As we reflect on yet another “Veterans Day” with thousands of our brave Patriots still in harm’s way around the globe, it can sometimes be easy to lose sight our nations place in this world. With this in mind I must tell you that I am constantly battling my natural instincts to lash out at those who simply “don’t get it” or just “refuse to accept it”.
I sat watching the news recently and was stunned as I listened to a “middle aged” occupy Wall Street person go on about the evil and wicked ways of the United States of America, and I thought to myself, how far have we come when some left over relic from the 60’s is still out there re-writing history and lashing out in a way that would most likely result in his arrest or worse in many of the nations he ideologically identifies with? How far have we come when the youngest generation currently enrolled in our institutions of higher learning, have put their faith in a fatalistic and hopelessly warped view of the world thrust on them by many a social engineer masquerading as an educator? And how far have we come when common decency and respect are no longer part of the free speech and right of lawful assembly equation so many of our brave Soldiers have died to preserve?
On this Veterans Day 2011 I ask only that any discussion, critique, analysis, demonstration against, or protest of – this country, its leaders, politics or policies, actions, initiatives or otherwise – come only after an honest evaluation and subsequent understanding and acceptance of one fundamental truth – and that is that the United States of America, despite all of her faults, mistakes, ambiguity, miscalculations born of arrogance, and at times collective complacency, remains the best arrangement for mankind under God in all of human times. 
Unless and until we understand this simple truth and the history that lead to it in so short an earthly margin, any simple right of free speech, expression or assembly will not be enough to save us from the fires of our own “individual” and human selfishness.
God bless the Soldiers who are fighting and dying not only for our flag, but for what it represents.
