Angry and Instinctive Reactions: Tragic Death of Pvt. Danny Chen
by Loved ones of Pvt. Danny Chen and those who can relate with the pain of not knowing the truth, have instinctive reactions of anger. While there are no bitter thoughts towards the military as a whole, injustices can be made by mainstream media and the selected individuals who are to blame.
“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”
–Elmer Davis
There is some due clarification that needs to be urgently addressed.
Following the first two articles about Pvt. Danny Chen, the exact issues concerned should be clearly redefined.
Having no personal relation to Pvt. Danny Chen, I, too, was outraged at hearing the story and became angrier as I reveled in the few details offered by the media. I instinctively took it upon myself to fill in the blanks. I apologize, for I am human too, and have initial reactions and assumptions that may or may not be entirely true.
Pvt. Danny Chen clearly expressed that he had a goal of serving our country in that he could not be swayed to reconsider. The family’s representative Frank Gee stated on behalf of the mourning parents that “there is no bitterness toward the Army. They just want to find out what happened so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.” (Source: Sing Tao Newspaper)
Any writers, professional or freelance, need to adhere to the wishes of the parents and learn a crucial point from how they are coping with this dark event. They have lost their son but can understand and logically conclude that it is not the system or the organization which is at fault. It is that of humans and their individual behavior whether for regulatory or malicious purposes.
Their wishes are that a thorough investigation be made into the circumstances and events leading to the death of Pvt. Danny Chen. Defeated parents only ask that the deceased receive the exact same attentive investigation, to be conducted in the same manner as any other soldier of any color or rank.
There is absolutely no assumption or intention to hold the perspective of an experienced veteran or young soldier like Pvt. Danny Chen. I express my deepest gratitude for those, whether living or dead, who have and continue to serve our country.
I have never been in the military and have no basis to judge or deem any disciplinary actions to be unsafe, unfair, or unjust. I have the same confidence that Pvt. Danny Chen had in the system of values in which our military force was founded upon, when he volunteered for service.
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