Friday, July 29, 2016

Real Men Don't Cry

Real men don't cry!  Yet, tears rolled down my cheeks last night.  Nothing - absolutely nothing - brings me to tears quicker than our American soldiers.  I am sorry for the loss of every person, every adult, every child and even animals.  But, I don't cry . . . except for our soldiers.

Last night, the quiet dignity, grace and barely-contained-rage of Khizr Kahn from Charlottesville brought me to tears, as he remembered the brave death of his 27-year-old son in Iraq, a Muslim Army Captain who laid down his life for his Christian troops.  I felt his pain, I felt his rage . . . and I cried.

The powerful emotional tug was not surprising.  That it occurred during a partisan attack was both surprising and disturbing to me.  My unrelenting cynicism of partisan blathering just melted away.  With sunrise, my brain has now silenced my heart, and I can feel the cynicism returning . . . thankfully.

Thank you, Mr. Khan!  Thank you for sacrificing your son for us!  Thank you for your powerful speech last night.  But, I never want to hear it again!