to reach the 1,000 pre-sale minimum requirement, all purchase amounts will be returned.

L-R Representative Curtis Johnson, 101^st Airborne Division Association Secretary/Treasurer Sam Bass and Representative Rosalind Kurita stand outside the Clarksville, TN Courthouse with the newly designed 101^st license plate. Photo by 101^st Association Graphic Designer, Catie Rodriquez

Net proceeds from the sale of the plates will be allocated 50% to the 101st Airborne Association; 40% to the Tennessee Arts Commission; and 10% to the State Highway Fund. Sales are restricted by the legislation to registered vehicle owners of Tennessee.

The Board of Governors also acted to establish an “Eagle Spirit Fund” to which members of the Association can contribute “one or more amounts of $35.00” to purchase a 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) special license plate for an active duty Screaming Eagle residing in Tennessee.

The Association has initiated a campaign to get the sales program into action. Joe Alexander, Association President and Knoxville resident, expressed his appreciation to the State of Tennessee for working with the Association on this project, and noted the significance of the program.

“It is important that we give a maximum effort to this project because it is not only a way to secure an ongoing source of revenue for the Association but, even more importantly, it is an opportunity to honor those who have worn the Screaming Eagle patch of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in both war and peace time since its inception in 1942.” — Joe Alexander

The 101st license plate was designed by the Association in conjunction with the State of Tennessee. Legislation to create the 101st Airborne Division plate was introduced by Tennessee State Senator Rosalind Kurita (22nd District) and State Representative Phillip Johnson (78th District).

Using the print button at the top of this story, you can print out the text and the following form to order your plates, or you can copy and paste the form into your Word program on your computer.

101st License Plate Order Form
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Specialty License Plate for Tennessee residents registering privately owned motor vehicle(s)
Questions? Please call ASSN. HQ: (931) 431-0199 ex. 31
(Please print clearly)
1st Plate # preference :
2nd Plate # preference :
Plates can only be numbered from 0000 to 1000. Personlized plates can be ordered when the plate is renewed.
Reserve your Screaming Eagle license plate today for $35, one-half of which will go to the 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION ASSOCIATION, to:
Vehicle Owner’s Name: __________________________________
Street Address:_________________________________________
City: _____________________ State:___ TN Zip Code: ________
County: _______________________________________________
Owner’s Signature: _____________________________________
Telephone (Include Area Code): ___________________________
Present License Plate Number: ____________________________
Check Payment Method:
Credit Card______ Money Order_______
Exp. Date :_____________________________________________
Credit Card #:__________________________________________
Plate cost is $35.00 each
(additional registration fees apply)
Make payment out to the 101st ABN DIV ASSN.
Send form and payment to:
101st Airborne Division Association
PO BOX 929
Fort Campbell, KY 42223
For more information or for plate questions, call (931) 431-0199 ex. 31
ORDER EARLY FOR LOW NUMBERS

Our soldiers deserve only our respect and our support.

With the negative reports of inhumane acts committed by our soldiers in Iraq, it’s easy to become disillusioned. We have had Abu Ghraib, Ramadi, the Haditha massacre, and now Mahmoudiya, names that will join the names of places like My Lai in their infamy.

We would like to close our eyes and pretend that these situations never happened, that it’s all just a bad dream. However, it is important for us to face these crimes and those who committed them, as Americans and as responsible citizens of the world.

Our soldiers know that each time an incident like this comes to light, that it makes their job in Iraq that much harder. With that said, we should not attempt to cover these events up. If we do, it will make it much worse when they finally come to light. We must promptly punish both the guilty, and those whose negligence enabled these acts.

Everyone should understand that the soldiers who committed these crimes are the exception rather than the rule. The average soldier is just as distressed and disgusted by these acts as we are. They do good works and can be proud of their service in a difficult place, caught in the middle of an unwinnable situation.

Remember this on the 4th of July, as you celebrate our nation’s independence.