They Are The Brave Ones

Despite the political party that is in power in our nation, there will always be war. Some people would differ with this, however, as we look back on history, we can see this is true and we are told this in The Bible.

Watching events in our world, we find that wars bring out the brave among us. Those who love our nation to the point that they are willing to defend it for us are among the first to offer to leave their homes to go and fight for what they feel is right. Some have good reasons for not being able to leave their homes and family to help on the fighting front, whether it is for physical or other reasons they cannot participate. We need to acknowledge them for their desire to be there as well.

Then there are those who indicate, by their actions, that they think they are better off fighting the war and protecting our nation by demonstrating on street corners in our cities, spewing hate for those who are loyal to their country, and blaming a party, if their particular party is the minority. Calling themselves peacemakers, they are probably more like cowards.  They certainly cannot consider themselves peacemakers when they are condemning those who are actually giving of themselves to make sure that the war is not fought in our nation and, protecting these ungrateful demonstrators, as well as us.

No one gets pleasure in seeing the numbers of our men and women who are injured or killed in war, however, that is what war often produces: injury and death. Today our daily news included information about  a 19 year old Marine who recently lost both of his feet and, in the interview with his parents, his father told how he was skeptical when his son wanted to join the Marines. His son told him, "I want to serve God -I want to serve my country -and I want to serve man. He is very optimistic and his mother said she is sure he will walk again because of his determination. We have to admire a young man like him.

When we traveled, via AmTrak, to another state, we met a young fellow who was on his way home to see his parents after just finishing his training in one of the branches of our military. After 30 days he would be going to Iraq. He actually seemed excited about being able to do that, and I am sure he was because of his positive frame of mind. I will never forget his story.

This young man had the desire to serve his country by joining one branch of service. On graduating from high school he found that he was 50 pounds overweight and had to lose that first. It was a year later, in fall, when we spoke to him and he had lost those 50 pounds and completed his training by that time. I felt that was really desire and dedication to his country that he felt inside because losing 50 pounds takes dedication and effort that many do not have.

In discussing his thoughts about going to help defend our nation, I asked him how he felt about the possibility that he may never return and his answer will always stay with me. He told me their instructor discussed this with the fellows as part of their training and they were told to think of all of our young people who are killed in automobile and other accidents, shootings, deaths because of drugs, suicides,  and other reasons for their dying, not natural deaths. I still think of his statements to me when I hear about more of these senseless deaths, every morning on the news.

If we think about what this young man said,  and see statistics, there are far more deaths in our United States, daily, than there are of our young men and women dying in foreign countries because of war and unrest in areas of our world. These deaths, in many instances, are caused for some unknown reason and then the person causing them will end up for years behind bars. When these deaths are told about on the news, I can not help but compare them with hearing of one of our young men or women in the military.

Any parent who loses a son or daughter who is fighting to defend our country and people is hurting. Any parent who loses a son or daughter through senseless slaughter on the highways, shootings, drug overdose, and other ways of killing another human being, is hurting just as much and there simply  can not be the pride that the parents of a service person who gave his life to defend all of us has. The hurt is there in both cases, but the meaningless of it all is missing.

Having lived through the death of a 17 year old grandson, I know what it does to the family left behind, even though this death was not caused by drinking, drugs, or any such thing. It is not something we would wish on anyone, but it is happening all too often.

I would be bold to suggest that when people hear of someone being killed because of war, they remember that they gave their life to protect us, and say a prayer for the remaining family members. We have some from our home town who have endured that loss and my heart goes out to them.

I am also suggesting that when we see someone whose attire would indicate he is involved in training, or actually having been to fight and may be home for awhile, that we go and shake their hand and say "thank you" for their actions.    After all:     They Are The Brave Ones!

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Something worth sharing and remembering:

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag.

Once Again, I repeat: They Are The Brave Ones