A Tale of Two Funerals
By all accounts, Harold was a bright child. He grew up in America. He went to school and had a bright future ahead of him. Harold’s full life was cut short in a violent moment.
While few people had ever heard of Harold before his death, many did afterwards. And in death, something shocking happened. What was so shocking, especially when it is compared to the death of someone else recently in the news?
Harold is Harold Greene, Major General United States Army. On August 5, 2014, General Greene was killed by a Taliban terrorist.
U.S. Army Major General Harold Greene was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, including a caisson, two escort platoons, casket team, firing party, colors team, and a caparisoned horse. The U.S. Army band, “Pershing’s Own,” played softly as the funeral procession made its way down the long hill past the rows of simple white gravestones to bring General Greene to his final resting place.
The graveside service began with a few words, followed by a 13-gun salute. The major general’s widow, Dr. Susan Myers, was seated in the front row. To her right was their son 1st Lt. Matthew Greene, his daughter Amelia Greene, followed by Major General Greene’s father, also Harold Greene.
After three rifle volleys and the playing of “Taps,” the American flag, once placed on the major general’s casket, was carefully folded as the band played “America the Beautiful.” U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno presented the flag to his widow, and additional flags to his children and father.
While Major General Greene was buried, Barack Obama was golfing. The Vice President wasn’t there either. Flags were not even lowered to half-staff. General Greene, 55, became the highest-ranking fatality in the war in Afghanistan – after an Afghan military police officer opened fire on August 5, 2014.
Four days after Harold Greene gave his life for America, Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson Missouri. It is safe to say, Brown was at best a thug. The media has repeatedly shown photos of Brown flashing gang signs. Some media outlets have even associated him with a specific gang.
In the minutes before his death, Brown committed a robbery at a local convenience store. According to other reports, Brown struck Officer Darren Wilson and shattered his orbital bone. Obama is sending a three-person delegation to Michael Brown’s funeral.
Obama would not attend the funeral of the highest ranking military officer killed in the line of duty since 9/11, yet he will send a delegation to the funeral of a thug.
When Margaret Thatcher, one of America’s staunchest allies and Ronald Reagan’s partner in bringing down Soviet communism, died, Obama sent only a small low-level delegation to her funeral. The snub was not missed by the British.
When Chris Kyle, the most lethal American sniper in history was murdered, there was no expression of sympathy from the White House. There was no White House delegation at his funeral.
American heroes die and Obama goes to the golf course. A thug dies and he gets a White House delegation. No wonder real Americans hold Obama in contempt.
