Judgment

I must say, I really didn’t think the more conservative among us would react to the Bergdahl exchange in such a nasty way. But judgment is like that. The facts aren’t in yet and they’ve already condemned both Sgt. Bergdahl and his parents. His dad is clearly Taliban, according to one pundit. Sgt. Bergdahl is lucky he wasn’t executed on the spot, according to another pundit..that one a woman. I don’t understand that at all.

When did ascertaining the facts become irrelevant to the discussion? The town in Idaho where he’s from has decided to cancel the celebration they had planned due to security reasons. Security reasons? Let that sink in for a moment. How on earth did we get here? Conservative media has become surreal. The Bergdahl family has been demonized into jihadists. No, they’re from Idaho. I heard today that they homeschooled (we did that as well), they ride motorcycles (we do as well), the dad has a beard (my husband does as well). When I think about it, at least half the people I know would qualify as jihadists, just from the beard notion alone.

But then Sgt. Bergdahl’s dad did something else. He learned Pashto so that he could communicate with his son’s captors. The beard, the language..wow..I guess a father isn’t supposed to try to assist in the release his son. Tell you what..if that had happened to one of our boys, we’d have done AT LEAST what the Bergdahl family has done. And frankly, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t have tried to do something to rescue their child. Surely these conservative media people are parents. Surely they have a conscience. Surely they can express empathy. Bet they’d want this from the rest of us if it were one of their sons.

I don’t know if Sgt. Bergdahl deserted or just went on walk-about like he’s apparently done before. To think soldiers don’t have opinions and feelings about what they do while in the military is naive. They do. My husband is a Vietnam veteran. He’s just livid over what’s happening to that family. We don’t leave anyone on the battlefield. We bring them home. It’s part of the contract we make with those who defend us. But it’s more than that. Regardless of what Sgt. Bergdahl did or didn’t do, he’s an American who signed up to defend our country. We MUST bring him home, investigate what happened, and then do the right thing for Sgt. Bergdahl, his family, and the country. If he’s guilty of something, then he’ll be dealt with. But if he’s not, will there be an apology from these people who prefer to condemn him and his family without the facts?

Can you imagine not knowing for five years if your son is okay? Can you imagine not knowing if he’s alive or dead? You’re powerless to bring him home. You can’t protect the child you’ve loved more than life itself. You can’t hold him and tell him that everything is going to be okay..that the nightmare is over. You can’t make the pain he’s in go away. How do you survive this without losing your mind? I’m not sure I could. And to then be ridiculed and condemned for just trying to help and honor your child is beyond abusive. It’s cruel. These people are simply cruel. 

Isn’t the vitriol getting old? Isn’t the judgment without knowing the facts irritating? There is a solution, you know. Don’t watch or listen to these foolish people. Their irresponsibility is destructive and cruel. Where is their humanity? Their compassion? We’re better than this. I know we are. There’s a point at which enough is enough.

And I’m pretty sure we’re there now.