Today is Memorial Day, nee Decoration Day. A day set aside to remember the fallen
soldiers of the Civil War. Women would
traditionally decorate the graves of soldiers lost. Later it was extended to all that lost their
lives in combat. It was traditionally
celebrated on May 30th, but in 1971 was moved to the last Monday of
May, so that we may have a three day weekend.
It has since transformed into the official start of the summer season,
kicked off with the annual MD BBQ.
People seem to acknowledge the soldiers lost, with posts to Facebook,
Google +, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. They
thank the soldiers, share cute cartoons and poignant pictures about the price
of Freedom.
Let’s be honest here.
We seem to get away from the truth.
While I respect those that choose to serve in the military, very rarely
are they actually fighting for American Freedom. My father was a veteran of the Korean War (or
conflict if one must). He would be the
first to admit the Korean War had nothing
to do with American Freedom. Vietnam,
the Gulf war, was not about American Freedom.
With the exception of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, we as a nation have
not been threatened in any way since we took arm against ourselves during the
Civil War. Our call to arm in the last
century was politically or financially motivated. Yes I know we were attacked on 9/11, and I in
no way am trying to invalidate the tragedy, but the attack was not from Afghanistan,
Iraq or any governing body. It was individual
extremists that believe they can bully us into submission. We went in Afghanistan to find someone we
knew wasn’t there. We invaded Iraq for
unknown reasons. We can claim Sadam
Hussein’s tyranny was the reason, but for more than a decade, he was our ally. We sent him money and arms, and helped him
fight. It was only when he was no longer
useful to us that our view of him changed.
Our men and women didn’t die for freedom; they died for Arrogance and Money.
To say that these fallen soldiers are the price of freedom
is a misnomer. Freedom costs far more
then we are traditionally trained to believe.
We must truly look beyond the military.
We must recognize those that serve but don’t fight. They direct traffic when disasters hit. They stand at the graves of their brethren,
facing the families of those lost. Lost not just in combat; but in accidents,
illness and lives long lived. They stand
in grocery stores during the holiday season and collect toys.
But they are not the only ones paying. Those that lend their family members to the
military also pay. Those that get up 5-6
days a week to work long hours in factories to make body armor, uniforms,
rations, guidance systems, etc are also paying. It’s the
techno-nerds that keep the Internet up and running, so we can communicate, pass
intelligence, and talk to loved ones far away who pay. It’s the citizens that serve in public
office, along with those that vote them in.
It is the diplomats that sit across the table from foreign diplomats in
an effort to keep peace. It’s those that pay taxes, to keep the government running.
Everyday citizens that open business and buy product that support the economy
pay for it. The police that keep the
peace in our neighborhoods every day pay the price. Firefighters that risk
their lives to save ours pay the price.
While we should acknowledge our soldiers, let us not
forget. Every American pays their share
of the costs. America is free because we all contribute.
That being said; I thank all men and women brave enough to
sign up and serve America. They serve diligently
and without question. Never standing up
saying what they are doing is wrong. Rather they serve blindly, believing that
ultimately they are working towards a better world for future generations.
