Smithsonian Channel

Here at the Smithsonian Channel we aim to bring you stories from everyday people like you and me, involved in something unique and interesting that we think audiences and readers would find interesting.  This is the first installment in a series about these special Americans. The first topic is military and our everyday American is Murdoc of Murdoc Online and Gunpundit.com.

AM: Murdoc, I see from your blog you make it very clear that even though the topic is military, you were never in the military and you are not associated with the military. Why is this topic such a passion of yours?

M: I’m a history buff and have always had a strong interest in military history and technology. Tanks, fighter jets, and battleships are just plain cool. As I read about the weapons, the battles, and the way that they affected history, I learned a lot about the people who used the weapons and fought the battles. That knowledge helped me understand more of what America stands for and how it came to be the great nation that it is today.

The more you learn about a subject, the more you realize how little you really know. There is so much out there. So I keep trying to learn more about our military, its history, and the way it affects the world. And military history is filled with stories of men and women rising above the call of duty and performing truly heroic acts. Sometimes one man or a small group of men have done something to save hundreds or thousands of lives. Sometimes, men have made tough decisions that have saved nations. How can you not be a little passionate about something like that?

AM: Very true and obviously every blogger is deeply passionate about their chosen topic, which explains why you spend the hours writing. Why do you think it’s important to spread your messages about America’s military?

M: My site started out as a simple little blog where I could share my opinions about the “War on Terror” and point out interesting bits of news about the military. Though the military is obviously featured in news reports about the war, the media can miss some details. I wanted to share my opinions with a small group of friends and family, but the site got more and more attention and soon I had people all over the country and all over the world reading on a daily basis.

So many critics, both at home and overseas, have a pretty negative view of our military and what it’s doing. I want to do a little bit to help set the record straight and make sure that folks realize what a great collection of Americans we have fighting to protect our country. If people want to be against the invasion of Iraq or against American foreign policy, that’s their prerogative. But I want to help make sure they have an opportunity to hear the full story before making up their minds. They don’t get that chance if all they do is watch the evening news. My site and many others like it strive to get another perspective out there so people can have a better understanding of what’s going on.

AM: The Smithsonian Channel’s goal is to tell America’s stories, why do you think those of the military are so important to tell?

M: It’s tough to tell America’s story without a lot of attention on our military. The freedom of so many people, beginning with American themselves, depended upon our military. America stands for freedom, and it’s the military that’s made those freedoms possible. The Civil War, the World Wars, even the “unpopular” Korean and Vietnam wars were about making or keeping people free. That hasn’t changed.

AM: You’ve seen and reviewed our documentary Remembering Vietnam: The Wall at 25 – what is your opinion of that program?

M: That was a great show! The history was presented in a way that’s informative and interesting for viewers on both ends of the knowledge spectrum, which is often not the case with this sort of program. Too many times the details get “watered down” to make a show interesting to those who don’t know much about the subject, which leaves more knowledgeable viewers feeling like they didn’t learn anything. That wasn’t the case with this documentary.

I was familiar with a lot of the Wall’s history and, though I was young at the time, I remember both the “black scar of shame” claims and the controversy over the statue of the three soldiers added later. It was so interesting to see the clips from the debates back at the time and to compare them with what the Wall has turned into today. It goes to show that what seems so obvious at one point in history can be viewed so differently later.

The interviews with the various vets and family members were powerful stuff. Our troops did so much in such bad conditions in Vietnam. They really won that war to the extent of their ability to do so. They couldn’t have done more or given more, but in the end the cause was given up on by others and lost. And, for all their efforts, the troops were spit on and ostracized. It is shameful, but it’s nice to see that time is healing some of those wounds.

And I appreciated that the documentary was solidly patriotic without being overtly political. It’s palatable to folks on both sides of the fence, and I think that’s important, particularly for a show about a monument that’s brought people back together after such a controversial time.

AM: What stories do you think the Smithsonian Channel should tell, both on this blog and on the air?

M: Well, of course I’m going to say that military stories should get plenty of attention. But America’s history is filled with so many stories of people, most of them just like you and me, doing extraordinary things when they needed to be done. Not only do those types of stories help educate people about the great history of this nation, they can help inspire us to do our own part.

AM: Thanks Murdoc for taking the time to talk with the Smithsonian Channel and we wish you luck on your continued conversations with Americans on the military.

To see more of what the Smithsonian Channel has to offer on the topic of military and war, check out our blog posts and some clips from our America’s War Stories.