Do Americans Need to Check Their Priorities?

Someone sent me an email today containing a letter purportedly composed by a soldier. I have decided to post it here because I believe it raises some valid points about the people that many Americans choose to give priority to while many times ignoring the significant and selfless contributions of other people like the brave souls in our military services. Below is the message I received in its entirety. You may draw your own conclusions as to whether you think the message expressed in this letter has some validity to it or not.

 

THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ.
>
>
> I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael
> Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an
> entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent
> millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villain to many
> people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and
> I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point
> of my rant.
>
> Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their
> minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the
> country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to
> flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to
> hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?
>
> Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What
> about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those
> Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war,
> still raised their 2 hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the
> United States of America . Where is there moment of silence? Where
> are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over
> them because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a
> Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good riddance," and "thank
> God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the
> sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off
> their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop
> Icon?"
>
> I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS
> for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every
> service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY
> recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people
> can live their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom that WE,
> those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for
> them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have
> been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never
> make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit
> songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat
> and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.
>
> Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to pass
> this along if you want.
>
> Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is
> serving in the military;
> "So that others may live..."
>
>
> Only two people have ever effectively given their lives for you.
>
> Jesus Christ and The American G.I.
>
> One died for your sins, the other died to give you freedom.