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On the way to the middle school Veteran's day assembly, I passed a teen-aged girl talking to an old veteran on Main street. Right as I passed, I heard her say, " I think we should stop war. All wars." A teenager earnestly expressing such an opinion would be impressive, but that was not the case here. This young lady's tone had an edge to it. She was dismissing the old man who was recounting his war service. She apparently served a higher purpose than he did.
At the middle school they put on a stupendous salute to Veterans. With songs, and slides and tributes, they couldn't thank us enough. We are blessed in our district to have so many professionals committed to teaching patriotism. During it all, I thought of my son. Three different students at his college have asked him if he was right in the head since returning from the war zone. "I'm trying real hard to keep from killing people...oh well, you win some, you lose some." He's a cheerful guy, my wonderful son, but I know it bothers him. He's right in the head, alright, but he grieves the loss of his closest friend every day of his life.
There are those who demand peace from a position of safety. You wonder if they see the big picture. On Veteran's Day, we honor those who are willing to protect us from evil at great personal risk. The oppression of terrorism, slavery, naziism, and communism does not go away peacefully. As for terrorism, there is but one man on this earth that terrorists fear the most. His term as President is ending now. We are indebted to him for protecting the country for seven years despite the fierce opposition that prolonged his efforts. What next?
The peace-teaching teenager I passed on main street was wearing a jacket that bore a very large playboy symbol on the back. "What can her mother be thinking?", I asked myself. That question comes up a lot now adays. General Powell once said that America lacks a sense of shame. Soldiers are good at recognizing evil. American soldiers have a duty to guard against becoming as evil as their enemies. Our troops do this magnificently, while facing slander by the likes of John Murtha and John Kerry. Veteran's Day is not a day for dishonorable veterans.
War is not going to end as long as there is evil. So, instead of just hating war, why not look at the big picture? Let's hate evil. That makes more sense than parading around with it on your back.
On the way to the middle school Veteran's day assembly, I passed a teen-aged girl talking to an old veteran on Main street. Right as I passed, I heard her say, " I think we should stop war. All wars." A teenager earnestly expressing such an opinion would be impressive, but that was not the case here. This young lady's tone had an edge to it. She was dismissing the old man who was recounting his war service. She apparently served a higher purpose than he did.
At the middle school they put on a stupendous salute to Veterans. With songs, and slides and tributes, they couldn't thank us enough. We are blessed in our district to have so many professionals committed to teaching patriotism. During it all, I thought of my son. Three different students at his college have asked him if he was right in the head since returning from the war zone. "I'm trying real hard to keep from killing people...oh well, you win some, you lose some." He's a cheerful guy, my wonderful son, but I know it bothers him. He's right in the head, alright, but he grieves the loss of his closest friend every day of his life.
There are those who demand peace from a position of safety. You wonder if they see the big picture. On Veteran's Day, we honor those who are willing to protect us from evil at great personal risk. The oppression of terrorism, slavery, naziism, and communism does not go away peacefully. As for terrorism, there is but one man on this earth that terrorists fear the most. His term as President is ending now. We are indebted to him for protecting the country for seven years despite the fierce opposition that prolonged his efforts. What next?
The peace-teaching teenager I passed on main street was wearing a jacket that bore a very large playboy symbol on the back. "What can her mother be thinking?", I asked myself. That question comes up a lot now adays. General Powell once said that America lacks a sense of shame. Soldiers are good at recognizing evil. American soldiers have a duty to guard against becoming as evil as their enemies. Our troops do this magnificently, while facing slander by the likes of John Murtha and John Kerry. Veteran's Day is not a day for dishonorable veterans.
War is not going to end as long as there is evil. So, instead of just hating war, why not look at the big picture? Let's hate evil. That makes more sense than parading around with it on your back.
