By Samantha Welch and Nathan Hritz
Veterans Day. A holiday whose meaning I feel is often overlooked. Sure, there are parades and a variety of other festivities to celebrate this holiday, but are we really taking Veterans Day the way we should?
To me it often seems we, as Americans, lose sight of the fact our troops and veterans quite literally make up the pillars our nation is built upon. We get caught up in our personal lives and our individual problems to even take note of the blood our servicemen and women shed to protect the rights we have.
We, as a country, hold liberties that we should be thankful for and we need to acknowledge and thank our veterans for it. As Ronald Reagan said, “We remember those who were called upon to give all a person can give, and we remember those who were prepared to make that sacrifice if it were demanded of them in the line of duty, though it never was. Most of all, we remember the devotion and gallantry with which all of them ennobled their nation as they became champions of a noble cause.”
In the song “Ragged Old Flag,” Johnny Cash talks about how on our own turf, people have trampled on Old Glory, a direct insult to any of those who have fought for the colors. He ends the song talking about how the flag has been through the fire before, and she’ll take a whole lot more. Those words are a telling reminder of the fight for freedom our country has had and continues to endure.
Like everywhere else, America has its flaws and imperfections. But despite those, we have a lot to be proud of. If you can’t find at least one thing, then look harder.
There’s a ton of history here — history our veterans played a crucial part in making. I love our veterans. It seems more and more to me the younger generations take our freedoms and the sacrifices behind them for granted.
For me, this is disheartening. For a country that was built off of the blood, sweat, and tears of those who believed in the idea of liberty and justice for all, we should honor those who have sacrificed their time and their lives.
With all that said, I’d like to end this week’s column directly addressing our veterans. So, veterans, on the behalf of myself and many others, I’d like to sincerely thank you for your service from the bottom of my heart. God bless.
