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Zachari Klawonn, If I Were A Soldier, I would Also Be Honoured To Share A Foxhole With You Any Day.

abc_klawonn_100414_mnDear Zachari Klawonn,

You don’t know me and we most likely will never meet but I have heard of you. Based on what I heard, I decided to do some work on Google, these days, you cannot hide anything on the world wide web.  Let me start off by saying, I have the utmost level of respect for you. I am sure you are far from perfect. I am not perfect either, so, we have something in common – our imperfections as human beings.

I live across the ocean but I have this bad habit of staying up to religiously watch ABC News. I got addicted when Charles Gibson was the anchorman and now its Diane Sawyer. I just love the way she expresses her humanity with each news story.

Last night, actually, it was the early hours of this morning, as ABC News comes on the BBC News channel at 1:30am. I sat back and listened to your story and the challenges you were facing in the army. I was deeply saddened that for an American, you would be treated in the manner you recounted to ABC news by a few small minded bigots. However, bigots will be bigots no matter where you place them. Put them in a position of power, they will let you know they are bigots. Put them on the street, the story remains the same. I was once told, that you can take a man out of poverty but you cannot take the poverty mentality out of him unless he decides to change his mindset. It is baffling to know your father was born in Kansas and yes, your mother is from Morocco, you were born in Morocco but raised in the US, yet these jokers do not think you have the full rights deserved by all American citizens.

That is what I think all these people are, small minded arseholes who need to get a life and stop being afraid of the unknown. While I am fully aware of the fact that the world is getting dangerous and you do have to be careful who you give access to, if we as individuals took the time to get to know others, we will find out that, sometimes, what we are afraid of is not worth the degree of fear we attach to it.

I will be honest, I hate wars, I hate to see people in pain, I hate to see people fighting each other let alone killing each other. But I also know and I have come to understand that war is part and parcel of our existence because that’s just the way it is. I have stopped trying to find out why. I don’t know if I have the stomach to marry a man in uniform let alone allow my child sign up to join the army. For that, I commend people who do. Please, excuse my selfishness but I best tell the truth. You on the other hand, took a risk and were willing to go to the front line, knowing full well anything could happen out there. I commend you and salute you like you have won the highest honour the US Army bestows upon its service men. I also like the outlook and attitude you have about the current challenges you are facing. “I’m not asking for a handout. I’m not asking for any special treatment. I’m asking for the bare essentials and the due rights that the rest of the soldiers have.” And that you duly deserve Zachari. I have read a few comments on the ABC news website and I agree with those who say you have earned your place and no one has the right to frustrate or push you out.

I am not a Muslim. I am a Christian. They say, all is fair in love and war, what a silly cliche. Hence, I believe when the war is raging and those bullets come raining down on us, they know neither Jew, Christian or Muslim. They kill whosoever they hit and all we can say is we are sorry for your loss. That is why I too would like to say, if I had the guts to join the army, I would share a foxhole with you and hold your back trusting that you would do the same for me. I only hope I don’t piss my pants while you keep your cool to ensure we both stay alive.

I don’t know if leaving the army would stop the arseholes from being bigots but according to everyone, you are the best and so, I trust that whatever you do after you leave them to their silliness, you will be the best. Make em’ eat their words by standing out.

Best of Luck Zachari

To read Zachari Klawonn’s story, follow this link:  Zachari Klawonn

Image: Army Specialist Zachari Klawonn by ABC News

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Belinda Otas
Belinda Otas is a London based freelance journalist, writer and critic. She has a particular interest in African politics, social development, arts and culture and gender issues.
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11 Comments

  2. Hi – really great website you have established. I enjoyed reading this posting. I did want to issue a comment to tell you that the design of this site is very aesthetically pleasing. I used to be a graphic designer, now I am a copy editor in chief for a marketing firm. I have always enjoyed playing with computing machines and am trying to learn code in my free time (which there is never enough of lol).

  3. I wish I could buy Specialist Zachari Klawonn lunch, and then salute him and tell him “Thanks for wearing the uniform.”

    I’d like to think I wore the Army uniform (twice) and also in the Navy, as a way to honor the people who fled Europe hundreds of years ago to escape religious persecution. I served in the Army at the worst possible time, when soldiers were coming home from Vietnam (I served there as a machine-gunner) and our young men were called “baby killers.” A couple of years ago I proudly rode a Harley with a jacket having “I was Military, when Military wasn’t cool.” But now, sadly, I’m not too “cool” about the bigots who are intimidating Specialist Klawonn.

    The people who harass Klawonn are NO BETTER than the Taliban and Al Queda, who hate Americans because they are “Americans.” The soldiers at Fort Hood who have called Specialist Klawonn a “Camel Jockey” are lesser than the droppings a camel leaves in the desert as they pass across the sands.

    Zachri… if you read this, please know in your heart that the cowards who are doing this are not real soldiers and THEY shouldn’t be wearing the uniform. I hope you’ll find the courage to “soldier-on” and hang in there and I’d be darned proud if you would consider staying in the Army for the long-haul.

    Good luck to you.

    Sterling
    Army 1970-1971
    Central Texas

  4. I don’t have to courage to stomach wars and rumors of wars, but I love the way you’ve presented Zachari’s courage and your ideology of war in this post. It was a good read.

  5. I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my very first remark. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this site very often.

  6. So pleased to digest such a entertaining blog that does not resort to base posturing to get the idea covered. Thanks for an enjoyable read.

  7. Hello I am Zachari’s sister,and I just want to say thank you for your support and wonderful words for my brother. God Bless You :)–Meriem Also your website is very beautiful as others have said,good job!

  8. Hi–great site, I usually don’t bother but Meriem forwarded to me. Thank you for your support. Zach is
    my nephew and we are all very proud of him. My late brother server our country in the Middle east
    as a member of our Air Force and would be the proudest Father ever of his kids!

  9. I must say you have a cool post. This hit the spot and then some! Thanks for posting this and sharing it with the world. I’ve just bookmarked your site. And I will check back soon to read your other articles. Keep up your awesome work.

  10. Hey Belinda,
    Will you let your child share a foxhole with him?
    Just wondering.
    Love your site.
    m

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