No one could fail to be moved by the faces we see this weekend at the World War II Memorial in Washington. Sixty years ago, these were very young men, fighting so their children would not have to. Now they are the veterans, their faces are lined, their eyes grimace in the late spring sun.
Theirs was a war when no one ever asked if it was just, if it was honorable or if it was right, because everybody knew. People ask those questions about war today. Since Vietnam, war has been a topic of debate, and while most people have learned that its not fair to blame the soldiers for the decisions of their commanders, many have come to believe that the ideas of war are no longer directly attached to principles of honor and justice.
This hour, the reflections of a new generation of soldier. Second Lieutenant Jim Meeks lived a life of privilege in Boston; Milton Academy; Harvard College; and yet when he graduated two years ago, he chose to set aside that privilege and join the army. He was sent to Iraq. He was injured there. He’s back home recuperating, and he joins us to reflect on what it means to be a soldier today.
Guests:
Second Lieutenant Jim Meeks