Spectacle or honor

k8blujay2

I don't know if this can really be debated and I'm sure that if it can that I will have awaken the hornets nest... but this is really bugging me. Living in the DFW metro area, I have been watching the whole tragedy behind Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefields death... and now the former's memorial service is today. But this isn't any ordinary funeral service that is typical of a military vet.

His memorial service is being held in Cowboy's stadium and then will have a 2 hour procession to take him to the Texas State Cemetery, where people will be waving flags along the disignated highway route.

My question is would you consider this a spectacle or an honor?

I have come to the opinion, that it is a spectacle, perhaps even for political (and/or monetary) gain for Glen Beck though perhaps indirectly...

I get it that this guy was an accomplished military vet. I get it he worked to help vets with PTSD. I get that he fought for our freedoms... I get all that... It's not these things I have issue with...

But where is all this show and glory and honor for those who have done just as much if not more? I find it completely disrespectful to the families of the victims and to the families of other military vets that have died both on and off the battlefield for one man... a man who would not have been known outside of his immediate circle had he know written a book or had a TV show...

Again, I don't take issue with his military record or his accomplishments on and off the battlefield... I take issue with the show that is being made of his death and funeral.

metaphoria

I think he'd prefer they put that money toward the cause he was so passionate about. What better tribute could there be?

debloves2ride

I think it is a spectacle, but not intentionally. I think that people just feel so bad about what happened, they feel that this is the right thing to do. It certainly honors him, but I don't think it is necessary. I believe it is about showing his family how much we appreciate his service and how bad everyone feels that his life ended this way.

vim_n_vigor

I live in a relatively small town. We don't have large major venues like that, but when I Vet dies, their funeral is at the 'best?' funeral home in town and the community gathers along the route from the funeral home to the cemetery, waving flags. It is pretty similar, but on a smaller scale, just like our town is on a much smaller scale. Yes, it can be kind of a spectacle, but it does show honor and respect to the person and their family.

k8blujay2

I guess I just question the motives because of who was pushing for finacial support... not to mention that if Kyle hadn't written a book or had a TV show, I don't believe he wouldn't have had the funeral he had and shown on three local channels and streaming live via at least 2 local news channels... had he just been a relatively normal, run of the mill veteran or a soldier that was killed in action.

We have soldiers and veterans die all the time... hometown heros if you will... and not one of them gets even an 1/4 of the recognition and spectacle as what was yesterday and today.... even though they deserve it too. I just don't get, why this one and not another. A Vet that fought in Afghanistan from the Texas Panhandle, just got the Medal of Honor yesterday... but I bet he won't be offered the same level of spectacle when he passes.

Yeah, Kyle was from the area (about 45 minutes south of the Stadium)... but so are a lot of other vets. And I'm curious, was Littlefield's family offered to have their funeral at Cowboy Stadium? It might make me feel a bit better (not that my feelings matter in this instance anyway.. but merely reflecting here) if they were and turned it down for the comparatively modest funeral they had on Saturday in Midlothian (where they both were from) where 1000 people showed up there to pay respects.