This morning I heard retired LTC Louis Dorfman gave you his Purple Heart. Having a Purple Heart myself, knowing what it takes to get that medal, knowing the toll that award has taken on me, both mentally and physically, I can’t stop thinking about this. You probably don’t know the Purple Heart was established by George Washington during the Revolutionary War. It was the first award in our military. Today, the Purple Heart is “awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action.” In my case it was a violent and coordinated ambush in Taji, Iraq. A vehicle packed with munitions exploded next to my humvee while we were on a patrol to find and arrest a suspected arms dealer. The blast critically injured me and killed my gunner, and dear friend, instantly. We both received Purple Hearts that day. My driver pulled me out of the truck and when a secondary explosion went off, he shielded me from the blast with his own body, taking shrapnel in his arm and back. He received a Purple Heart that day. Another good friend ran while under direct fire with a medic bag to try to help us, and the secondary explosion critically injured him. He also received a Purple Heart that day.
So, when I heard you quip, “I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier” my first reaction was anger and indignation. How could someone give something I hold sacred to you, a person so full of hate and ignorance? Why would anyone give this award I hold so precious to a man who so obviously has no idea what it really means?
But the truth of the matter is, I don’t own the medal, Mr. Trump. I don’t own war, and I surely don’t own being a veteran. I only own my past and what I believe. It took me years to come to this conclusion.
So, please give me a minute of your time and keep reading. I gave my Purple Heart to my nine-year-old son when I first came back, twelve years ago. He saw my bandages and later my scars. He also saw how the war changed me. I gave him my Purple Heart with the hope that it would help him understand sacrifice and duty. Not just my own, but my brothers who died and the others who were wounded, as well as all the men and women who risk their lives to defend our great country. My son has grown to be a fine young man that I am proud of and love dearly. I do believe that giving him the medal helped in some way. So I want to believe that this retired Lieutenant Colonel giving you his Purple Heart is a good thing. I want to believe this because considering the number of times you have superficially invoked war veterans you obviously need to learn more about sacrifice and duty. These are two topics that weigh heavy on all veterans. These are two topics, taking in account your dispute with Gold Star families, you desperately needs to understand. My hope is that you don’t give that medal to a staffer to file away and lose. My hope is that you hold that heart-shaped medal in your hand and feel the weight of it. I sincerely wish it crushes you at first. You need to come to a realization, Mr. Trump. Veterans and their family members are not props. Sacrifice and duty is how we’ve lived our lives and we understand that these are the foundations our great country was built on, and it is our duty to ensure no one, not even a presidential candidate with billions of dollars, trivializes or belittles our sacrifice.
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Originally published on The Big Smoke
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Read also Sean Davis’s moving story of his time in war: The Breech
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I think that maybe someone is playing you guys, trying to invoke visceral reaction. I saw the edited version, but as always, I went hunting. In the full version he added, “I got one the easy way”. He then invited the vet up on the platform with him, thanked him, posed with him, and I’m sure autographed that for the guy. He then thanked him deeply, twice more and asked him if he wanted to say a few words. The Vet replied, “No, you just keep saying what you are saying”. His final words were, “What an honor”. And while… Read more »
Sorry guys. But the very fact that Hillary trotted out these folks is proof that she used them as props. Can’t stand on her merits, or policies, or accomplishments. So well bring out the heartbroken parents of a Muslim soldier who died saving others. What about other soldiers, Christians for example that did similar? Capt Kahn was a hero. No doubt.but she specifically picked a Muslim for this dog and pony show. but if you guys cannot see this stunt for what it is then I simply can’t help you. That you continue to deflect the real point is simply… Read more »
The Republican candidates can’t stand on their merits (or lack of them). How do you know she pick the guy for the dog and pony show? You can vote for that POS Trump and don’t delude yourself as to why you are doing it in the name of patriotism. The Republicans and Trump are using you too.
Thank you Mr. Davis for your service and your honesty. I’m blown away by your courage — including the courage it took to share your experience openly. He may not hear you or understand your values, but many, many of us did hear you — maybe even almost all of us. I’m sure your family is proud of you, please know that so am I, so is Portland and so is America.
What bothers me is the total lack of balance when it comes to these things. I’m totally not in agreement with everything about Trump and accordingly, I look at ALL sides as they stand. Ultimately, it is the epitome of the lesser of the evils. Accordingly I believe that GMP is doing a great disservice to its readers by placing Hillary on the pedestal the way they have.
I don’t understand the fear in placing ALL the cards on the table and letting people make informed decisions accordingly.
Well, the media did not do a good job about talking about Bush, Jr.,’s record as a Texas governor and a lying, cheating business person; otherwise, people would have thought twice about voting for him. As a matter of fact, several members of the Bush family were lousy business people. You think that someone would have had a talk with them about looking getting another occupation since everything they touch turn into a disaster. If it wasn’t for the business, social, and financial connections, they would have been homeless a long time ago. Putting Don Trump as a great business… Read more »
Because Tom, that is The greatest fear of the Illberal left. To invite any discussion leaves them open to having their position refuted, and on open mind capable of choosing another view is their worst enemy. That’s why their primary tactic of suppression is to belittle, to demonize, to try to convince that the Person who says these thing are in fact a bigot, sexism, phobe of some kind. They don’t go after the argument. They go after the person.
No. It is the Republicans that fear any kind of discussion leave them open to having their positions refuted and that an open mind capable of choosing another view is their worst enemy. And the Republicans go after the person, not the argument and they use the tactic of suppression when it comes to using belittlement, and demonization.
