On the eve of Michael Jackson's memorial, seven soldiers lost their lives

On the eve of Michael Jackson's public memorial where it will cost the city of Los Angeles $2.5 million dollars for police security at taxpayer's expense, I want to scream.  I want to scream at the fans of Michael Jackson as well as the celebrities who will attend it.  I want to bloody-scream at the media who will cover his public memorial.  You may ask why I wish to scream and here is why.  On the eve of this public memorial to Jackson, 7 troops died in Afghanistan and yet, no one knows their names.  No one!!!!

These troops leave behind loved ones, yet again, no one knows their names.  These troops did the heavy-lifting for all of us; yet the media chooses to give wall-to-wall coverage on Jackson.  Wake up, media!  Forget about the King of Pop and report on our brave soldiers who enter a world where they face our enemy day-in-and-day-out.

Prior to his death, Jackson was preparing for his concert tour as our soldiers hunkered down knowing they would face a certain death.

Those who died on the battle field, will not have anyone logging onto any website to take part in their memorial for a coveted spot.  They will not have celebrities taking part in it like, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Magic Johnson, Smokey Robinson, Brooke Shields, Usher and so many others.

To this, I say, shame on all of us for elevating celebrities, while forgetting our troops.  Yes, we may remember them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, yet choose to forget about them all the rest of the days of the year.  They are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and our fellow Americans!

Our troops do not seek out doctors to prescribe them pain killers and other narcotics as some believe contributed to Jackson's death. They enter into a battle field none of us would dare to enter and where their lives can and have been taken in an instant by a road-side bomb.  Their bodies are not intact as Jackson's was at his time of death, but blown apart with their innards coming out of their bodies.  I have seen their pictures where their faces have been completely blown off and other injuries just as devastating.  Upon seeing these photos, I have cried and cried.

I do not care what you think of the war, but there are soldiers who are ready, willing and able to go into a hellfire none of us would venture into.  As I read this: "The seven American deaths came as thousands of U.S. Marines continued with their major offensive against the Taliban in Helmand province," the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

In war, I fully believe those who are called to fight in these wars act as if they are already dead in order to complete their missions. It was something I learned from watching the movie, "The Band of Brothers" which is one of my favorite movies.

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