Art Villarreal’s Living Green

There is something I have to get off my chest. I know somewhere along the line, I will offend a few people, but please think of my opinion and hopefully you will understand where I am coming from.

I am a born American. I have lived all my life with the exception of 2 years in America. I am proud to be the son of a Vietnam Veteran who served during the Battle of Ia Drang. Think of the movie “We Were Soldiers“. I lived a somewhat normal childhood, but I had some bad days with my dad. It was my dad who told me that I should join the military so that it would make a man out of me. I complied.

I served my country honorably and with dignity during the First Gulf War. I did not go to the Persian Gulf, but was stationed in Panama City, Panama shortly after our invasion of Panama to oust Manuel Noriega. I did my duty and came home.

I supported our military and government during the Afghanistan War, but I drew the line there. When we invaded Iraq, I thought this was a big mistake and our service men and women do not deserve to die in this senseless battle. I had numerous friends and relatives serve in Iraq and everyday I feared for their lives.

Now we are at a crossroads. We as a nation are beginning to see the unsettling of the Middle East as it has always been and we want to go and fix it. I say we can’t. Take a step back and look at the mess we are in. Our economy is in ruins, our neighborhoods are home to thousands of homeless, and children are going without meals everyday.

How can we justify supporting another country’s citizens, when we cannot even take care of our own? I am appalled at the fact that we would rather send money to a foreign country to feed their poor and turn our back on our own children. Those of you who choose to paint yourselves green for the Iranian people should paint yourselves Red, White, and Blue for our American people.

I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be a veteran. I am proud to live in the country of opportunity, but I am saddened at how quickly those of you who feel the same way I do, rather support another country rather then your own. Walk in your downtown neighborhoods. Stroll through your inner city streets. It will be there for you to see. Hundreds of homeless and hungry lost in the neighborhoods.

Sure they have problems. Sure they are alcoholics. But we should do what we can to help them. Let Iran worry about Iran. Imagine if we mettle in their business how the Islam world will think of us. We are not welcomed, why do we try to invite ourselves into their country.

No nation or empire has ever won a war on three fronts. I would rather we not try to be the first at the risk of losing more of our children to a potentially senseless war. And not only do we have to worry about Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, we must also worry about North Korea. I have serious doubts we can come out on top of this. I urge all of you to build a new foundation for our nation. I ask you to support your communities. I know I haven’t done so, but I intend to do something. I think of Ashton and Demi and their project to feed the hungry, and I think that is the start of something big. This is the spark we need to bring our nation back from the brink. This is what we need to make our great nation a Great Nation.

Sorry if I offended anyone.

Cya

Art