Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Remembering

This is always an emotional day for me. Too many friends and family lost in the defense of freedom. Too many people who voice their dislike of war in a way that dishonors the men and women who have sacrificed for the freedoms they now enjoy. War is a bad way to solve problems. It should be used as the very last option. But... While I often disagree with the call to war put forth by those in charge I must always honor those who put their lives in harms way in defense of their country. I, myself and every veteran and family member of a veteran I know, pray for peace every day. None of those men and women standing on the wall, defending your rights want war. So feel free to oppose war, but never forget to honor those who served and died, or survived to serve another day so that you might be free. It is a price you will never understand, and must hope and pray you never have to pay. We didn't get to choose the wars we fought or, if we were lucky, didn't have to fight, but we all stood our time on the wall of freedom, willing to lay down our lives that the fundamentals of this country could thrive in the world.

So, Say THANKS! to a vet when you get the chance.

P.S. don't forget to vote for our pony's name. Democracy is one of our greatest gifts.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very well said, Alan. My best friend's son is on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan right now; I'm so fearful for him, but so proud of him at the same time. Peace. The very word is soothing, isn't it?

Barbee' said...

Beautiful post. Thank you.

jack-of-all-thumbs said...

Eloquent. Particularly given the fact that you've been there.

On this issue in particular, I am an oddity to those who don't know me well. I began active opposition to the current war in Iraq before it ever happened, actually marching in D.C. in the spring of '03. (try that in your fifties....) But I love my country passionately. I grew up in a military family, with my own set of OD fatigues when I was four. All of my male relatives served. My father made a career of it and was buried in a military cemetary almost thirty years ago.

I save my fiercest anger for the 'chickenhawks' in DC and on talk radio stations everywhere, who put good men and women in harm's way for all the wrong reasons. Despite the wrongness of the war, the sacrifice of those troops and their families is to be honored.

Every day.

inadvertent farmer said...

Great post...I oppose war as a first (or even second or third) solution but realize that it is at times a neccessary evil. "when good men do nothing..."

I think no matter your stance on war we should always uplift and cherish the warrior.

Alan said...

Thanks. Having done my time standing on the wall, defending our freedoms, I'm pretty passionate about this. I hate war. I think it is a failure of leadership, but sometimes it becomes the only option. Those who serve pray for peace every day, with every breath, but still they stand...

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