"Lone Survivor" is more than just a movie

I usually don't like to get into topics like politics, religion, etc. I truly believe that everyone can and should have their own beliefs and opinions on things, and living in America we all have the right to vocalize those opinions. However, I also believe that topics like politics, religion, or social issues are things that are based on one's morality and are ingrained in them to the deepest part of their being. To argue those beliefs is silly. To understand each other's belief is so much more important.

That being said...

Dave and I went to see the movie "Lone Survivor" on Saturday. For those of you who don't know, Dave is a Marine Corps veteran and deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan.

The movie hit home. There were large spans of it that were incredibly hard to watch, for both of us. However, this movie was more than just a hollywood drama. It was a real story.

David next to a Marine Corps
monument in DC in 2010.

Since seeing the movie, I have been reading about the men who lost their lives and the mission they were on. For me it's fascinating. That instead of choosing college and a comfortable job in the business world, these men and women choose to leave behind the safety of their homes to protect others. It's truly the most unselfish act.

I have also been reading critiques of the film. Of course there are those people who are calling it "pro war propaganda" and "right wing publicity".  There was even a man who said, "It seems senseless all these wonderful people who were killed for an op that went wrong."

Excuse my naivete, but I truly cannot comprehend how someone can see the story of heroic men and women, the ultimate sacrifice they made, and the unselfishness of it all solely through a political lens. Look beyond that...

Dave and I have talked about his time in the military. It's a part of his life he is very proud of, but a part of his life that he likes to keep in the past. One thing that will forever resonate with me: he joined to serve his country, but he fought for the men beside him. The bond of brotherhood is much deeper than the political bullshit that civilians back home see.

Honestly, does anyone have any idea what a real war is like other than the people who have experienced it? Do I have a right to judge your chosen profession? Perhaps, but I'll never judge you for laying down your life for something you so vehemently believe in. I only wish I could have a job I was so passionate about.

So next time you want to criticize the war, the soldiers who fight, a hollywood movie that wants to tell their story... remember these are real people, with real families and real human emotions. They are not just actors on a screen.