To Those Who Sacrifice
Today we honor those of you who have made a willing sacrifice in the name of freedom — you who have given up your golf games, you who have taken fewer weeks of vacation, you who have given all the expired cans of vegetables from your pantry closets. For every tattered, sun-bleached made-in-China flag that whips as you drive twenty miles over the speed limit in your gas-guzzling SUV. For every magnetic sticker slapped on the bumper of your low-mileage American-made station wagon. For every commemorative coin, combat-gear-wearing Beanie Baby, or “Never Forget” license plate frame. Because if that’s not sacrifice for the greater good, baby, I sure as hell don’t know what is.
Stay classy, USA.
May 26th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
The least we can do to honor an awesome bunch of people is to buy more stuff at Wal*Mart.
Pop patriotism disgusts me. It’s all I can do not to groan audibly when the elementary school choir sings “Proud to Be An American” at the Memorial Day service.
Does this mean I am not proud to be an American? No, but it means that I am aware that it comes with responsibility, a responsibility that has been shirked over the last seven years, and for which we will pay, and have paid, dearly. I can only hope that we will go from here resolved to rebuild our nation’s stature in the world, and to do so with the utmost respect for the lives we put in harm’s way - and the lives taken in the process.
For all who have served, and still serve, in our nation’s armed forces, and have given their lives in the service of human dignity and freedom, thank you.