100th Blog Post - A Milestone

Greetings readers.

Let me start off with an article that I have found from the www.rockymountainnews.com website regarding the "Soldier Statute" that I had mentioned in my blog the day before. I guess this news was a bit old since I see that the print date was 04/07/07.

Let the hero tribute stand
Critics of statue miss the point
STORY TOOLS

April 7, 2007
By any definition, Petty Officer Danny Dietz of Littleton is a hero. The Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005, was awarded the Navy Cross - which ranks second only to the Medal of Honor.

He has certainly earned a prominent and lasting memorial to acknowledge his service, a memorial the Littleton City Council authorized last year.

The council will place a life-size bronze statue of Dietz at the edge of Berry Park, which will be dedicated on July 4, exactly two years after his body was recovered. And since the private fund- raising drive for the memorial has exceeded expectations, surpassing its $30,000 goal by more than $12,000, there may be enough money to also place a flagpole and a separate plaque on the site.

Even so, a smattering of parents have objected to the statue's location, which is within a few blocks of three schools and two playgrounds. Their complaint?

The statue is based on a photo of Danny Dietz that shows him in full field gear, rifle in hand. The protesting parents say that a sculpture depicting firearms should not be publicly displayed in areas where kids play.

Some have said a "peace memorial" should be erected instead. Others composed a letter that they've sent to community organizations and residents, urging them to ask the city to reconsider the location of the memorial. "In light of our community's experience with the Columbine tragedy," the letter reads, "and the clear message of non-violence that we teach in Littleton schools, what is our city thinking?"

It's thinking a lot more clearly than the protesters, that's for sure.

For one thing, trying to conflate the horror of Columbine with the courage of Danny Dietz is insulting. The Columbine killers cowardly mowed down unarmed and innocent classmates and a teacher.

By contrast, Dietz was wounded behind enemy lines during a special operations mission that was intended to apprehend a Taliban leader. When he and his three fellow SEALs were trapped by Taliban forces, Dietz and another wounded comrade stayed behind and provided enough cover fire to let another team member - the mission's sole survivor - elude capture.

Reasonable people might disagree about the artistic standard of the statue. But that's not at issue. And Dietz's family affirmed Friday that they remain very happy with the design.
Nor did the council approve this proposal in secret. It was authorized during the normal public process, and a model was displayed at a council meeting.

Danny's widow Patsy Dietz framed the dispute just right when she urged parents "to teach their children the difference between two thugs who murder their classmates and a soldier who died fighting for their freedom."

The distinction is so obvious it's hard to believe a debate is taking place. Littleton is right to stand by its decision.

As you can read, the organizers did everything that was required. And can you believe that they raised over $ 12,000 more than they needed for the statue. I think that shows some people care about this. Granted, I do not know how much the Columbine Memorial is costing, but if these people can raise the funds like this - for one person. Then the Columbine Memorial committee should be able to raise the funds for the people that died at Columbine. I know that the Columbine People do not want to people to "never forgot" but sheesz. If they can not raise the funds then something is not right.

Perhaps, I can weight on this. I am tired of Columbine. Sure it was unique thing to happen at the time, but I was not emotional about it. I could care less about the endless vigils, the endless "I saved myself from being killed", the endless "I knew them", the endless "Tonight the killers speak beyond the grave", the endless commentaries, etc. These people also have gotten Colorado Motor Vehicles Division to issue a special license plate with "Remember Columbine" plate or something to that effect.

Now, as I mentioned in the previous blog. It is about - "Oh we need more money to finish the Memorial". "Oh we are still healing" "Oh we want all the documents to be released regarding the Columbine incident" In my opinion, they should have left the white crosses that were erected somewhere over there and left them in the ground until the official "Memorial" is built. I do not know, but again that is my opinion. Also, I am making my opinion on little facts I know about this Memorial. Sorry readers, I am not interested in going into this item, since I could care less.

Sure this was a tragic event, but all in all the Columbine event was an isolated local event. This event has no bearing on the world outside the community of Columbine. All the students should have been local and there were no out of state travellers, or basically people beyond the doors of Columbine. As such as the 9-11 event, The VA tech incident, Oklahoma Bombing, Katrina, all these events involved people who were beyond the doors of where the event happened.

I might be reaching, but a person from Seattle would not come to Colorado to see the Columbine Memorial. I am sure that he/she saw the news on tv and read about it, but that's it. Yes, it happened to kids, but the it was kids that did the event. Not a terrorist, not mother nature, not a radical, just kids who not with the "in crowd". If that Seattle person were perhaps near the Columbine area when visiting our state then he/she might go and see for him/herself. All in all, in my opinion, the Columbine event really is not an event that is a must see in person thing.

I have run out of time readers, so I am going to have to close this blog out. As you can see I am starting to get involved about this item, now of interest.

until the next readers.

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete