First published in SD Rostra
Written by: Barry Jantz
Among the mixed emotions of sadness and outrage resulting from the last two days, also comes the inevitable. The flurry of press releases and statements hitting my email and social media feed, pumped out by elected officials at every level, as well as the candidates trying to defeat them, and by local party organizations.
Every one of them with the need to express something profound and heartfelt in the wake of tragedy.
I learned years ago I’m wasting my time decrying the apparent need to compete at such a time. Yeah, I get it. I understand. No one can risk having their opponents say they remained silent on a difficult matter.
So the statements come, one after the other, with headlines looking pretty similar, typically something along the lines of, “So and So Named Person’s Statement on Afghanistan.”
What follows is a solemn statement of some kind, a demand for change, an opinion of how things should have been handled (if only “I” were in charge), or some combination thereof.
With all due respect, if you as a politician feel you simply have to issue a statement at this time, in this instance the following should absolutely be included:
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, of Wentzville, Missouri
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, 20, of Laredo, Texas
Navy Hospital Corpsman Max Soviak, of Berlin Heights, Ohio
Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Riverside County, California
Marine Crps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, 31, of Daggett County, Utah
Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan William-Tyeler Page, 23, of Red Oak, Iowa
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee
Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California
Photo from: USNI News Photo Graphic
