A Day to Honor our Heroes - and Remember our Responsibility to Them
Veterans Day
TallahasseeJoe
November 11 is Veterans Day, a day to remember the heroism of the men and women who have made our freedom possible.
As President George W. Bush reminded us in his Veterans Day proclamation, "Americans live in freedom because of our veterans' courage, dedication to duty, and love of country."
Today, all Americans, regardless of their political perspective, should take a moment to reflect on the brave dedication of the soldiers who have lost their lives, or are currently risking their lives, in military service. Without noble sacrifices of this kind, our open discussion could never take place.
This very day, many Americans died in our nation's effort to bring freedom and democracy to Iraq. If this effort succeeds, as we all hope it will, it will be our soldiers and the Iraqi soldiers fighting alongside them who deserve the credit for victory, as it is they who are paying the price for it.
If, on the other hand, any aspect of our nation's policy is misguided or poorly planned, our soldiers cannot be blamed in any way. Instead it will be the rest of us Americans, those who remain behind in peace and comfort, who will bear the full responsibility of our nation's errors. For it is we who have had the opportunity to consider and debate our course of action, and we who have elected the leaders that determine that course.
All Americans, and especially those (such as myself) who have been critical of the President's policy on Iraq, should ask themselves:
Have we done our best to educate ourselves and each other about the situation in Iraq?
Have we done all we could to understand the arguments both for and against the war?
Have we made a point of reaching out to those we disagree with and engaging them in genuine discussions on U.S. policy?
In a democracy, where our votes can determine our future, such discussions are a matter of war and peace, of freedom and oppression, of life and death.
I hope you might consider a contribution to Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which provides free professional assistance to veterans and their families in securing earned government benefits. This organization meets Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability. (View BBB report on DAV.)
TallahasseeJoe
November 11 is Veterans Day, a day to remember the heroism of the men and women who have made our freedom possible.
As President George W. Bush reminded us in his Veterans Day proclamation, "Americans live in freedom because of our veterans' courage, dedication to duty, and love of country."
Today, all Americans, regardless of their political perspective, should take a moment to reflect on the brave dedication of the soldiers who have lost their lives, or are currently risking their lives, in military service. Without noble sacrifices of this kind, our open discussion could never take place.
This very day, many Americans died in our nation's effort to bring freedom and democracy to Iraq. If this effort succeeds, as we all hope it will, it will be our soldiers and the Iraqi soldiers fighting alongside them who deserve the credit for victory, as it is they who are paying the price for it.
If, on the other hand, any aspect of our nation's policy is misguided or poorly planned, our soldiers cannot be blamed in any way. Instead it will be the rest of us Americans, those who remain behind in peace and comfort, who will bear the full responsibility of our nation's errors. For it is we who have had the opportunity to consider and debate our course of action, and we who have elected the leaders that determine that course.
All Americans, and especially those (such as myself) who have been critical of the President's policy on Iraq, should ask themselves:
Have we done our best to educate ourselves and each other about the situation in Iraq?
Have we done all we could to understand the arguments both for and against the war?
Have we made a point of reaching out to those we disagree with and engaging them in genuine discussions on U.S. policy?
In a democracy, where our votes can determine our future, such discussions are a matter of war and peace, of freedom and oppression, of life and death.
I hope you might consider a contribution to Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which provides free professional assistance to veterans and their families in securing earned government benefits. This organization meets Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability. (View BBB report on DAV.)
posted by TallahasseeJoe @ 8:55 AM
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