Use your own points to refute my position, don’t just plagiarize mine and call them unique because you changed the party name. Sounds just like what a kid would do. Mirror mirror etc
I will use your own points against you, and if you don’t like it, that is your problem not mine. File a complaint with the GMP.
The corporate controlled media put Trump on a pedestal with all the free air time they have been giving him.
I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for your sacrifice, your soul and your heart Sean. You are what the American spirit is all about. Donald Trump will never understand it or ever be able to buy. Again thank you for your service.
Sean, this is one of the most authentic, from the heart, pieces I’ve read in a long, long time here at GMP. Thank you for sharing this and thank you for your sacrifice in the service of our country. I can only imagine, no one, NO ONE can have any idea what it must be like to sacrifice like you and your brothers and sisters in arms did and continue to do unless they have had the same experience. Your measured words have strength because they are authentic and backed up by the real courage it took to go through… Read more »
I am not a veteran and I have never written a reply to a post like yours ever in my life. I want you to know that the majority of the people I know hold your position strongly. The Purple Heart is given with specific purpose and those who recieve it should be honored for they sacrificed and provide the liberties and freedoms that all Americans enjoy and believe in. Thank you for your service and posting your point of view. May God bless you and all of our veterans who protect these rights!
So it was OK for Hillary to serve up the khan’s as political props? This is not one way. Yes the captain was a hero. It was his character and it was his job. But the left has twisted all of this to make it nothing but trumps problem. It’s not just his. He handled it horribly in my opinion. But this is nothing but a really bad 3 or 2 ring circus. 2 of the most despicable and unlikeable people ever to run for election.
Yes. It is okay for the Democrats to bring a Gold Star Muslim family forward to show that they have made real sacrifice for the safety and betterment of America, When a presidential candidate paints all Muslim people with a brush intended for the very few, a response is needed. And then for you to come forward and politicize this is incredible. It IS Trump’s problem. He does not understand that he attacks the majority when his focus should be on the minority (and a very small minority at that). And by wanting to be president he will be responsible… Read more »
again, you guys keep coming up with the nonsense that Trump is hating on all Muslims. he’s not. He NEVER said that. What he DID say was that he would hold up immigration and resettlement of all muslims until he is reasonably sure we have a way to vet them properly. Which we absolutely do not. But the left continues this narrative in the hope that a simple message endlessly repeated will stick, because you want it that way to be heard. If I were Trump I know how exactly I’d deal with this.
Well if Trump wants to talk about immigration lets him talk about going after corporations who hire illegal and legal immigrants so they don’t have to hire American workers. Trump himself is using the V1B visa to bring in more immigrants and wants to expand it. But the right that is continuing this narrative about not finding qualified American workers in the hope that a simple message endlessly repeated will stick, because you want it that way to be heard. Funny how Michael Bloomberg is attacking Trump considering the fact that Bloomberg stated that we need immigrants to compete; however,… Read more »
People hear what they want to hear. Never at any time has Trump painted all Muslims as terrorists. He has called for a temporary ban while we figure out a way to be sure there are no terrorists among immigrants for although not all Muslims are terrorists most all terrorists are Muslim. A president’s first obligation is to the safety of Americans that is all he ever talked about. I think Mr Kahn was scripted. He waved a constitution he does not understand. His son’s sacrifice was very real but that does not mean I cannot disagree with his politics.
Well, it is not okay for some of our politicians to wrap themselves in the flag or the Pentagon paying sport teams to display their soldiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaW7cOJUt1A
Bush, Jr., use the military as political props when he landed on the carrier and wearing a flight suit. The Republican Party is well known for using soldiers as props especially during the Reagan years.
well then if it’s not ok for the politicians to wrap themselves up in the American Flag, or use sports teams then it’s NOT ok to use the military family that Hillary did, nor the Mom of a Benghazi victim that Trump used. Look, You can’t have it both ways. But see that is the problem. The illiberal left ALWAYS makes it about themselves because of the moral superiority complex they have. They will do ANYTHING to anyone all the time to make sure only their voice is herd. It’s really just another form of McCarthyism. They will destroy people’s… Read more »
No Mark, you Republicans like to have it both way and the Republicans are the ones who think that they are morally superior and they are the ones that will do ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING all the time to make sure that their voices are heard. They are the ones that have destroy people’s live, their character, and their name to ensure that they get everything they want.
Sean, I am speechless. This is one of the most powerful pieces published this year on GMP. When I heard this comment in passing in the car on the radio, I thought it had to be a mistake, I can’t imagine anyone saying, “I always wanted to get a Purple Heart.” That’s insane. Does anyone really want to get a Purple Heart? No one alive. People serve their country, and if it so happens and they are so honored, it is as you describe, a mixed and conflicted experience of sacrifice and acknowledgement. It is pain and it is remembrance.… Read more »
These are the kind of human stories we need. Less talk about Mr. Trump and more sharing of deeply compassionate truth from those who are living it.
Sure, like at the RNC the mother of a Benghazi victim spoke of her loss of her son, yet not ONE word of support for that from the left, as if it didn’t matter because it would somehow reflect back on Hillary’s poor handling.
Sure Mark, you had more State Department employees killed under Bush, Jr., leadership but there was no support from the right wing about demanding the Republican Congress and Bush, Jr., to increase the spending on embassy security; http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/may/12/john-garamendi/prior-benghazi-were-there-13-attacks-embassies-and/ I guess that was Bush’s way of reducing the number of government employees.