posted
I feel I need to say something- one soldier to another. Bean, though I never knew your Hatrack identity, I admire your candor of speech, and demeanor in which you seemed to have written your letter. I admire the chivalry you display in selflessly leaving your friends, family, and home. You really understood what's important, something everyone else in the world must come to understand. I hope to honor your death to the best of my ability, to make my presence here a valuable contribution to the benefit of the world. I pray the seeds you've undoubtedly have planted will grow, bearing the fruits of your legacy. Brother in arms, my thoughts are with you.
Posts: 135 | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
We disagreed on too much for me to remember BC fondly, but I'm very sorry he's gone. Rest in peace.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Well, yes, I would think life/death is the ultimate binary. My parents should have used that one on me instead of "kids in India."
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by erosomniac: We disagreed on too much for me to remember BC fondly, but I'm very sorry he's gone. Rest in peace.
Indeed.
I rarely agreed with him, but there was no denying that he was a forceful advocate for his cause. He defended America on here with words, even though we disagreed on the methods and courses of action necessary to do so. And he died defending America out there.
I trust that he has no regrets in his actions, and that he believed firmly in what he was doing over there. I hope his family can take a lot of pride and hopefully comfort in that.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
"When a man decides to do something he must go all the way... he must take responsibility for what he does... he must first know why he is doing it, and then he must proceed with his actions without having doubts or remorse about them."
Posts: 5 | Registered: Feb 2009
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I'm almost never here anymore, but remember BeanCounter. While I never like to hear that someone has died, there is some...comfort? I guess that might be the best, though inadequate word...in someone who dies consistent with their life. I know he believed in where he was and what he was doing, so I am comforted, and am touched by the words he left behind.
Thanks again for posting. I'll be praying for his family in the face of their loss.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:I rarely agreed with him, but there was no denying that he was a forceful advocate for his cause. He defended America on here with words, even though we disagreed on the methods and courses of action necessary to do so. And he died defending America out there.
Unfortunately, although I'm confident that Bean Counter believed he was defending America out there when he died, I don't believe the war he was fighting was defending America in any meaningful way. And in my mind that makes his death all that much sadder.
He had a naive faith in an American Ideal that made it easy for unscrupulous leaders to manipulate him into serving in a poorly conceived, ill-planned, badly executed and unethical war that had almost nothing to do with the ideals he believed in. And he paid the ultimate price for it. That's not just sad, its tragic.
I know its considered impolite to say this kind of thing when someone has died, but I think its important to speak the truth, especially at these times or the cycle goes on.
Over 3000 US soldiers died on the final day of WW I. General Pershing knew the terms of the armistice had already been set and that his actions would have no impact on the terms of the armistice, but he launched a bloody assault anyway to further his own career. The men who died that day didn't die defending America. They died to advance the career of a General who was willing to kill thousands of his own men for personal gain. When good men die in poorly conceived fights, we don't do them any favors by calling them heroes. We just ensure that it will keep happening over and over again.
[ March 02, 2009, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
I am probably going to lock this post now. The Rabbit may have convinced me to do so. Please, if you read the quote and read the thread, you would know that it's a quote from Castaneda, one of Scott's favorite authors.
The last time I checked, Castaneda wasn't much of a Christian. Read first. This a thread for simple words. Not an area to flame or tout agenda.
You can do that in a new thread if you'd like.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Feb 2009
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quote:Unfortunately, although I'm confident that Bean Counter believed he was defending America out there when he died, I don't believe the war he was fighting was defending America in any meaningful way. And in my mind that makes his death all that much sadder.
He had a naive faith in an American Ideal that made it easy for unscrupulous leaders to manipulate him into serving in a poorly conceived, ill-planned, badly executed and unethical war that had almost nothing to do with the ideals he believed in. And he paid the ultimate price for it. That's not just sad, its tragic.
I understand your feelings on the matter. I've had this argument with my brother, a former Marine, many times, and in this specific instance, I think Matt's words are most appropriate. There's a time and a place. This is neither the time, nor the place.
In my opinion though, his intention matters as much as the actual end result of his actions. So while I might not feel like the war over there has made me safer, that doesn't mean that he didn't die trying to defend me and mine, and I can appreciate his intention and his effort all the same.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by MattP: Not the place, Rabbit.
I am very sympathetic to the idea you are trying to convey Rabbit, but I think another thread is a better place. While I hope that when I am dead people will discuss my legacy honestly, I still hope there is at least one little place where the things I believed in are cherished as much as they can be.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:I know its considered impolite to say this kind of thing when someone has died, but I think its important to speak the truth, especially at these times or the cycle goes on.
Um, this is a thread offered to inform us that he died. I told him exactly what I thought of him and his ideology, when he was alive. There was more or less a point then. He's dead, so this is only really just rubbing salt in the wounds of people who knew him and who have suffered loss through his death, to put that here.
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Here's to BeanCounter. You will be missed by your family, friends, country and a little online community that you visited. Rest in peace, it was too soon, but you've earned it.
Posts: 382 | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
Man... this sucks. We were kind of kindred spirits here. No words can express the thanks for his service.
Posts: 2845 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Ok -- I agree that yes, it's a good idea to sticky this thread for this weekend. I ask that should anyone post to it, that it be to honor the sacrifice Bean Counter and those like him have made on behalf of others, giving their lives in service to their country. Differing opinions are certainly out there, but I ask that they remain out of this thread, at least for this weekend.
posted
Makes Memorial Day more personally meaningful than it usually is for me, unfortunately:( I'm sorry he's gone. I regret that we didn't see the side of him expressed in that letter, too. That comes out a criticism, but that criticism can be truly said of all of us.
Godspeed on your new journey, Sergeant.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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"My mission warning order came down finally, however I am not sure about dates as far as when we get boots on the ground, June 8 is my activation for federal orders, May 3 we go to a three week state AT and we SRP next month.
As for our mission we are being broken into four man mentoring teams and tasked to village AP stations... thats right, I guess they ran out of SF and decided to use the Guard...it is not a kinetic mission, just babysitting the foriegn tribal cops in the Pushtu area. I will miss toilets, cooked food, and bathing...however we my actually get relaxed grooming standards so that might be kind of cool..."
Posts: 110 | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
I guess I never saw this. Thank you, Scott. And all the men and women who have given their lives, or have prepared to give them - you I thank as well.
Posts: 1215 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Raia: I know I posted a little while ago, but I just recently went through and read a bunch of my old e-mails from him... it made me feel like I was in some tragic war movie... they were all like "I hope I get to meet you soon," and "another one was killed today, but don't worry about me, I can take care of myself"...
It wasn't until today, rereading this thread, and specifically this post, that this felt real to me.
I hope his family is doing okay.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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