Kevin Marshall's America
A Captain, a trumpet, and a German sniper.
Fifty plus years after the fact, a former soldier recounts a remarkable tale from the front lines.
And in that moment, Jack found the human side of his enemy and was likely never able to look down the barrel of his gun in quite the same way.
Sadly, too many of us are unable to do that to those with whom we carry an ideological, philosophical, religious, and/or political disagreement. Captain Jackie Toomer was able to find common ground with the greatest enemy of freedom seen in the 20th Century. Fifty years later, a Florida preacher is planning to burn copies of the Quran because he doesn’t want a Mosque built thousands of miles North.
Hate propogates because hate is easy. It’s as easy as breathing and for too many of us comes just as naturally. But understanding, like playing the trumpet, is a skill you have to work at and develop. It’s harder, but what comes out is far more beautiful.
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3 Responses to A Captain and His Trumpet vs. A German Sniper
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STALK ME
Yep. Empathy is what makes us human beings. Making threats against civilians because of religious or ideological values is what makes us terrorists. No amount of pain and suffering or legal and linguistic loopholes will EVER change that.
Thanks for finding that and sharing it with your readers, Kevin. There’s a reason that they are now known as “The Greatest Generation.”
As for the moron in Florida with his Quran-burning plans, General Petraeus has already stated that this will further endanger our soldiers and will only serve as more anti-US propaganda.
It’s time to concentrate on what we have in common, not what makes us different.
Nice. I liked that. We can learn a lot from people who have lived long, full lives like this.
And I would agree 100% on your conclusion but I think we’ve all got to work on that one. There’s much too much dividing people these days. When you get right down to it, we are all just people and we are imperfect.