Remember Freedom?

Today is Veteran’s Day, the day when we remember those who serve to protect America’s freedom.  They sacrifice time, family, money, physical and emotional security, and their lives to protect our borders, our coasts, our interests abroad.   Our soldiers don’t fight for one particular race, religion, gender, or political party.  They fight for Americans.  They fight for all of us to be free.   

We talk of the bravery of soldiers as if they were different than us.  But what we have to remember is our soldiers are our neighbors, our friends, our sons and daughters.  Our husbands and wives.  They are American citizens just like us. 

We should honor them not by putting them on a pedestal, but by working alongside them, keeping America free on the home front, and thus giving them validation that their sacrifices are not in vain.

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.  From the American Crisis—Thomas Paine.

We need to stand up for everyone’s rights, not just the groups with power or the groups we like.  We can’t be afraid to be politically incorrect.  We need to speak with love, but still hold to truth.  We have to have the courage to stand by our convictions, but the grace to respect those against ours.   Our forefathers broke away from dependence.  Our soldiers have fought for it.  Let’s not become enslaved to tyranny again.

If you want to honor the Veterans don’t just tell them thank you. Cherish the freedoms they give us. 
Don’t buy into “I can’t,” or “nobody will help me.” Don’t whine about how life isn’t fair.  Do something to change your life.  You live in America.  Don’t let anyone tell you “You can’t do that.”  Don’t believe someone who says you shouldn’t.  That should spur you to want to prove them wrong.  It’s in our American Spirit.

And never believe it when someone tells you it’s free. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--  (from the Declaration of Independence.)

There’s no guarantee in the Constitution that we will be happy. But we should never give up the power to pursue success.  It’s the American Dream.  It’s why people break into our country, not break out.

Every day should be Veteran’s Day because every day we should hold sacred our rights as American citizens.  We should do everything we can to not lose them. 

The last line of the Declaration of Independence is this:  And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.  That’s how much our forefather’s believed in freedom.  That’s what our Veterans are willing to pledge.  That's what our leaders today need to pledge.

What am I willing to give for freedom?  What are you? 

links to documents:
Declaration of Independence
The American Crisis