Last night, while briefly listening to what I guess was the Armed Forces
Network, (In the 7 MHz range, USB), they were certainly espousing
cheerful topics. At first, they mentioned the importance of military
families concerning their need to relocate to new neighborhoods, and
saying that the current residents should heartily welcome the new family.
(I have no problems with this, but I do believe that welcomes should not
be limited to military families).

Shortly after, they went into the issue of being prepared. (OK, everybody
should be prepared.) But their idea of being prepared was making sure
that life insurance paperwork be kept at hand, that so called medical
directives were prepared, and God knows what else. Still a sound idea,
yet this is not the topic that most people wish to dwell on when their
sons and daughters, husbands and wives, are fighting on foreign soil.

Another time that I had caught a show on the AFN, they were discussing
the Terry Schiavo debacle. The problem is that the host explicitly stated
how Terry's fight was not a moral issue, simply one of the right of her
husband to carry out her desires against her life being artificially
extended. To my recollection, the case wasn't that simple, and for the
AFN host to paint it so is shameful. It seems to me that the AFN is
trying to steer the opinion of their listeners into life decisions that
benefit the military more than the individuals themselves. After all,
why keep a wounded soldier alive when it is much more economical to allow
him/her to die, honoring, in some cases, the misguided views of the
family.

I have no issue with the soldiers in the U.S. military, and the hardships
that they and their families have had foisted on them in this current
situation with Afghanistan and Iraq, but the AFN is not exactly the
cheeriest show that I have overheard. An at times buoyantly themed show
with frequent death themes is sure to cheer all. Way to go AFN.

In anticipation of some comments to my post, if any, I offer the
following:

1. Yes yes, the realities of war.
2. Yes yes, the realities of life.
3. Yes yes, the realities of death.

It still doesn't require frequent macabre themes on the AFN.

Dr. Artaud