Why as a veteran, I oppose Confederate monuments.
Why am I writing this? Because of an allegorical sculpture honoring 20th and 21st century American troops who have died in the post 9/11 world outside the grounds of the Texas state capitol in Austin, TX. Upon adulthood, we have to make life choices. Depending on your social and economic status, your choices can be unlimited or very limited. While my family wasn't dirt poor, my options were somewhat limited. While walking through the mall in the summer of 1978, I literally stumbled into my future. In one corner was a row of small recruiting offices for the various military services. I had always imagined myself in the military. I grew up watching WWII movies. I watched both the classic films made during the conflict and the Technicolor war sagas of the 1960s. For me, the military was a viable option. I wanted to be more than I was. I wanted to travel. In my mind, the Army was the way to go...