Veterans

I was reading a comment from a friend's Facebook page today which juxtaposed the high percentage of Americans who feel the country is on the wrong track with the fabulous realities of living in America.  By implication, if Americans are upset about the way the country is headed, they are ungrateful for the safety, security, and wellness they enjoy.

I'm one of those Americans who, until last Tuesday, was unhappy with the direction America was headed.  I am profoundly grateful for the things we take for granted (as does the rest of the developed world): safety, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, and infrastructure that delivers water, electricity, and even broadband to almost everyone.  

I was unhappy with the direction our country was heading because I saw us squandering the opportunity to use these blessings in the best way.  Darfur.  Rwanda.  Burma.  Pakistan.  The uninsured.  Iraq.  The hungry.  The tired.  There are so many ways we could use our good reputation and resources, and instead both are squandered on petty political gamesmanship and personal revenge.  We saw our liberties erode as any citizen could be considered an enemy combatant and denied habeas corpus or a free and fair trial by a jury of his peers.

I was unhappy that the country I loved had diminished its standing in the world, and was wasting the lives of its citizens to promote an agenda that would only lead to more war.

Thank God for an all-volunteer armed forces, filled with good women and men who want to serve our country.  I am thankful for their services, and hope that as a citizen I can be worthy of their sacrifice.  And I hope our nation values their service and heroism enough to only put them in harm's way when it is truly justified.