New Pilgrims

A reality check may be in order for many local government officials and television sportscasters.
Recently Cleveland, Ohio Mayor Jane Campbell called police and firefighters part of the nation's "domestic army" - the troops who will be called upon to respond to the next terrorist attack.
On Thanksgiving Day I was watching a football game between the Detroit Lions and the Indianapolis Colts. During the breaks the tv network showed members of the armed forces at a camp in Kuwait watching the football game as well.
At first there were only two or three men in the room where the game was being shown. As the game went on more and more soldiers appeared – waving and showing signs. By the end of the game – which the Lions lost – they were obviously more interested in communicating back home to us than watching the Lions get beat.
It was during one of these chaotic interludes that the sportscaster said ‘We are Thankful to all of you over there. In Iraq…and…Kuwait…who are over there. You know, they really are the New Pilgrims.’
Let’s try the new logic on some other things :
The Lions won.
The economy is great.
Americans are doing well.
That didn’t work – I guess honesty is the best policy.
The police and firefighters are not part of a domestic army they are the police and firefighters.
The soldiers in Iraq are not ‘New Pilgrims’ they are American soldiers whose lives are being shattered for no good reason.