RSS
Home
A Veterans Day 'thank you' to our servicemen and women
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
The first lady addresses veterans as part of the MLB's "Welcome Back Veterans" program in New York.
It is a sad fact that in America, we enjoy much more freedom than most of the world, yet so often we take it for granted. The main reason that we enjoy such freedom is because of the bravery of the men and women of our armed forces.
From the American Revolution to present day, over 1 million Americans have given their lives in defense of this nation (this figure is approximately 700,000 when not including Civil War or the current situations in Iraq and Afghanistan). Approximately 24.5 million current US citizens are veterans (about 12.5% of the US population).
Despite these sacrifices, veterans are often overlooked except when it is politically advantageous, or even rebuked for their services. They have been used by politicians of both parties (in particular, Republicans in recent years or Democrats looking to score points with conservative or moderate voters). This fact is made more disturbing by the number of politicians who have served in the armed forces(including John Kerry, John McCain, the late Ted Kennedy, Lindsey Graham, Jim Webb and Pat Roberts, to name a few).
Veterans also suffer from a higher rate of unemployment than the general population. Often, they are the subject of ridicule for failed and controversial policies for which they are not responsible but made to carry out, particularly when one is unable or unwilling to see the failings of the two-party system (which is really not all that different from a single party system).
Every day, and especially on Veterans Day, every American should pause and reflect on the freedoms they enjoy. They should thank those responsible for giving them those freedoms. We as Americans should be disgusted by the politicization of the issue.
If you value your civil liberties, don't thank a politician. Thank a veteran.
Related Articles:
Comments
