No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

With so much negativity in the world, when some put their lives on the line to perform good works that better the planet, it is always a depressing note when these good works sometimes end up badly.

In Salem, Oregon, the 1042nd Air National Guard unit has proven themselves amazing at tough mountainside and other difficult area rescues. Since July 4, 7 persons have been rescued from very difficult areas such as mountainsides, or remote forests after receiving injuries from hiking, mountain climbing, and other recreational activties. The humble members of this wonderful unit may consider it to be only their job. But like firemen who rush into a burning building to risk their lives, while other men rush out, these brave members of the 1042nd Air National Guard have proven themselves to be great and humble heroes. They have saved many lives, year in, and year out.

Unfortunately because, this unit has proven themselves so good at rescues and helicopter skills, 25% of the members of this force and their copters are now being called into duty in the worsening situation in Afghanistan as freshly equipped fighters who have rearmed in Pakistan pour over the border to challenge American soldiers. In the case of the 1042nd, when you do a job so well, instead of admiration, in wartime you are called into duty. All in Oregon who admire this unit will pray for their safety in Afghanistan.

Yesterday In Iraq, another far worse example of "no good deed goes unpunished" was played out in sickening detail.

Most people in Iraq are decent good people. And many American soldiers recognize that many children in this nation with 70% unemployment are very nice and love candy as do all children worldwide. Some good hearted soldiers were distributing candy to children when evil struck. A car bomber sped into this act of kindness by some American soldiers and blew up the area, leaving 27 dead, including 12 children, some adults, one American soldier. More Americans and Iraqis were left wounded. An Associated Press photo by Khalid Mohammed of relatives of little 11 year old Mustafa Hassan is absolutely heartbreaking. The faces of women in extreme anguish and emotional pain sears the heart. It is a mother who carefully sacrifices for 9 months to bring a little life into the world, and it is evil that takes that life away in an instant of violence. This sadness is repeated for all 12 children.

When children and the American soldiers who took a few moments to distribute candy to them are seen as a legitimate target by suicide bombers, one can see the hand of evil all over the type of violence that targets children and American soldiers who offer them kindness in Iraq.

Sometimes it just seems that no good deed goes unpunished.