Dear Tennessean:
The Tennessean's April 5 photograph of young Christian Golczynski accepting the American flag from Marine Lt. Col. Ric Thompson is one of the most moving and emotion provoking images I have ever seen.
My wife and I attended funeral services for Christian's father, Staff Sergeant Marcus Golczynski, on April 4, along with our six year-old son, dozens of Marines, and several hundred others who came to pay tribute to this fallen hero.
As one would expect, many of your readers were touched by this incredible
picture. Staff Sergeant Golczynski had previously served one full tour in Iraq.
Shortly before his death on March 27 he wrote to his family that he had
volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we
started. In his letter he said, "We fight and sometimes die so that our families don't have to." Tragically, Staff Sergeant Golczynski had only two weeks remaining on his second tour. We look at the photograph of Christian every day. It is displayed prominently in our home. Our hearts ache for Christian and for all those who have lost loved ones in this controversial conflict.
When looking at the face of Christian Golczynski I am reminded that doing
what is right is not always easy and doing what is easy is not always right.
Christian's dad knew that too.
James Drescher Franklin, TN
