Patriotism and Memorial Day observation

Sadly, during the misguided war in Vietnam, we subjected thousands of our young men and women to a senseless war, putting them at risk of bodily harm and death for a failed international policy of containing communism. The policy was bankrupt from the start. But that wasn’t the worst part of it. Compounding the misguided waging of war was the waking up of America to the idiocy of said war and the tragedy of the sacrifice of so many lives and limbs to it. The reaction in too many instances was for Americans to punish the soldiers instead of the poor leadership in Congress and the White House. The young American soldiers dutifully followed their orders and the bill of goods sold to them by our leadership, both Republican and Democrat. I have a personal friend who stepped on a land mine in Vietnam to be severely wounded in this poorly considered conflict.

They did what they were asked. I too served because of this stupid conflict. And I fared better than many, perhaps undeservedly.

We need to remember them this day, the ones who lost life or limb. We need to remember every single American who served to defend this country in war, whether American Revolution, Civil War, Korean War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan. Our defenders don’t get to choose what war is appropriate. They just get to serve us. They didn’t get to choose between standing or kneeling for a musical performance of our National Anthem. Nor would they have cared whether you stood or kneeled. They just felt obligated to protect us and hoped we would respect their choice. They did not ask us to think of them as patriots. They didn’t even bring it up. They just became Patriots. No chest thumping, no flag waving. Just doing their duty.

I’m so proud to have known many of them. And I’m so proud that they don’t demand to be recognized as Patriots. No political gaming on their parts. No fake patriotism. They don’t need to fake it. They are there.

Thank you, real patriots.

America has never been great. But America has had some great Americans.