Recognition and respect. andrewwadenunn: I...

Recognition and respect.

I avoided reblogging this image all day, as part of me felt that it was too “rough”.

I just now had an epiphany: last week I was interviewed on how I felt about this path of thinking, specifically how the Austin Symphony Orchestra felt that cutting Veteran speakers from their 4th of July performance. I admitted to being upset, and honestly I am. I can’t believe that their reasoning was out of a fear that people might have felt put-off or disgusted, or terrified by hearing the stories.

So here is my reblog and this will be the only thing that I leave on my page for the day. This happens every day. Then guys that went through shit like this come home just to fight battles of bureaucracy that make an “L” shaped ambush look like a game of hop-scotch, homelessness, unemployment, loneliness, depression, PTSD, TBI, drug and alcohol dependence, detachment from society, and a general feeling of being unappreciated.

So here it is, America. The yellow ribbon you purchased at the local quicky mart, which was made in China, helped this Warrior in no way.

Look.

Take a good, long look.

Think about it.

I hope it fucks your weekend up.

I hope it makes you cry.

Image by Jerome Starkey - *side note - People who reblog these images need to credit the creators of the image. It’s impolite and disrespectful to do so otherwise. This isn’t just a photograph, it’s a validation of a point in time. Some one left the comfort of their home, and risked their life to go capture this image. Pay a little respect.

[Andrew has my vigorous support and agreement, to all of this. Especially the crediting of the creator. But more than that, a caption that recognizes who this soldier is, with blood on his face, holding the hand of a severely wounded comrade. I recall seeing this image with the caption elsewhere, including the soldier’s name; I think I even reblogged it that way. While transporting the wounded soldier to the Dustoff for medevac extraction, the personnel encountered another IED. I abhor seeing these types of photos reblogged without the captions. -R]

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