This is Memorial Day. A time to reflect, as Americans, what a gift of freedom we’ve been given by those who fought to maintain that freedom for us.
I fear that in our ‘political correctness’ we will not honor those who died or were injured in body or spirit to maintain our freedoms. The Vietnam vets got the worse reception, but we’ve also glorified the WWII vet now, that didn’t always occur when these vets came home. The Korean War ‘conflict’ vets also received little recognition for their sacrifice and the vets from other skirmishes that have occurred have received little thanks.
Honoring vets is not honoring war but it is acknowledging those who became our frontline of defense against those who would take our freedoms. These men and women who fought for us have become far too often, the poor relations. These people interrupted their lives in order to be that frontline of defense – putting aside personal goals and plans.
I believe it is the responsibility of one generation to demonstrate by their words and actions the respect that should be shown toward those who are vets or current service people. We need to be an example to the next generation that they need to honor these people. They put themselves in harm’s way so we wouldn’t have to.
