NYC Hosts Big Parade for Football Stars- Rejects Parade for War Vets

NEW YORK (AP) — “The New York Giants are returning from their Super Bowl win to a celebration the likes that only New York can throw: a ticker-tape parade in the Canyon of Heroes on Broadway, where the city has honored stars for almost a century. Members of the Giants will be showered with a mile of confetti as they travel up Broadway from Battery Place. Then, in a ceremony at City Hall Plaza, the team will be presented with symbolic keys to the city.”

“Big Blue gave us a game to remember, and on Tuesday we're going to give them a parade to remember," Mayor Bloomberg said Sunday. But, Paul Rieckhoff, founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said “If a football team gets a parade, shouldn’t our veterans?”

When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah, hurrah! Well not in New York
City. Mayor Michael Bloomberg referring to military officials said he was asked not to hold a veterans event citing there are too many service men in harm’s way around the world. Really, when are they not?

Of course, this is a complicated situation in which full detailed facts will not be revealed. But the perception is just wrong. We cannot keep teaching our children that valor is only heralded upon sports heroes as if they were called to duty; impudent referrals in sports to battle, war and protecting our house. We bandy about the word hero around as if it were common place and routine. We constantly confuse and interchangeably use the words hero and victim. We frequently honor those who fight the grid iron war and ignore those who return form a real battle field with a lifetime of rehabilitation.

It is much more pleasant to celebrate the incredible temporary insignificance of winning of a football game, rather than confronting the collective psyche of our responsibility to generations of freedom fighters. We would rather not face the fighters who must endure months of anguish in readjusting to life at home and others who fall into long term mental disabilities, lack of employment, and homelessness. It is easier to wear a look-a-like jersey, throw confetti on a celebrity grasping a trophy atop a float, than to view a soldier with a mechanical leg.

Yes children, hail the conquering heroes, but let us not forget those as they return from the field of battle with horrible war injuries; a turned ankle, a bruised ego, the desperation of failure. Well not really too desperate, when the post season bonuses are tallied. But for the moment, their wives cry out in the halls defending their husband’s humiliation from a lack of unit cohesion. They are tough, they are team-oriented. They vow to regroup and fight on next year … assuming that is, next year’s contract negations are satisfactory. BTW, let those negotiations continue through the last week of pre-season training, so not as to report too early–its hot. Yes kids, they are our fallen heroes.