Veteran's Thanksgiving Day

If you can read this, thank a veteran. I know, there were teachers involved too, but the system of free public education within which your teachers labored was made possible by the sacrifices of tens of thousands of American servicemen and women. Then there is your freedom to use the Internet -- bought by vets. The job where you earned the money to to buy this computer -- secured by those who defend us. You'd be hard pressed to name anything  connected to the American dream that is not in some way established or maintained by those who served or are serving in the armed forces.

And let us not make the mistake demonstrated by David Masciotra of Salon.com. If you read only the first few paragraphs of Masciotra's article, it sounds like any other liberal panty-waist who doesn't like anyone who carries a gun. He is clearly not in favor of the foreign policy decisions made by recent administrations (Democrat or Republican). He is also rightly disgusted by the miscreants who sometimes get into uniforms and do awful things. But he makes the mistake of saying that only the "the soldier who runs into the line of fire to protect his division" or "the police officer who works tirelessly to find a missing child" are really heroes. His mistake is in thinking that the infrastructure behind those truly heroic acts is not essential to the commission of the valiant acts themselves.

Everyone who has served in uniform deserves the thanks of those of us who benefit from their service. The uncommon bravery of a few must be recognized, but the common, even mundane acts of service by all the rest are also worthy of our esteem and honor. The financial hardships borne by either military or law enforcement qualify as acts of service (enlisted persons on food stamps). The stress borne by the families of those who answer the call to serve is another form of sacrifice (wives and children without husbands and fathers). The real demon of PTSD which was overlooked in the past, but which haunts our society. The thousands of wounded warriors who would have died in earlier conflicts, but because of medical marvels are living scarred among us.

Honor to whom honor is due, the Apostle Paul commands. There are none in America on this or any day who deserve honor more than our veterans. Thank you, all of you!