Late last week, throughout the weekend and on this morning's talk shows, Michelle Obama and Joy Biden, have been all over the news and talk shows promoting their "Joining Forces Campaign". They have been travelling to different military bases and military hospitals around the country visiting with military personnel and in particular with their families - spouses, children and parents.
The "Joining Forces Campaign" (
http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces) is to make America aware - up close and personal - of the less than 10% of our population who have voluntarily stepped up to protect and defend our country. The sacrifice and struggles that the families go through while the service member is deployed. What the children of deployed members have to give up by having a parent gone for months at a time and may never come home.
The campaign is designed to get the average American to realize just what these service members and their families are contributing to the country by their willingness to serve. To help communities, schools, etc...be aware of these families and acknowledge them through "kind acts"... whether it be helping the family out in some way - large or small, schools sending letters and care packages to deployed personnel, etc.
Don't get me wrong....I think the idea of getting the general public more aware of our military personnel and their personal and family sacrifices, is absolutely wonderful! Whatever it takes, to get people to realize those doing the "job" should be revered not vilified...they are doing their jobs, not starting wars. I don't need to explain to anyone here how military people and their families should be recognized. I don't think there are any members here at CC, that would not agree that the military does not receive the well-earned respect or support from many Americans. And they certainly are not compensated enough!!
My question though is the result of reading several articles and seeing the First and Second Ladies interviewed on tv.
I just watched them on The View.
While I agree with what both of them said about our military and their families ... they ARE right in this case... I question where this sudden glorifying of the military and their families ... particularly by Michelle Obama...is coming from.
I'm not feeling as cynical towards Jill Biden, simply because the Biden son is military and been deployed. We all know that he was probably as "protected" as possible while over there, but he still went, and his family still had to worry, and horrible tragedies can happen even in the most "protected" situations.
I watched Michelle sit there and speak about "our wonderful soldiers who not only protect us IN A TIME OF WAR but also in peace time", about their bravery, their sacrifices, the pride their families have, and the strength of their families who don't ask for help but rely on each other to get through deployments. She really did say wonderful things about the military and their families. And yes, she did refer to this as "wartime".
I could not help but wonder, how much of this very public praise and concern, the entire "Joining Forces Campaign", and so much empathy and sympathy....is real.
Or is it just a part of getting their husbands reelected?
I know that sounds awful ...especially when I think the "campaign" is an excellent idea and definitely needs to be done...but I just can not believe that it isn't being done for political purposes rather than a heartfelt need to help our military and their families.
These wars were going on 2 years ago when Obama/Biden took office. Nothing for two years, but Obama announces he's going to run for re-election, and a week later..."Joining Forces" is initiated. The last two years, Michelle's been picking apart Happy Meals and learning how to garden. Those weren't getting enough positive attention, so she's decided to support the military to see if it not only gets more favorable attention (how can it not?) and perhaps bring the military vote over to the Obama/Biden ticket?
The timing of the two announcements makes me question the true purpose of the "Joining Forces".