Memorial day 2017

I sit here in my comfortable house, drinking my coffee, and try not to feel guilty for the losses suffered by our military through the years.

I met a Gold Star Mother from a small town on Wednesday.  I was running a law enforcement firearms qualification day at the Lakewood Police Department and we were all on break out front of the department.  She walked up with a newspaper in her hand and wanted to deliver it to the department for their service in the procession for her lost son.  Her tears were close upon her face as she bravely told his story and the story of the Patriot Riders and the Lakewood Police as they escorted her son’s body to the cemetery.   I touched her shoulder and smiled, listening to her story until she ran out of breath.  In a way wishing to record her every word, but glad I couldn’t as her story was personal and tailored for our situation.

As you know, many of us in my family have served our country and are VERY proud to have done so.  We have lost friends and acquaintances to military service and have suffered our own wounds and scars.  Thankfully we have not had to make that final journey with our family members lying in their coffins.

I watch the war movies and read the books and have seen first hand the ravages of war taken upon societies around the world.  I watch the protesters against war and the honored dead of our military service.  I watch the people who refuse to take the time to say thanks to those dead for their weekend of fun.

I think it all boils down to one thing….

Your choices (whatever they may be) in this country are protected and guaranteed by people who write that blank check based upon their lives.  It doesn’t matter what cause or justification the government uses when it cashes that check.  Yeah, there’s freedom and human rights and any number of ideals that you can throw out there but it all boils down to the fact that service members believe in the continuing AMERICAN way of life.  You can travel in the world because our military is respected.  You can complain about anything here you want to because our military defends the constitution.   All those RIGHTS you spout off about when complaining about our military and police are protected by the same people you are deriding.

I could get off on a really high soap box here, but I’m not going to.  I sit here this morning, drinking my coffee and remember friends that are gone, sacrifices made and our dead.

I hope you do the same.