don't forget, soldiers fight and die for the other side, too. soldiers aren't saints, and they are not villains. they are victims. they have one thing in common, they do what they're told. and most of the time, they even manage to convince themselves they are fighting for the right side.

yeah, sometimes there is a wrong side and a right side, and sometimes we have to take sides, even when we don't know for sure which is which. that is the human tragedy, not something we should celebrate. and that doesn't mean we have to forfeit the right to think, either. when we do that, we insult their memory, no matter who or what they fought for.

think of your own civil war. do you now have contempt for one side and honor the other?

here's something else to chew on:

if you believe you cannot possibly die, you can never know courage.
if you believe you cannot possibly be wrong, you can never know wisdom.