The more I am opposed to war, the more respect I have for veterans.
As counterintuitive as it may seem, my opposition to war is exactly the reason why I believe that veterans—especially if they have been in combat—should never want for anything.
That said, I don’t think that the uniform is a halo. As much as I respect military service, I’m not naive enough to believe that all former service members are heroes in civilian life. And I don’t think that said service should be a “get out of jail free card.”
Which brings me to Paul Whelan. I feel for his family, who are about to spend another holiday without him. On the other hand, I think that false equivalencies have been made, and blame has been misplaced, since Britany Griner has returned home while he’s still incarcerated in Russia.
The Trumpists are blaming Biden. Truth is, Mango Mussolini didn’t do a damned thing to help Whelan, who was arrested four years ago. And, although I’d like to see Whelan returned home, he’s not quite the hero Fox News and other right-wingers have made him in light of his military service—from which he was less-than-honorably discharged.
On the other hand, Steve Pringle was a hero. The Army Veteran started Build A Bicycle-Bicycle Therapy on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The shop’s name reflects Pringle’s purpose or, more precisely, mission: He wanted to help veterans who, like him, had trouble re-integrated into civilian life. It grew to include programs for rehabilitated prisoners, people with disabilities and others who have trouble finding employment.
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| Steve Pringle gives a bike to Kadence Horton of Iron Mountain, Michigan. Photo by Ryan Gorza, Detroit Free Press. |
Money was never his motivation, he said. That is why he often offered steep discounts and gave bikes away. His work would range beyond his home base: He was delivering bikes in Florida, where he operated another shop like his “home “ shop in Michigan, to children and families whose lives were upended by Hurricane Ian.
In a terrible irony, he became another victim of that storm. He drove the bike-laden truck into an intersection, where another vehicle struck with such force that the truck reportedly hit a pole and rolled over.
That intersection didn’t have a “Stop” sign: Ian’s winds blew it away.
Paul Whelan’s military service didn’t make him a hero. Nor did Steve Pringle’s. But Pringle became a hero to many who died in the service of the people who have the most reason to revere him.
