A reader writes:
Call me a spoil sport. But I think at least some critical analysis should be offered up of this growing trend of surprising the children of soldiers with their parents return from deployments into war zones. Think for a minute about what these children are deprived of because of these staged episodes. Of the celebratory knowledge that their parent is safely on their way home. Of 2 3 days (maybe even more) of carefree living as they no longer need worry about what might happen to their parent. Of the growing anticipation of the impending return, and of assisting in the planning and preparations for that return. To exchange all of that for a candid camera moment to share and rack up hits on YouTube suggests just perhaps that our priorities have gone a little bit screwy.